Page 62 of A House of Fangs & Deceit

“Thank you for acknowledging that.” He rolled over to his side and propped himself up on an elbow. “What’s this?” He picked up the letter from House Laurent, where it still lay on my bed, and read it. Given that there wasn’t much to read, it only took him a few seconds. His eyes flicked up to mine, both eyebrows raised. “Is this for real?”

I nodded. “It has Marvina’s official seal on it. The signed marriage dissolution is over there.” I pointed to the table in my sitting area. “I’m officially no longer married.”

He leapt off the bed and gathered me in his arms, spinning me around. “Congratulations on the happiest day of your life!”

An embarrassing giggle bubbled out of me that I hoped no one else ever heard. Rynn and Cali would tease me about it mercilessly, and gods only knew how Alaric would react to it. He’d either ridicule me, or his lips would curl in that tiny, amused smile of his that always commanded my attention. It was rare that I’d see that smile directed at me. Usually Kieran was the recipient, but every once in a while, when the three of us were hanging out, Alaric would forget that he despised me. And I would forget every nasty word said between us as that smile sent my heart racing.

Then I would mentally slap myself and do my best not to ponder why I had such a reaction. Alaric didn’t want me in that way, and I would never pursue someone who wasn’t interested in my advances.

“Isn’t the day you get married supposed to be the happiest day of your life?” I asked when Kieran finally put me down but didn’t release me entirely. His hands were still resting on my hips, and I decided that I liked them there.

“Only for suckers.”

I snorted. “Such a romantic you are.”

“I can be romantic.” He gave me a heated look.

“I think you’re confusing romantic with horny.”

“It’s a personal fault of mine.” His eyes twinkled for a moment before turning more serious. “Are you happy?” He gestured towards the letter. “With it being over and done?”

And that was why I adored Kieran. Even with us… taking things to the next level, he was still my friend and deeply cared about me.

Of course, that’s also what terrified me about him.

Our friendship was rapidly moving toward something else, something foreign, and I didn’t know what I wanted, let alonewhat he wanted. All I knew was that losing him as a friend would be devastating.

“Happy doesn’t even begin to explain it,” I said honestly. “I had resigned myself to spending the next few months arguing with Marvina and then feeling guilty about whatever demands she made of House Harker that Carmilla would have no doubt accepted. But now I’m free, and it was all pretty easy. Even got some of my favorite dresses back.”

“No doubt those dresses will be tormenting me in the future,” Kieran mused, but his eyes grew a little distant. “It is weird though, right? That Marvina didn’t use this to her advantage?”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “I thought so, too.”

“Maybe Demetri asked her to sign it?”

I thought about it and then shook my head. “Even if he did, which I doubt, Marvina isn’t really the doting mother type. She does what’s best for House Laurent. Always. No matter what that means for others.”

“And signing that contract so easily was not in the best interest of her House.” He frowned at where the letter still lay on my bed. “I’ll be visiting House Corvinus soon. I’m friendly with one of the Heir’s best friends, and she’s friendly with the daughter of one of Marvina’s advisors.”

“She?” I stiffened before forcing the tension between my shoulders to loosen, and then I casually waved a hand to hopefully cover up my momentarily flash of irrational jealousy. “Which advisor? I’ve met most of their children, at least the ones that were living at House Laurent. Several of them had children at Drudonia or at other Houses.” Realizing I was babbling, I snapped my mouth shut.

Kieran traced a finger down the side of my neck and across my collarbone. “Sam?” he purred as I leaned into his touch without even thinking.

“Mmhmm,” I breathed as his finger continued its lazy pathback up the side of my neck and down my collarbone once more.

“Are you jealous?”

I quickly reeled back and threw my hands out to the side. “No!”

“You totally are.” He grinned and matched my steps as I backpedaled across the room.

The back of my legs bumped into the bed, and Kieran neatly pinned me in so my only option was to try and shove him away or fall back onto the bed. The traitorous part of my mind that was forgetting we were annoyed at him was very excited about the second option.

“Yes, you are,” he said in a satisfied tone.

“Fine.” I glared at him. “But it doesn’t mean anything. It turns out that maybe I’m slightly territorial when it comes to people I care about.”

He went completely still, the grin slowly sliding off his face, and I realized my mistake. “You care about me?”

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