Page 24 of A Royal Deception

That was true. But even as I thought my new bride was going to throw up all over my shoes, she took a deep breath and stood up tall as she met my eyes.

“Baisa is right, Your Highness. She was the woman you were supposed to marry. I was merely a temporary stand-in. My role here is done. Here, take this,” she said, putting her hands around her neck to unfasten the mangalsutra.

A visceral fury shot through me at the very thought of her taking it off and giving it to Kavya like it was a piece of costume jewellery. That little chain with the black beads was what tied me to Shivina, and she was about to discard it like a used tissue.

“Don’t you dare touch that mangalsutra,” I growled, and her hands froze in place. “You made your choice when you set out to deceive me, Shivina. And now you’re going to pay the price.”

“What price?” squawked Kavya and her mother.

“She’s coming home with me. As my Maharani,” I announced grimly.

“Over my dead body,” cried Kavya’s mother.

“I’m sure we can arrange that,” I replied coldly, and she gasped in fear.

“I won’t do it,” yelled Shivina, silencing the whispers that were going around the room.

“Excuse me?” I asked incredulously.

“I know you’re upset at being deceived, and you have the right to be upset, but I did not sign up for this! I agreed to stand in for Baisa to help her family out. I did not agree to go home with her husband,” she said fiercely.

I smiled the nastiest smile I could muster.

“But you’renotgoing home with her husband. You’re going home with yours, Rani Sa.”

“Do not call me that,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Or what?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I will not go home with you, and you cannot make me! It’s wrong,” she said, ignoring my provocative question.

Was she actually trying to grab the moral high ground here? After deceiving me? I couldn’t believe her audacity.

“So what do you suggest we do, Your Highness?” I asked, knowing that if she didn’t like being called Rani Sa, calling her Your Highness would probably make her even more furious. “I could sue the Dodiyas for breach of promise. Or I could call the police and tell them you impersonated my bride. Which option would you prefer?”

“The first,” she replied promptly. “Sue the shit out of them, but let me go.”

There were outraged gasps from Kavya and her mother, and I pursed my lips to hide an involuntary smile. It looked like my bride had a sharp tongue, after all. She wasn’t as saintly as she looked.

“Not a chance, wife. You’re stuck with me for life. Just like I promised during the saptapadi. And if there’s one thing you should know about me, it is that I’m a man of my word,” I drawled.

CHAPTER 10

SHIVINA

“Unfortunately, you won’t have any time to change your outfit for the bidaai,” His Highness said snidely. “We’re leaving right now.”

Over my dead body, I decided.

“You’ll have to carry me out of here kicking and screaming,” I declared.

His gaze burned into mine, and I couldn’t begin to decipher the emotions I saw swirling in his eyes. I knew there was stark fury. And menace. Lots of menace. And I couldn’t be sure, but I thought there was some hurt. Only, I couldn’t tell if it was directed at me or Kavya Baisa. But all those emotions were suddenly wiped out by a strong spark of determination.

“Your wish is my command, Rani Sa,” he whispered. “Start screaming.”

Before I could read his intent, he bent and threw me over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift.

There was a loud shriek, but it didn’t come from me because I was stunned speechless. Was he really going to drag me out of here? Hey Bhawani, he was serious! The man was mad!

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