Page 31 of Wicked Queen

“I was sorry to hear that your wedding was called off,” Edward said from the end of the table, turning on them. “Pepper was engaged to Philip Abernathy, but didn’t he leave you at the altar?”

Pepper’s nostrils flared and she nearly spilled her wine on the linen tablecloth. “I called off the wedding. He was still hung on that bitch ex-fiancée of his.”

I closed my eyes, searching for strength. I was going to need it in about two seconds. But neither Edward nor Clara rose to the bait.

“Belle is a singular woman,” I said when they didn’t speak. This earned me a surprised look from my brother and a grateful one from my wife. In truth, I was certain Belle hated me passionately, but I would allow no one to speak ill of their best friend. Pepper might keep trying to challenge the Queen, but she needed to remember there was a king at this table.

“I’m surprised you noticed. I didn’t think you looked at women that way,” Pepper said to Edward, as though his homosexuality was some type of ammunition.

Sarah waved her off with a laugh. “I knew that before the accident.”

“I was thirteen when you had your accident,” Edward said flatly.

“It was a surprise to us,” Pepper said. “None of us saw it coming. He always acted so normal.”

“Normal?” I repeated. “Maybe I didn’t hear you correctly.”

“Oh, darling,” Sarah said, sounding genuine for the first time, “I never judged. I only wish I could’ve been there for you.”

She sounded like this proclamation warranted sainthood. I still couldn’t decide if she was being sincere or making another dig.

“We all wish that.” Edward picked at his salad and I made a mental note to have Pepper officially banished from the grounds.

Despite the sniping, we made it to the main course before things got really ugly. Clara’s diplomacy had a limit, and she’d played her hand subtly by way of her choice of entrée: a thick steak surrounded by béarnaise sauce.

Pepper stared at it like she’d been served dirt.

“I don’t eat red meat,” she whined.

Sarah frowned, her fingers lingering over her fork and knife. “I asked the kitchens to prepare something light. My apologies.”

“Some of us have to watch our figures, we haven’t cornered our men yet.” Pepper fluttered her eyelashes and smile sweetly at Clara like this was a compliment. I considered throwing my knife at her.

But Clara lifted her fork and knife to cut into her steak without blinking. “I spoke with them as well,” she said, not the least bit apologetic. “I asked for the steak. The iron is good for the baby.”

She hadn’t apologized. It was a message. Here—in this palace—her decisions took precedence.

“I’ll pass.” Pepper pushed her plate forward and an attendant rushed in to take it to the kitchen. “It must be so nice not worrying about how you look anymore, Clara.”

“Pepper,” Edward said, his mouth twisting as if his food was bitter. I could see my brother’s patience growing thinner by the minute. I’d already begun to visualize dropping the girl’s scrawny ass outside the gates.

“I’ve never really worried about how I look,” Clara said with a shrug.

“Alexander doesn’t have any complaints,” Edward said, backing her up with a good-natured reminder of his earlier teasing about our bedroom habits.

“He does already have you up the duff again,” Sarah commented. “Although I heard she was pregnant when you married her. I wouldn’t have thought that would work on you. It’s convenient, really, to—”

“Sarah.” This time it was me giving the warning. I could give my sister some slack. None of us understood what it was like to be her right now. But she was walking a dangerous path. If she wasn’t careful, she would slip and hang herself on the rope I’d given her.

“I think that was her plan from the beginning,” Pepper jumped in, not heeding my warning. “She’s like an animal. Every time I see them they’ve just shagged.”

“This conversation needs to stop right now,” I said in a low voice. Heat flooded through me, threatening to boil over.

“What?” Pepper said with mock innocence. She leaned closer to Sarah, as though to share some juicy gossip, but she didn’t bother to whisper. “Clara knows what I’m talking about. Don’t you remember the time I saw you? Well, Alexander didn’t see, but she looked right at me. It was that hunting weekend in the country. I’ve never seen a woman act so filthy. She was giving it to him right on the balcony. He took her knickers and—”

I was on my feet, my fist slamming into the table before she’d finished sullying that memory. “Get out!”

“She is my guest,” Sarah started.