“Handsome?”
“Cocky apparently!” She rolled her eyes and smiled. “And yes, handsome, but I was going to say daunting. I’ve heard so much about your family, so much about your position, as head of the family, and yet almost nothing about you. What you hate, what you like, what you love—”
“I hate disloyalty. I like and love loyalty.”
She just stared at me, her blue eyes peering into me so…innocently, it was jarring.
“Are you a robot?”
“Do you have any questions left worth answering?” If not, then I would prefer to get this night over with quickly.
“So that’s all you need from me then, loyalty?” she asked slowly, as if processing it. Why, I had no idea.
Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pulled out the ring box. Taking out the ring and dropping the box to the floor before I lifted her hand.
“I’m not romantic. I’m sure I’ll do or say many things that will come off anti-climactic, robotic, and bizarre as you have said. However,”—I slid the ring onto her finger—“I’ll never lie to you, nor will I abandon you. I’ll always be loyal and faithful. Everything I have will be yours always. In return I ask for the same.”
“What a ring!” She gaped down at the ring until a smile spread across her lips. “If this is you being ‘not romantic’ I’m curious to see what the romantic side of you is like. I can do loyalty… Happy birthday, by the way.” Her pink lips turned slightly.
Just like that she stepped back into the room, and I couldn’t help but think…if this was her not seducing me, what would the seductive side of her look like?
“Are you coming?”
Pushing off the door, I glanced back at her. “I’ve been informed it’s my party and as such I cannot be late.”
Her lips made a thin line. “Are you mocking me?”
“Yes.” I spun around and walked over. However, before she could open the door I closed it, spinning her back to face me and pinning her against it.
“Is this just nerves?”
“What?” Her eyes searched mine, probably as much as I searched hers.
“You told our lawyer, and I quote, ‘If they all drowned in their blood it wouldn’t be justice enough.’ Then upon meeting my grandmother, you tried to break free of your chains. And then immediately after she showed you a video, you called your family. The next morning you agreed to become my wife.”
“What are you trying to say?” she said calmly, though her blue eyes glared at me in rage. “I’m a spy? Are you fucking insane?”
“I’ve agreed to marry a woman with almost nothing to offer.” I leaned in, our faces barely an inch apart. “My sanity must be questioned. Just as your loyalty must be.”
“No,” she replied, doing her best to push me away. However, I didn’t budge.
“Your father was a liar—”
SLAP.
“Call my father a liar to my face and I will slit your throat!” she threatened, breathing through her nose.
“Your father was—”
SLAP. “Shut up!”
My cheek burned. However, I ignored it, grabbing onto her wrist before she’d make her third mistake.
“Your father—”
“My father loved my mother the same way your father loved yours!” She snapped, and I froze, just staring at her, so annoyed, I wanted to bash her head in.
“Don’t ever…” I squeezed her wrist. “EVER. Put my parents on the level of yours.”
“Why?” She stood up to me. “Because they were rich, famous, and powerful? While mine were poor, typical, and insignificant? Did it matter, though? My mother died suddenly like yours—”
“I’m warning you!” I grabbed onto her throat. However, she didn’t back down. She held her head higher.
“And my father was heartbroken like yours. He died with her and left me walking around with a shell of a person until he finally died too…at least you know your father went on his own terms.”
“ENOUGH!” I slammed her into the door.
She just glared at me. “If you got a message from your father and he told you the person who killed your mother wasn’t who you thought it was…but was someone else, would you question it? My father loved my mother, and he’d rather die than lie to me. The moment I saw that video I knew it was the truth. I knew it with every fiber of my being. I just couldn’t accept it. At first because it meant he allowed me to hate the wrong people. He allowed me to trust the wrong ones too and that is how my whole life was ruined! For the last seven years I’ve been in hell because he let me trust them. Because they were family. Do you know what that feels like? Believe me, it hurts much more than being slammed into the door by you.”
Letting go of her neck, I took a step back. She inhaled deeply and then walked toward the vanity mirror, wiping the corners of her eyes and inspecting her neck.
“You don’t trust me, fine,” she whispered, reapplying her makeup. “But I’m sure the only reason you chose me is to stop the rebellion that’s growing…so I’m not worthless. And I’m here because I want Cillian, Elroy, Rory, Shay, my dad’s old friend Michael, along with a guard at the prison dead. That is my list.”
Annoyed with her and myself, I lifted her chin up to see her neck.
“This won’t happen again.”
“I don’t care,” she shot back. “My list. Can you do it or not?”
I simply nodded, lifting my arm for her to take. She glared at me before linking arms.
“I should have believed you the first time. You’re not romantic at all,” she muttered when I opened the door…only to be met with Toby’s confused stupid face as he glanced between us.
Just then his words came back to mind. “You have a tendency to come off…cold, daunting, and threatening.”
I didn’t come off as anything…I simply was. I had to be.
IVY
The cameras were nearly blinding as we walked down the grand staircase, forcing me to grip onto him tighter until we reached the last step where we both posed for the photographer. Forcing myself to smile, I remembered what Nari had said about queens smiling even when they wanted to scream. Who’d think I’d have to do that so soon. I could feel everyone staring, whispering…
“Ivy, you look beautiful.” His grandmother, Evelyn, was the first to approach us when the photographer moved aside, dressed in a champagne-colored gown. She hugged me, forcing me to release Ethan.
“Thank you. I’m so glad I’m worthy to be seen in your presence,” I whispered, hugging her back. When we pulled back the corners of her lips turned up in a small smile.
“Do I get hello, Grandmother? After all, it is my birthday.” He drew her attention to that, and Evelyn rolled her eyes.
“Always the attention king.” She made a face at him.
“Of course, I learned from you,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her cheek and when he stepped back, I put my arm back around his arm. I noticed once again he stiffened and then relaxed.