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“What are you saying, Valen?”
“I’m saying, Harlow, that I’d want to marry you even if we lived normal lives.”
“Naw,” Florence cooed as Apollo fake-gagged, then laughed as Florence nudged him.
I threw them both a look that told them to shut up before turning back to Valen. I took a deep breath, realising I was about to exchange one contract for another, if all went to plan. But this time, I’d make sure I had some say in the matter.
I nodded. “Okay. We can only try. Give my dad the option and see what he says.”
“I’ll go and talk to him, then,” Valen said.
Apollo nodded. “Okay. Good.”
I put a hand on Valen’s chest. “No,” I said, my voice firm despite the trepidation making my stomach flutter.
“I thought you wanted–” Apollo started, but Florence smacked him, knowing exactly what was going through my head.
I swallowed hard and nodded. “No. I do.” I looked into Valen’s eyes to reassure him. “I want to be with you, but I’ve had men dictate everything for me my whole life. I need to be the one to talk to him.”
Valen dropped his forehead to mine as his hand lighted on my elbow. “Are you sure?”
I nodded, feeling stronger and more determined. “Yes. I’m not going to be the princess locked in the tower anymore. I’m a fucking goddess in my own right.”
“Fuck yeah, you are!” Florence cheered and I threw her a smile.
“We’ll be here if you need us,” Valen said, and I reached up to give him a kiss.
“I’ll fight for you both, Harlow,” Apollo added.
“You’re no use to anyone dead,” Florence muttered sardonically.
“I can hold my own,” Apollo argued.
“Almost,” Valen conceded. “We’ve still got work to do.”
Florence looked to Apollo in surprise. “You’re actually training to fight? Properly? As in, not just for show?”
Apollo shrugged like it was nothing. “The two people who matter most to me are about to start a war, just for loving each other. Of course, I’m fucking training to fight.”
I’d have recognised then that Florence seemed to look at him with new eyes, but I was gearing up to start that war. It was not a decision to be taken lightly, but it was the right one. There was no way Apollo and I could ever be more than friends, and sneaking around with Valen for the rest of my life wasn’t an attractive prospect. And it would have to be some next level sneaking because there was no doubt that Archer would kill Valen to force me to be ‘faithful’ to Apollo and secure his son’s inheritance.
The next step was convincing my father I knew my own mind – and heart – well enough to risk breaking what was no-doubt an iron-clad contract with Archer Callahan.
I left the others, went and knocked on Dad’s door, and waited for the, “Enter,” before pushing it open.
Dad looked at me in surprise. “Harlow. What can I do for you?”
I cleared my throat. “There’s no easy way to say this, but I’m not marrying Apollo.”
Dad put his pen down carefully and steepled his fingers under his chin. “Really?”
I nodded as I took a hesitant step forward. “Really.”
He indicated I sit in the seat on the other side of his desk, so I did. “How much did your mother tell you about the contract with Archer Callahan?” he asked.
I forced myself to keep my eyes out of my lap. “Enough.”
His eyebrow rose for merely a split second. “Then you know what happens if we renege on our part of the deal?”
