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I rolled my eyes. Leo was always so melodramatic. I reached for his wrist, and his entire body went rigid, as if my touch made all his muscles clench. “Leo. Please. I don’t want to be here.”
“You could always leave. Permanently.” His words were tense and low, and his eyes scanned the room, as if afraid someone would overhear him.
He made it sound so easy. But I was too tangled up with affection and hope to fantasize about going back now. Besides, something told me that August wouldn’t let me get away that easily, and Atticus had already proven he’d find me wherever I went. My time for running was over. “But then you wouldn’t have me here to annoy you,” I replied playfully. There was something about Leo that thrilled me. In that moment, I felt flirty and carefree, rebelling against my obligations. He was the guard that always followed me, sinking into the shadows. Watching me blossom.
But today I wanted him to be more.
He looked around the room once more. “Fine. Let’s go. I’m only saying yes because my mother asked about you, and I can’t trust that you won’t do something stupid while I’m gone since you seem hell-bent on breaking the rules.”
He stared at where I still held him, the two of us lingering in a tense standstill. “Let’s go,” I whispered before pulling back.
He cleared his throat. “Fine.”
Getting a car had been a little more difficult than I anticipated. Everyone had questions. Where were we going? Did August know? Why wasn’t I dressed for the scheduled events?
“At this rate, I’m never getting to my mother’s flat, and I’ve already missed my fucking bus,” Leo grunted, annoyed that not even his new rank could get us permission off castle grounds.
“We could sneak out,” I whispered while we walked away from the parking lot.
“August has probably already been informed that you’re trying to leave. I’m going to get fired, and you’re going to get manhandled into a dress.”
I scowled. “Maybe August will let me—”
“He won’t.”
I let out a sigh as an expensive-looking black car started traveling up the cobblestone drive. It slowed down in front of us, and Atticus rolled down the window. “A little birdy told me you were looking for a car?”
Leo cursed. “Fucking hell.”
A broad grin crossed my features. “Why? You going to be my knight in shining armor?”
“Depends. Where are you going?”
Leo shuffled on his feet. There was a commotion behind us, likely more guards trying to track me down. A thrill shot through me at doing something I wasn’t supposed to. My guard reluctantly answered him, “Going to visit my family. Lady Abernathy wants to avoid her duties for the day.”
“Does August know?” Atticus asked while sliding his aviator glasses down his nose.
“I’m sure he does now,” Leo grunted. Always so grumpy.
“Then I guess you should get going. But it’ll cost you.” I leaned into the window, my arms resting on the car as I smiled at Atticus. I never got to thank him for forcing August to come visit me. I didn’t know exactly what that meant for us that he was basically bringing me together with the man I was marrying, but if I thought too hard about it, it made me sick to my stomach.
Atticus lowered his voice. “Kiss me in front of him. Like you mean it, Little Monster.”
I looked over my shoulder at an annoyed Leo before turning back to Atticus. “Why?”
He leaned closer, the minty smell of his breath washing over me. “Because if I’m going to let him steal you away, then I want him to remember who you belong to.” I looked down at the ring on my hand and frowned. Who did I belong to? Lately, I just wanted to belong to myself.
Atticus placed his hand over mine, blocking my engagement ring from view. “One kiss?”
“We don’t have time for this bullshit,” Leo urged.
Atticus ignored him. “I could make you suck me off, but the asshole is right, we don’t have time, and I wouldn’t want to bruise your pretty knees. The ground is hard.”
My raspy voice whispered back, “I like it hard.”
Atticus leaned forward and kissed me. I gasped at the cruel ravishment of his mouth against mine. His kiss was punishing and angry, and he claimed me with every sweeping pass of his tongue, every suck of my bottom lip, every moan vibrating in his chest.
He cupped my cheek and stroked my soft skin, and even though I could feel Leo at my back, eyeing us with anger, I was too lost in Atticus to care. When he pulled away, my pulse was roaring. “When he kisses you later, remember this.”
