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“Evie is living in an oceanside estate eating calamari and getting dicked down by a replica of my padre every day.”
There was a story in there somewhere regarding her wanting his…dad. I’m pretty sure that’s what he’d just said. I was more concerned that this bitch was living a grand life after everything she’d done.
Indirectly harming Maisie.
Shooting my dad in the back like a fucking coward.
Wanting me dead.
I didn’t understand. Me aside, she’d hurt his sister, hadn’t she?
“So why is she still alive?”
“We were waiting on you to decide how you wanted her to die,” he replied without missing a beat.
“What kind of reason is that?”
“Considering you’re going to be the one who delivers this news to her personally, a good one.”
Okay…I had to be missing something.
“Does Evie know I’m alive?”
“She knows. Since I’ve been intercepting her every attempt to find you. She has no fucking clue you’re beside me.”
Then it was as I’d perceived it to be, he’d been protecting me.
I reached for my water and drank a decent amount to wet my throat. I sat the glass down, strumming my fingers against it.
“You have a very roundabout way of informing me of things.”
“I’m straight to the point when I need to be. There was a time you wanted that from me.”
“I did—do. What does this mean, though? What is it you want me to do for her to disappear?”
“I want to make a deal with you.”
“I thought I did that already.”
“No.” He reached for his own drink, some kind of liquor, and took a sip. “You gave me a chance and now I’m going to offer you one.”
Intrigued, I reached for my napkin and sat back. “I’m listening.”
“You’re going to marry me without bitching or any cold-feet bullshit.”
“Am I?”
“I want a genuine smile on that beautiful face on our big day.” Imagine how rich, well-fucked, and spoiled you’ll be for the rest of your life by a man that always chooses you. That should do the trick.”
“We--?”
His hand came up to silence me.
“You’ll take the same crash course I did and learn how to keep our dynasty secure. My kids will have what I did. It’s important to me.” He paused and looked at me expectantly.
I would love to learn the ropes to navigate life as I would come to know it. If there was one thing a woman couldn’t afford to be in this world, it was weak. I refused for that label to ever be associated with me.
I didn’t have a reply for the baby thing. I was still planning to be besties with birth control for the foreseeable future.
“And what else?”
“When I do something for your safety, don’t be fucking bullheaded and fight against me in the name of woman’s rights and independence. You won’t have either if someone puts a bullet in your head or makes you into a whore.”
“Because you give me so many choices?” I questioned sarcastically.
“You’re getting me and with that comes everything else you need. All you have to do is agree.”
“Judas, even if I don’t agree, you’ll make me marry you.”
“I’m not making you. You said the ring is beautiful. And I told you I was going to marry you years ago. I’m a highly sought-after bachelor you’re taking off the market, rejoice a little.”
I laughed at his selling points. “If this is a deal, what do I get out of this?”
“Everything, including Evie.”
“If I don’t want your deal?”
“Then you remain oblivious to everything I do and live life in the same manner. I’ll shield you always, but you can’t have it both ways. You can be my unassuming bride with her head in the clouds or one that’s going to ensure no one ever fucks with her by the power she wields.”
I gnawed the inside of my lip, considering everything he said. This is what Maisie and Nova had been trying to tell me. As my husband, he could give me what I needed to get what I wanted.
Once I was in, though, there’d be no way out. We’d never divorce. I couldn’t stand there and support him making decisions that destroyed lives and then decide I wanted to be his naïve wife who knew nothing. That wasn’t appealing to me at all.
“What exactly would I do? If I accept?”
“Do? Nothing.”
At my confused look, he went on to explain.
“Rhiannon, you’re a goddess. You will never sully your hands with blood unless I fail you and you’ve got to decide life or death.”
“A…goddess?” I didn’t know if I should swoon or cry. “Santiago called me a queen.”
“You’re everything,” he surprisingly agreed. “You be the queen, regal and safe knowing she has a king that will do whatever is necessary to keep a smile on her face and make sure she’s safe.”
I swallowed, reminding my heart it needed to keep beating at a steady tempo. He wanted to give me everything, but was it real? Would he dangle these promises just to snatch them away and leave me this bitter, broken woman I’d have to fight like hell to bring back from a place of misery again?
