Page 45 of Secret Dynasty

“Thanks for the update.” I poked the stack of papers with my index finger. “Do you really expect me to agree to this?”

“You already have,” he said with a bemused smile.

“I didn’t know I was greeting to put my uterus on a schedule.”

“You had time to decide, and you chose my offer of marriage,” he pointed out.

My mouth fell open, and I scrambled to close it again, angry that he’d caught me so off-guard. “We went on a few dates, and you proposed. This is something else entirely.”

His eyes rolled slightly, and I was grateful he was across the table because my palm itched to slap him. “You know how this works in our circles. Why are you acting like this is unusual?”

I understood why I’d run now. I’d felt the walls closing in on me. I’d known there was no way to avoid these expectations. I hadn’t escaped it then. How did I expect to now?

“I’m not entirely unreasonable,” Spencer continued. “You’ll have access to a spending account that would make the queen blush. If you want nannies, that can be arranged.”

“What if I don’t want children?” I asked.

“Don’t be stupid,” he snapped. “People like us need heirs.”

“So, let’s wait. We can have an heir ten years from now.”

“That’s not possible.”

I expected his response because of the conversation I’d overheard between Iris and Caroline. This wasn’t just about lineage or the family name. Children would help in the eyes of the public as well as within his own party.

“I know it sounds daunting,” he said gently like he was trying to coax a frightened kitten to his palm, “but you can have everything you want. Everyone you want.”

I stared at him, a horrible realization dawning on me. “What?”

“Both of us.” His throat slid. “I’m not blind. You can deny it all you want, but there is something between you and Holden. At first, I was jealous, but I’m past that now.”

Laughter bubbled up my throat. “Oh really?”

“Do you remember how you felt pinned between us? You were wild. I’ve never seen a woman climax like that. Do you remember how you touched yourself after? You can have that all the time, even…” He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie a little before he finished his offer. “Even when I’m not around.”

“What are you saying?” He couldn’t be implying what I thought. He wouldn’t.

“I can be generous,” Spencer said, “especially when I am obeyed.”

“Are you telling me that I can fuck your brother as much as I want if we follow your rules?” I spit the words at him. Nausea surged through me again.

But he didn’t flinch at the accusation. “Yes. Provided that you continue to visit my bed or share yours with both of us.”

“Like one big happy family?” A hysterical edge gripped me. This couldn’t be happening. My head began to spin, icy water lapped my feet. Not now. I couldn’t lose it in front of him now, not with everything at stake.

I forced myself to focus. This was lunacy. I just had to get him to see it. “What about your baby timeline? You want me off the pill next week, remember? How will Holden feel about that? How will you feel?”

“Why would that matter?” he said curiously.

“What if I...what if Holden…” I struggled to even ask the question.

But Spencer had thought of this, too. “We’re identical, remember. It hardly matters which one of us gets you pregnant. We’d never be able to tell anyway.” He shrugged like this was a completely normal aspect of marriage. “I imagine with both of us sharing your bed, we’ll conceive in no time.”

I fought the urge to drop my head, knowing that if I looked down, I would be sick. It felt as if I’d been tossed from a boat. Each word that left his mouth battered me like strong waves.

I pushed my seat back, leaving the contract on the table unsigned. “I can’t...I just…”

“Yes, you can,” he said coldly, “and you will.”