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I look at him aghast.
“Never,” I growl.
Looking impeccable in his tux, even with his missing tie, he extends his hand for me to take. With my butt burning like the fires in hell, I begrudgingly take his outstretched hand.
“You’re going to be married soon.” I clench my lips together to hide their tremor and lift my chin high.
I might not be as tall as him and, granted, I’m feeling vulnerable as hell with my ass on fire, a stinging bite on my neck, and him looming over me, but I gather the scraps of my self-respect and repeat, “This can never happen again.”
He moves closer, so close I inhale the musky pine scent of him.
“It can and it will. With my wife.” He pauses a beat. His hand reaches for my chin. Shaking it a little, he finishes, “That will beyou.”
I frown up at him. “W-what are you talking about?”
“My announcement? You know, the one you so rudely missed? I told the entire gathering that I will marry you. I went to Cristo yesterday and asked for his approval. It took a bit of convincing, but he’s on board. Even Alex congratulated me. Roxie and her parents will be disappointed, of course, but that’s to be expected. I will handle it, I promise. She won’t bother you again. You’re under my protection.You’re mine, period. In front of the world, and soon, in front of God.”
“The fuck—”
He makes a little tsking sound. “Watch your tongue. It’s not befitting of the wife of the Popescuconsilier,” he scolds. He gives my tummy a meaningful look. “It’s not good for the children.”
My head is swimming. Ignoring the last bit about children—because hello, has he lost his damn mind or what?—I ask, “Wait? He made youconsilierwithout you marrying Roxie? I don’t get it.”
“It’s not for you to understand the intricacy of our plans. There are forces at work you don’t know about, but our engagement comes at a perfect time,” he says smugly.
My hand shoots out and I smack him across the cheek. The crack reverberates in the small space. His head snaps back.
“No,” I refute. “I’m not going to be part of yourplanto conquer the world.”
He takes a step forward, the buttons of his shirt scape against my chest. “I understand it’s a shock, so I’ll let that one go, but if you ever do hit me again, I swear you won’t be able to sit on your ass for a week, understand?”
Caressing my cheek with the back of his hand, he cants his head to the side. “I don’t understand why you’re fighting this. What’s so wrong with marrying me?”
I throw my hands in the air. “Because I’m not a pawn! And because I have plan, remember. I have a life.”
“After everything that’s happened between us, you can’t possibly believe I’m marrying you only to get ahead. That’s preposterous.” His voice drops. “And as for leaving, get that notion out of your head. You can’t leave. You’re mine. Wewillmarry. Now that I’m not marrying Roxie, I must marry you.”
I jab a finger into his chest. “See, right there! You just admitted that you have to marry me because I somehow fit better into your grand master plan. Well, guess what? We’re not interchangeable, Roxie and I.”
“That’s not what I meant—
“Let me tell you,” I bulldoze on. “It will be a cold day in hell before I marry the likes of you.”
A vein throbs in his temple. Anger ripples off him in waves, but I don’t care. He completely dismissed my plans, which he damn well knew about. And did I even get a proposal? Nope. I’m not even worthy of that.
He arches one brow. “I could evoke the blood oath.”
I clutch my chest in horror. I can’t believe he’d stoop so low as to revive that dying tradition. My left eye ticks, fury rampaging its way through my body. “Like hell you will. I’ll deny it’s you who took my virginity till my dying breath.”
“That’s dishonorable.”
I toss my head in frustration. “You’re unbelievable, you know that? What’s dishonorable is forcing me to get married and stay in this godforsaken backward society, that’s what’s dishonorable. But you have zero qualms about doing that. Don’t talk to me about honor. I told you about my plan from the beginning. How about honoring the pact we have, because I only agreed to tutor you in exchange for your help toleave, not to get coerced into marrying you.”
“I didn’t think you were crazy enough to go through with it.” Pointing to the entrance leading out into another chamber, he roars, “There are dangers out there that you have no inkling about.”
“Dangers, shmangers,” I retort. “What about the danger of my soul shriveling up if I stay here?”
“And what about me?”
