Page 184 of Happily Ever Witch
“He’s a sheriff.”
“I know. It’s very sad.” Trevelyan had kept talking. “The point is, you have to give me another chance. For real. And inexchange I will allow your precious Baddies into Wonderland. That’s a fair trade.”
Tension eased from Scarlett’s shoulders. It wasn’t just his acquiescence that made her start forgiving him. It was the fact that Trevelyanwantedher forgiveness. They both knew he disliked the idea of any other villains around. He was only doing this so she’d stop hating him.
“Deal?” He’d extended his palm.
“Deal.” She’d shaken his hand.
Trevelyan had smiled, pleased with how well that had gone. It inspired him to begin renegotiating. “Wonderland is not going to become some criminal haven, where Bad folk do whatever they want, though. Everybody you send here has to follow my laws. Perhaps you could prescreen the applicants to weed out the troublemakers.”
“They’re villains. They’realltroublemakers.” Scarlett hadn’t been eager to help with his immigration concerns. “Keeping your new citizens in line isyourproblem, not mine.” She’d headed for the door with a spring in her step. “Just don’t turn them all into pigs.”
“Hogs.” Trevelyan had called after her. “And that part wasn’t promised in our deal.”
Scarlett had made a “humph” sound and kept walking. “I’ll negotiate it into the next one, then.”
Trevelyan still felt smug, whenever he thought of that exchange. In time, he was sure he could win the woman over. She already hated him way less than most people he met. That was a great start.
Besides, he could put his new citizens to work rounding up customers for Esmeralda’s record shop. The tourists might need someencouragementto spend. Bad folk were excellent at parting people from their gold.
In the meantime, Trevelyan had a wedding to get through.
“I’m going to wear a black pointy hat to get married.” Esmeralda announced, back to her fashion choices. “It’s very appropriate for a formal occasion. And I’m going to add a sparkly red veil, just because I want to. Let’s see which one of our families complaints about it first. I’m thinking Avenant will have something to say. He usually does, the snob.” She made a face. “You can slayhim, by the way. I won’t mind.”
Trevelyan wasn’t falling for that trick. Murdering any of her honorary-siblings would get him kicked out of bed for weeks. Marrok and Avenant’s unkillable status didn’t thrill him, but he’d endure it.
Why couldn’t all her brothers be like Benji the bridge ogre? The large, blue fur-ball was contributing lovely flower arrangements and had thanked Trevelyan for “bringing Esmeralda back to us.” Presently, Benji was the most likable relative on either branch of their family tree and he was afucking bridge ogre.
The wedding party was in truly dire straits.
“If you want to be sure everyone survives the day, we could just forget this extraneous ceremony.” Trevelyan cajoled his bride. “I’ve explained that dragons simply declare themselves mates and that’s the end of it. So, you’realreadymy wife. What do you say we just lock the door and begin our wedding night?”
“For the last time,no. Your name will be next to mine on an official marriage scroll, so you can never, ever escape.”
He scoffed at the ridiculous idea. “I’m not going to escape.”
“You’re sure not. Because you will be married to meforever.” She smirked. “Also, I have enough magic to track your ass down, no matter how far you flee.” She gave him a quick kiss. “Now, I’m going to go do my nails, before your sister realizes you saw me on our wedding day and we have to do this all over again tomorrow.”
Trevelyan made an irritated noise. “Remind me again why I’m agreeing to this craziness?”
“It must be your two percent Goodness at work.” Her crimson gaze glowed up at him, filled with life, and purity and ideas.
Filled with love.
Trevelyan pressed his lips to her temple. “All of me belongs to you, my darling.” He closed his eyes breathing in his mate’s perfect fragrance. …And that’s when he noticed something new.
The scent of another dragon.
Trevelyan’s eyes snapped open again, his mind racing. Inside of him, his own dragon went still. “Esmeralda?”
“Hmmm?”
“Do you remember when we were playing that high school thing? And I may have mentioned that it was my intention to knock-up the prom queen? And you may have agreed with the idea?”
“Uh-huh.” She cuddled closer to him, happy to be held in his unyielding arms.
“How seriously would your powers have taken that game?”
