Page 11 of Point of No Return

I chuckle, playing dumb at the bit of information he’s given me. “Is that what he’s doing? Here I was worried I’m marrying a recluse.”

Aleks grins. “Make no mistake. My brother is a man of few words, but I’ve never seen him avoid someone quite like he does with you.”

Interesting.

I cross my arms over my chest, shrugging back. “I don’t blame him. I’d avoid me too if I acted like he did when we met.”

“You’re not exactly marrying into a family of gentlemen. I’ll say that,” he shakes his head.

“You haven’t turned out so bad,” I tease him. “But you’ve still got a few years to screw things up.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he says, taking the stairs down two at a time as he calls, “Good luck with the garden party!”

My smile falls as soon as he’s out of sight, and I go back to laying the final touches of the map I’ve put together. There are just a few rooms to finalize before I can hand it off to my mother later today. The tube of lipstick she’d given me at Midsummers’s had proven to be a hollow compact that I can easily slip my maps into and return later.

Exploring doesn’t take me long, and showering and dressing is even quicker. I’ve just thrown on my final touch of red lipstick when a knock sounds at my door. I expect Josie to step inside, but when the door opens and admits Skar, I frown.

“It’s you,” I say by way of greeting, ignoring him in favor of dabbing my lips again and capping the tube.

Grabbing the flowing chiffon shrug that matches the flowery dress I’ve thrown on, I turn. His eyes skate over me, and I raise a brow when I catch them lingering on the markings down my arm.

“Did you need something or were you just going to leer?”

“Are you this sharp-tongued with everyone?” he flicks an imaginary speck of dust off his black suit.

“What can I say? You bring out the worst in me,” I quip, strolling toward the door.

He sighs, and the sound very nearly sounds like a laugh. But his usual frown is still in place when I glance at him again. “Your guests are waiting downstairs.”

“Super,” I stroll past him, and when he doesn’t move, I’m left staring him in the face. “Yes?” I nag, and his eyes fall to my lips at the sound.

He clears his throat, his signature frown still ever-present. “We can hardly stand to be in the same room as one another,” he says finally.

“I’m not having any issues,” I tell him, going for the door again, but he bars me with an arm against the wall, his scent wafting toward me.

“Look,Charlie-”

“Don’t call me that,” I hiss immediately, and the smallest smile graces his face at that.

“Charlotte…” he corrects. “We can hardly be alone for five minutes. Let alone pretend to love each other. Something’s gotta give.”

I glare at the hand he places on the door. We’re close.Too close.“Great. It can be you.”

“Charlotte,” he says again, his voice a near growl.

“Are you trying to propose a truce?” I ask him, finally meeting his blue-gray eyes. I’m supposed to be a closed book, only offering enough to play my part. But something about his eyes makes me wonder if he can see through me already.

“I wasn’t aware we were at war,” he says darkly. Something about our closeness has my hair standing on end, but I refuse to let him know that.

“We aren’t,” I grit out. “But it’s like you said: We can hardly stand each other. So what do you propose we do about it?”

His breath is hot against my face, and I’m overwhelmed with the subtle scent of his cologne again. “We do what’s expected of us.”

It’s a question and a statement- an open-ended agreement. We marry. We put on a show. In public, we pretend to be a doting, loving couple. But behind closed doors… It’s clear that’s going to be a different story entirely.

For a moment, I just stare at him.What’s expected of us. If only he knew what he’s really asking of me.

“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t planning on doing what’s asked of me.” He doesn’t seem satisfied with my answer, so I sigh. “I trust you can keep your… extracurriculars out of the public eye?” His eyes narrow, and I take it as a sign to continue. “Then I will do the same.” I force a smile, motioning to his arm- which is still blocking my way. “Duty calls.” Skar smirks, just the barest of smiles, but stands upright so I can slip through the door.

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