Page 80 of Barristers & Bones

I gazed at him. “Are you okay with having them over for dinner? We can grab something to grill on the way home.”

He searched my eyes and then shrugged. “Yes.”

Smiling, I turned to Alexa. “Do you guys want to come over, maybe around seven? You can eat with us, and I’ll try to track down Sylvie in the meantime.”

Alexa picked up Carl and absently stroked him. She had to talk a little louder to be heard over his purr. “Seven is perfect. That’ll give me a few hours to study and help Ezra unload a body that’s coming in.”

Roman shook his head. “You all have a strange familiarity with death, especially for being so young.”

Alexa shrugged. “We live in a mortuary and our best friend is a mortician. Besides, a good portion of my familyisdead. Death is as normal as breathing or drinking. It’s part of the human experience.” Carl started wiggling, and Alexa set him down. “I wish we could do funerals here like they do in New Orleans. Mixed in with the grief and mourning, they make it a celebration with live music and dancing.”

I smiled. “And great food because–New Orleans. If you die before Sylvie and I do, we’ll make sure you get that.”

On the drive home, we grabbed some groceries for dinner and Roman looked around curiously. “When did grocery markets start putting coffee shops, banks, and dry cleaning into their stores?” he asked.

“It’s been so long I can't remember. Who does your grocery shopping, anyway? It’s obviously not you.”

Roman shrugged. “My housekeeper.”

I stared at him and shook my head. “It’s like we don’t even know each other.”

Roman took my hand and ran his lips across my fingertips. “We’ll have to change that then, won’t we?”

We sat in silence on the rest of the drive home, each lost in our own thoughts. I remembered my conversation with Sylvie at brunch and I turned to Roman, touching my neck. “Sylvie and Alexa say this band is really an eternity collar. Is that true?”

He gazed over at me, and his expression didn’t change. “Yes.”

Chapter 25

Roman

When I confirmed the necklace around her neck was an eternity collar, I expected Luna to be angry or start yelling. Maybe cry or tell me to pull over so she could get out. Something.

But her silence was worse. She studied me for a few seconds, then stared back out the passenger window, and I didn’t know what the fuck to do with that.

When we got home, she put her things away while I unloaded the groceries. It had been a while since I’d invited anyone to the house besides my partners and Gideon, and it amused me we were having the fucking Spade family over tonight.

Luna walked back in and paused at the entryway. I straightened and studied her. “Talk to me.”

Her hands bunched, and she hesitated as if searching for the right words. Then she gestured between us. “What’s happening here? I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t be with you, have sex the way we do, laugh and eat together, and talk like we do without developing… feelings. Please be honest. Why did you really marry me? And why are you saying this marriage won’t be annulled when the threat is over?”

I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms. “What do you think is happening?”

Her chest heaved, and she started pacing. “I don’t know! I’ve had enough people in my life lie and hurt me. Abandon me. If that’s what you’ll do, just be quick about it and let me go.”

She looked lost and sad, her beautiful green eyes shining a little. A few months ago, I would have relished her pain and confusion, knowing whose daughter she was. Now, I just wanted to soothe her. I took her shoulders and slowly pulled her into me. I should’ve told her the truth before we got to this point, but I didn’t want to lose her or open those wounds for either of us.

Sighing, I settled my chin on the crown of her head. “I married you to keep you safe and because I’ve wanted to fuck you since we first met, and you told me you’d rather eat glass than work with me. I’m also drawn to you, God help us both.” I fingered the collar on her neck. “Thisisfor the tracker, and I wanted something visible that couldn’t be removed quickly. I’m also a dominant, possessive bastard who loves seeing you wear my collar and wedding ring while you scream my name and come underneath me.”

Her body jerked and she let out a surprised snort, then melted against me. “I wish I didn’t like that part so much. But here we are.”

She had a knack for surprising me, and I grinned over her head. “The collar means what we say it means, and I don’t want to annul this marriage even when Lionel is eliminated. We might have gotten married for unconventional reasons, but I’m a possessive asshole, and the thought of you being with anyone else makes me homicidal.”

She sighed and stepped back, and I reluctantly let her go. “Why did you force the internship?”

I studied her carefully. “We knew your father in Arizona.”

Her face blanched. “I thought so. How did you know him?”

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