Page 158 of Rags to Royals

Not laughing. Not moving. Not speaking.

She frowns.

Her sister, Linnea, steps forward. “Declan, this seems like an overreaction.”

“No,” he says simply. “It doesn’t. It’s the only option.”

“But you can’t just spring this on Astrid like this,” Linnea protests. Jonah moves in behind her, quietly supportive.

“Astrid is incredibly bright,” Declan says. “I’m sure this isn’t a shock to her. She understands the situation and that she and I are the only O’Grady and Olsen left that can make this match.”

“Actually, I haven’t thought about you at all,” Astrid tells him.

He doesn’t even look at her because now I step forward. “You can’t force her, Declan.”

“I don’t need to. She’ll do the right thing.”

I look at Astrid. She’s looking at Declan. But she doesn’t look shocked or worried.

She looks…almost amused?

Declan is a formidable person. The only person in this room who even comes close is my grandfather and that’s when he’s in good health. Declan is very used to getting his way. Bossing other people around. Being the most powerful man in the room.

He would have made a great king.

He’s also about ten years Astrid’s senior and when he scowls, he seems even older. He takes a step closer to her. “Tell them all that you understand this,” he says to her. “Alfred and Diarmuid want the families united. You and I are the only ones left. There’s no other option. So wewillmarry.”

She actually laughs at that. “Well, the entire agreement between Diarmuid and Alfred nevermade senseat all and surelyyouknow that. You can’t really think I’m going to agree to marry you just because everyone else got out of it? Because I just happen to still be single when you waltzed in and decided you were going to ‘solve the problem’?” she asks, her fingers making air quotes.

“I think you’re going to marry me because it is what your grandfather wanted. No one else in this goddamn family will do things the way they’re supposed to.” Declan casts a glare around the room, collectively for all of us, before focusing on her again. “None of this is going according to plan. So I’m going to take care of it myself. I will pay you whatever you want. I will give you whatever you want. You can have absolutely anything. As long as you walk down that aisle and say I do.”

“So that’s all you need? My name on a marriage license?” she asks.

“Yes. And a baby.”

No one in the room is moving a muscle. But I know, at least for me, this has moved from being scared Declan might try to kill me if I did, to I’m not going anywhere and missing a second of this.

Astrid narrows her eyes. “For how long?”

“I expect our child to live a nice long life.”

She blows out a frustrated breath. “I mean the marriage. Till death do us part?”

“Whatever you want. As long as we are legally married when the baby is born, so there are no… complications or questions.”

She seems to be considering that.

This issointeresting.

“Well, there are a couple of things you might need to know first,” Astrid tells him.

But Declan, it seems, is done talking it over. “Astrid, I don’t care if you hate me, if you’re a lesbian, if you’re dying. I am rich enough, powerful enough, and stubborn enough to make any of those problems not matter in the least. All you need to do is walk down thatfuckingaisle.”

Oh wow, afuckingin front of not just one grandmother, but two.

He’s definitely not used to hanging out in the palace.

I glance over my shoulder. My grandmother seems to not have heard a thing. She’s leaning in, talking to my grandfather. I’m hoping that’s keeping him from hearing anything as well.

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