Page 73 of A Worthy Opponent
I sure as hell won’t forget it. I carefully lean against the wall and watch as Tink assures the other women that she is, in fact, okay. I don’t know if it’s strictly the truth, but shewillbe okay. That’s all that matters. We have time to figure shit out now, to actually chase the future we tentatively spoke about… Was it only this morning? It feels like it was a thousand years ago.
It takes twenty minutes and promises they’ll meet for coffee tomorrow for the three of them to finally allowthemselves to be ushered to the front door. When Tink turns around, she’s got a soft smile on her face. “I have friends.”
“Yes, you do. Very scary friends.”
We head up to my suite, and once the doctor has checked me out and declared I have a concussion and need to take it easy for a while, we shower and clean up. The whole time, she doesn’t say a word. I can’t tell if she’s still marveling over the fact she has friends, which seems to be a sort of revelation, or if the events of the last few hours are finally sinking in. Maybe a combination of both. Either way, I don’t press her. She deserves that much and more.
Tink shuts off the water and turns to me. “I want a fall wedding.”
I blink. “This concussion is worse than I thought, because I could swear that you just said you want a fall wedding.”
“That’s because I did.” She hands me a towel and wraps a second one around herself. “We’re married in every way that matters, but I want a real wedding. One where we invite your family and our friends. I want to design my own dress. I want the whole ridiculous spectacle of it.” She crosses to me and cups my face in her hands. “I want the world to know that I choose you and that this is real.”
I’m still having a hard time catching up. She wants to stay married to me. She reallydoeswant the future we painted together this morning. Still, I promised I’d be honest and so I have to tell her the truth of my plans. “I was going to offer you a divorce in the morning. You were going to be free.”
Tink’s smile is sweet and the tiniest bit salty. “I think that’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.” She stops short and frowns. Tink drops her hands. “Unless you really want a divorce, in which case ignore everything I just said.”
Oh no. Fuck that. If she’s choosing me, there’s no way in hell I’m letting her get away. I grab her hand and sinkunsteadily to my knee. “Tink Petrov, would you do me the honor of marrying me? Again.” I clear my throat. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known, and I love the shit out of you. Marry me, and we’ll spend the rest of our lives bickering and fucking and raising a family of little hellions while we run this territory the way it should be run.”
The shadows flee her expression, and she beams down at me. “Yes, Jameson Hook, I very much would like to do all of that with you and more.” She tugs me to my feet. “I love you. I want to live not-happily-ever-after with you. Yes, of course I’ll marry you. Again.”
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The Wicked Villains series continues in THE BEAST, which takes a look at what happens when Isabelle Belmont is forced to do whatever it takes to bring Gaeton and Beast back to her territory…even agree to a sex pact. Things are destined to get explosive!
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Keeping readingfor an exclusive first look at THE BEAST…
Gaeton kicks one of the chairs in front of the desk so that it is angled to see the entire room and drops into it. The man doesn’t know how to sit without sprawling, and even with fury darkening his expression, this is no exception.
Beast shuts the door and moves to lean against the desk, unconsciously mirroring the same position Megaera took when I spoke to her. He crosses his arms over his chest and watches me. Waiting.
Gaeton has no such patience. “What the hell are you doing here, Isabelle?”
Now’s the time to lay out my argument, but the words dry up in their presence. I lick my lips again, and give him the same answer I gave Beast. “I’m here for you. For both of you.”
Gaeton doesn’t look impressed. “Yeah, I don’t think so. We tried that and it blew up in our faces. I’m not doing it again.”
If I don’t talk fast, they’ll pack me up and send me on my way and this will all be for nothing. Failure is not an option. It can’t be. “Come back to the territory. Resume your positions. We need you.”
Beast raises an eyebrow, but it’s Gaeton’s cruel laughter that echoes through the room. “I should have known this is all power and games. It always was with you.” He leans forward and braces his elbows on his big thighs. “I don’t pretend to speak for this asshole, but there’s nothing in that territory for me now.”
Nothing. Including me.
It shouldn’t hurt so much to be rejected by a man who already dumped me, but it does. Sweet gods, it does. I turn to Beast, but I might as well seek solace from a glacier for all the warmth he gives me. Hopelessness rising in my chest, threateningto send me to my knees. I can’t fail. Ican’t. My bottom lip quivers the tiniest bit before I shut my reaction down. “Please.”
Beast looks at me a long moment. His lips slowly curve, the barest hint of a cruel smile. I’ve seen that expression on his face before, always preceding his delivering one of my father’s punishments to someone who’s crossed him. “Get on your knees, Isabelle. If you’re going to beg, do it properly.”
Gaeton flinches like the other man struck him. “What the fuck, Beast?”
Beast doesn’t look away from me. It feels like the intensity of his gaze is a weight across my shoulders and chest, driving me slowly, inexorably, to my knees. “You heard me. How bad do you want us back?”
“You don’t speak for me,” Gaeton rumbles.
I already left my pride at the door. I can’t afford the luxury when I’m bargaining for the lives of so many. In the end, it’s far simpler than I could have dreamed to give into the Beast’s gravity and sink to my knees. The carpet is surprisingly soft against my bare skin and I shiver. “Are you happy now?Pleasecome back.”
