Page 105 of Nash

“Just beat him up for doing it, and then we can move on. How about that?”

“How about fuck no.”

“Nash,” she groans, annoyed. “You’re confusing me. You say I’ll be your queen, but then you say you won’t do the thing that makes me your queen.”

“You’ll be my queen,” I bark, “you just won’t have a second king!”

“Will your brothers allow that?”

Suddenly, guilt steps on my chest like an elephant, denial kicks me in the balls, and resignation breaks my bones.

Everything my brothers and Nadine have done for me and Alena. We wouldn’t be here without them, and soon, we’ll be a real family together. They’ve never asked for anything but my loyalty, and I’ve never hated this tradition before. I got off on it, honestly … until it was my turn.

I am many evil things, but I’m not a traitor. If I give someone my word, they have it for life.

“No.”

“Because?”

“Because,” I concede, “we already have queens, and they were initiated. They have second kings, and I’ll break my vow if I don’t do it, too. It would be the ultimate betrayal and insult.”

Suddenly, it feels done. It feels like fate.

Again, Vale’s brain works like a supersex computer. It’s fascinating to watch. And slightly terrifying.

“Are you a second king to a queen?”

“I am. But we don’t reveal second kings until the queens are initiated. We stay in the background where, hopefully, we’re never needed.”

She looks over her shoulder. Slices of the sunset break through the clouds outside, shards of golden light illuminating the boat’s cabin. “Is there someone here who’s going to bust us?” she asks. “Tell me. No one will know.”

“It’snottradition.”

“Sonowyou’ll follow it?”

Like a burning white flag of surrender, I see no choice. I fucking hate to admit it, but oddly, I’m relieved too. “I think we should.”

“You think we should follow the traditions?” Her lips purse, fighting her smile. “Allof them.”

“Don’t look so goddamn happy about it.”

She leans over, naked with a smirk, crawling on top to straddle me. I grab her hips while she traces over my scowling lips.

“Let’s recap our convo,” she says before softly kissing me, giving me something no man has had.Over dead bodies, will any man have her kiss but me.

“I’ve loved you, Nash Allen, since I was eighteen, and you love me, too.”

Fuck.Open the hatch and toss out all my resistance to her.

“You’ve always seen my heart,” she says tenderly, “and I’ve always adored yours, even when you try to be a big, sexy dickhead.”

See?Why do I bother saying no to her? She doesn’t hear it.

Vale presses her forehead to mine as if she can willherwill into me, and goddammit, it’s starting to work. I’m beginning to accept this.

“And one day,” she sighs, “you’ll ask me to wear a fifteen-carat, black diamond ring for you.”Noted.“And I’ll be your proud queen, and in my heart, you’ll be my only king. You’ll let one of your brothers, aka. Jace, make it official, and we’ll live happily ever after in not-mafia-mafia heaven and hell.”

She kisses me again, taking my hungry erection and possessive lips as signs of my agreement. But of course, she has to be, “Right?”

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