Page 53 of Inconvenient Marriage
The Court? Where everyone will be able to see us?
Where Eric might have spies?
Sure, I was disappointed when he brought me to the Last Prayer like he was hiding me, instead of going to the Order’s club. But now…
Do I want to go?
With him?
With my husband?
Before I think better of it, I type a quick response.
It’s a date.
It takesme an hour to decide what to wear to the King’s Court.
I’ve noticed that Sebastien seems to really like it when I’m dressed down. Instead of being an Offering, I’m plain old Annaliese, and that seems to catch his attention. I… I’m not sure Iwanthis attention. After that motorcycle ride, I don’t knowwhatI want, and I end up deciding on a mix between something that Eric would’ve approved of and the basic jeans and tee that I wore when I went riding with my fake husband.
I choose a skirt that swirls around my knees, pairing it with a silky blouse and a pair of heels that elongate my legs. My hair stays loose, too, and I go for a darker lipstick that will fit in at the Court.
After all, this is the first time I’m going as the wife of an Owed.
A little after eight, Sebastien arrives at my apartment to pick me up. His eyes spark, going impossibly dark as he takes in my latest outfit, and I’m pleased enough to see the obvious attraction on his face. It shouldn’t matter to me, but it does, and I’m glad to see that I can at least turn him on.
My husband kisses me like he always does. Cupping my neck, holding me in place so that he can nip at my bottom lip before guiding his tongue into my mouth. He’s held me to the ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ kiss clause that he added to our contract, and I don’t realize how much I’ve missed to taste of him until he’s swooped me up in his arms.
I guess I thought that, since he forgot to give me one after I climbed off of his bike, that he’d given up on them. It’s nice to see that he hasn’t.
Taking my hand, he leads me to the elevator. I’m basically buzzing. I want so badly to ask him where he’s been, why it seemed like he fell off of the face of the planet, but I can’t. If I was hisrealwife, I’d have the right to interrogate him. As hisfakewife, I keep my mouth shut until he holds open the door to his Porsche, helping me in.
Only then do I try to start a conversation by filling him in on the party details that I’ve confirmed so far.
Starting his car, he glances at me. “Hey. Listen. I trust you, love. I know you’re going to do an amazing job. Just check in with Alexandre, okay? Get his input so that he doesn’t wine that we missed something when it’s over. You think you can do that for me?”
I already had it in my notes. I’d planned on reaching out to Sebastien’s brother once we got a little closer to May and I had most of the details that Sebastien gave me locked-down. Alexandre is aware that his brother is hosting a belated thirtieth birthday party for him. At first, I thought it would be a surprise party, but Sebastien laughed, telling me that his brother would sniff out any surprise that involved him. It would just be easier to fill him in on it from the beginning, and that’s what he did.
“Yes. Of course.”
“Good.” He turns off my street, beating the speed limit as he hits the main road. “That was easy. You think there’s something else you can do for me?”
“Sure.”
“I want you to trust me.”
He said something like that the day we rode on his motorcycle together. Then, he wanted to make sure I trustedhim when it came to him driving us out of town. Now? It’s clear that he means something else entirely.
I should just shake my head, maybe change the subject.
I don’t. “About what?”
“I’ve been a busy Bas the last couple of days. Order biz for the most part, but there’s more to it than that.” Instead of looking at the road, he’s watching me. “Someone hurt you, Annaliese, and I’ve been patient. Ask my bros. I’m not a patient guy. I’ve tried to figure out who he is, but I haven’t been able to. You want to tell me?”
I fiddle my fingers in my lap. Shit. Do I want to tell him? Yes. God yes. I want warn him about Eric in case my ex decides to blame Sebastien for helping me. I want him to know that I’m over him, in case that’s something he’s worried about, and I want to tell him that, while Eric did hurt me, I’m okay.
But I can’t.
I can’t tell him any of that.
