Page 96 of Sinner
“Thanks. Hold on a second.” Nix got to his feet and made to leave, pausing as though it were an afterthought. He turned back to Beck. “I know you had the chance to try and steal him tonight, and you didn’t take it. That must sting.”
“I’m not a criminal,” Beck replied.
Nix snorted. “For the sake of your help tonight, I’m willing to pretend I believe you when you say you had no idea my life was in danger.” He took a threatening step closer, voice dropping an octave. “But if you ever, for even a second, forget that West is mine, I’ll take you out the worst way imaginable.”
“Yeah? How is that?”
He forced the corner of his mouth to curl in a mimic of the cruel look he’d witnessed Yejun wield. The one that still sometimes haunted his dreams, and not in the good way. Then, in a tone that rivaled the frost he’d heard coming off Lake’s tongue, he replied, “By getting West to pull the trigger.”
Nix would never really, but Beck didn’t have to know that, and if the way he froze was any indicator, Beck fully believed he would ask West to do something like that for him.
And that West would do it.
“I understand West is happy with you.” Beck dipped low into a respectable bow. “I’ll respect your boundaries, Royal Consort.”
West turned around and caught the scene through the glass door, and his eyes lifted to meet Nix’s.
Nix winked.
Then he walked off, chatting with his cousin, feeling lighter than he had in months.
And maybe even more himself than he’d ever been.
He really was the perfect fit for the Demons after all.
Chapter 35:
Two Months Later
Nix couldn’t remember the last time he was this nervous, and it wasn’t even his event.
Well, technically, Lake had ordered a small part added to the end, wherein he would stand up in front of everyone with him and be publicly announced as the Royal Consort, but that was just semantics at this point.
But this was it. This was the day Lake had been looking forward to practically his entire life.
Nix didn’t want to screw it up.
The ceremony was being held in the palace, as was tradition, and was currently packed with citizens, screened reporters, and even visiting dignitaries. Members of the Order and the High Council were also in attendance, everyone dressed in the cleanest-looking white ensembles they could find, with allthe frill and silk and pearl embellishments that must exist on the entire planet.
Nix was no exception. He tugged at the ruffled sleeve poking from beneath the cuff of his jacket and tried not to shift on his feet awkwardly. Again.
“Breathe, Nixie,” West whispered from the corner of his mouth. “Look, your family came.”
His gaze trailed off to the left where he knew he’d find them, and Nix gave a small smile when his mother and father both waved at him. They’d come around with a lot of help from Briant, and they weren’t one hundred percent convinced yet this was the best path for him, but they were at least accepting of his choice. That was really all he could ask for.
Grady caught his attention a few people over, giving him a joking bow when their eyes met. At his side, Khloe beamed and waved.
She wasn’t returning to Foxglove, but she’d apparently completed the rest of the semester through online classes, so she hadn’t fallen behind. The three of them had been talking a bit the past month, nothing major, but they were maybe slowly making their way back to becoming friends again. Hopefully one day, that would be possible. There was a lot of hurt and confusion to work through there, and Nix didn’t want to rush anyone through that process.
He didn’t want to rush himself either, but he thought he was doing pretty good, all things considered.
And it was all thanks to the men standing at his side, and the one about to walk through the massive double doors at the end of the golden carpet.
The music finally started up, and Nix straightened, catching Beck staring at him off to the right just as the doors began to creak and pull inward.
Beck gave him a respectful bow, similar to the one he’d given that night in the Roost when Nix had staked his claim on West. Though his father had just been found guilty of committing treason, Beck was still able to stand up at the front of the room. He was relegated to the crowd, but his presence so close to the dais spoke volumes to the public about how Lake felt about his cousin.
He wasn’t blaming him for his father’s mistakes.
