Page 93 of Pretty Pink Poison
“I thought it was Bane at first,” I admitted softly. “He had a mask on the whole time. I was too drunk. I was… I had too much to drink because I was so mad he wasn’t there.”
“Bane hadn’t come because, in his own way, he was avoiding what the inevitable would be. He didn’t ever want you to marry me, and the party symbolized it coming closer.”
“I could barely move by the time he was on top of me. I… I drank too much.” My throat tightened at the memory of it all.
“Or you were drugged. Or you blacked out. None of which is your fault.” Rafe’s voice was sharp with conviction. “Jesus, that’s what you’ve thought of me all these years?” His face had turned almost a sickly green, and his knuckles were white as he gripped his thighs.
“You walked in right as I was cleaning myself up.”
“I thought, well, I figured I was covering for you by saying it was us who slept together rather than some random dumbass who Bane would go after. I didn’t realize we actually should havefound the bastard. Christ, I know you’re promised to me, but I wouldn’t fucking rape you.”
“Oh my God,” I wheezed. “You’re not a rapist.” I was starting to hyperventilate.
“Of course I’m not a rapist.” He blinked rapidly as if affronted and disgusted him. “Shit. Are you going to vomit? Please don’t in my car.”
My eyes widened, half horrified and half hysterical. “That’s what you’re worried about right now?”
“Also worried of course about your well-being,” he added quickly, but he was rummaging in a side console next to his seat before he shoved a small trash bin toward me.
It was so absurd that I actually laughed. “Really?” I scoffed, taking it from him and rolling my eyes. “I mean,seriously, Rafe?”
He shrugged and exhaled, long and heavy, getting back to the matter at hand. “All these years I wondered why you hated me after that night.”
I slumped in my chair with the trash can on my lap. “Well, kind of hard to like the person who thought he could take what was going to be his and then have him brag about it to everyone at the party that night.”
“And to think, all this time, I thought we were just keeping you out of trouble with our parents and saving a guy’s head from ending up on your shelf in my brother’s office.”
“Myshelf?”
“His skull collection. Don’t act surprised. You don’t know he keeps one shelf just for you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I know he collects, butforme?”
“Jesus, you two.” He pinched the bridge of his nose like we were immature children and sighed. “He still thinks he can hide what you are to him for the family?”
“I guess.” I glanced out the window into the night, my stomach in knots. “He said he’ll probably marry Sabine onceweget married.”
“I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last person on earth, Pink.”
“What?” I frowned at him. “Why the hell not?”
“Because if Ididmarry you,” he said, smirking despite the heaviness between us, “my brother would find a way to crawl back from the dead, haunt me, and then strangle me in my sleep. I’ll pass.” He leaned back in his chair like a don in the making, like a man who didn’t have to answer to anyone.
“But you’ve… that’s always been the plan!”
He straightened one of his cuff links, not at all bothered. “I let my father think what he wants, and quite frankly, your fatherdeservesto think we took his only daughter before we get rid of him once and for good.”
“You’re getting rid of him?” Why didn’t that make me feel the least bit sad?
“I’m not. But you can bet that my brother will. Once Bane figures out that he loves you more than the world itself, he’s going to murder every person who’s ever wronged you and that includes your father. Mark my words. I’m just waiting for him to figure that out himself rather than give him the easy way out.”
“We might be waiting on that forever. He thinks I chose you, that I slept with you that night willingly.”
“I know. He doesn’t say it, but I see how he wrestles with it. He’ll figure it out.”
Something fragile and real flickered in my chest—a faint, unsteady forgiveness.
“You’re really just waiting for him to do that on his own, aren’t you?” I asked.
