Marian
My mother used to say it took a different type of woman to run an elite household.
You had to know where to stand. When to speak and when to stay silent.
Our role wasn’t for the weak. Most of the time, we got little say in the way things played out, but on rare occasion when our cards aligned, we won.
I may have not been able to choose my future, but I wasn’t losing in this deal.
It may have appeared so from different points of view, but I was schooled enough in our world that I was positive I’d come out on top.
After all, I had turned the tables on Drayton by using the trigger of his full name.
I had even made him apologize. That was huge.
It was a start. All I needed to do was stay as silent as possible.
I couldn’t be too overly affectionate or emotional, and then this could play out.
With time, I’d win him over. Today, we just needed to marry and not slip back into the revenge role. Easier said than done.
“Are you sure this is right? We had to wait for almost a week, and now they’re trying to rush you in? How is that even possible? It’s nearly four in the afternoon. There’s not enough time for you to marry today. Go over the timeline again.”
Quinn kept shaking his head as Drayton sighed. I looked out of the jet’s window from across the aisle, giving them their space.
“I told you. When we land in Colorado, the driver will take us to the Princeton Resort. The ceremony has been planned now for weeks. They were just waiting on my word. Well, I gave it. Here we are.”
“That tells me nothing.” Quinton threw up his hands.
“I didn’t plan this. Just… trust me. We’ll have enough time to marry.
It’ll be fine.” I could feel Drayton look my way.
He knew I wasn’t happy about having no say.
It was such a big part of being a bride.
I was being robbed of everything that could personalize our big day, and he knew it.
I wanted to at least choose my dress, but even that appeared to be out of my control.
I couldn’t stand it, but I kept quiet. The last thing I needed was to trigger Drayton’s angry side again.
“You’re sure it’s been organized well enough?
Drayton, this can’t go badly. Not with you as heir.
The news will get out. With the controversy that will surely arise from your claim, along with the scandal of Marian’s family, this is the last thing you both need.
A wedding for a member, for us as Penningtons, it’s not just a fucking wedding.
Marian will be the one to pay in the circle. The wives are vicious. She’ll—"
“Elec knows what he’s doing.”
My head spun around, and my heart dropped to my stomach.
“Elec planned our wedding? He’s going to be there?”
Drayton’s jaw flexed repeatedly. “It was part of our deal, Marian. I help him, and he helps me.”
I turned more in my seat. “Help him how? How are the two of you helping each other?”
Even Quinn seemed curious as he looked between us.
“Marian—”
“Drayton, I have to know. I… I have to know the truth, no matter how bad it is. You know I do. You know the rules. Neither of us have a choice. It’s how I protect you if it comes down to it.
” I stood, walking over and lowering to kneel.
I didn’t have to, but I knew he needed to see me submit.
As his chosen, he needed that I put him above me.
Above everyone. “I can handle whatever it is. Please, this marriage is the most important thing either of us will ever go into. You know what a bad marriage can do to our lines. There can’t be any lies between us. Not ever.”
He went back and forth, looking between my eyes. I took in the way his wide body almost seemed to grow larger as he wiped his hand down the front of the black long-sleeve button up. Finally, he nodded.
“There’s some shit going down in Hollywood. Really bad shit only I can get insight into. Drugs. Trafficking.”
“You’re going to be an informant? Do you know how fucking dangerous that is?” Quinn’s face was drawn in with worry.
Drayton kept his stare on me. “No… Not that.”
“If not that, what? It’s bad. I know my mother.
Elec is cut from the same cloth. You wouldn’t be so valuable to him if it wasn’t without risk.
” I pulled at the collar of the blouse Drayton had me dress in.
I looked like an elite again in my fancy business clothes, but they weren’t helping with my anxiety. My skin was on fire.
Drayton leaned closer to me. “It’s complicated.”
“I imagine it is. He gave me to you as part of this deal. He killed my family, ending my line. He’s becoming a close friend and made you heir again. What does Elec want from you concerning the celebrities? It has to be big. Very big.”
“Black mail.”
My head shook with slight confusion. “You’re The Devil of Hollywood. The feds are blackmailing… celebrities? For what?”
“Control. Power. For shit I have no idea over nor care about. I didn’t ask for in-depth details, Marian.
I didn’t have to. These people aren’t good.
My bone saw should have told you that. The things some do, what I’ve heard them being accused of, it’s sick.
They’re lucky they’re alive at all. The only reason they are is because there’s so many, and I know their ultimate fate when Elec and his team get the information they’re after.
They’ll pay. And as soon as Elec goes through initiation, they’ll suffer in the secret spot we just left. ”
Drayton lifted my hand in his, flipping it over so that he could trace against my palm. For a long moment he didn’t speak. His face softened, and I could feel my head tilting with longing as I soaked in his handsome features.
“I know you don’t understand why I agreed.”
“I do.”
He glanced up at me, studying me before nodding. “No one can ever know about this.” He looked between me and Quinn. “To speak about it where someone could overhear could mean death. Quinn, the only reason I’m even telling you is because you have to have my back. You have to know the risks.”
“I’m good with it. Our line needed you back. We need this.”
Drayton nodded. “We do. We need Elec. He’s intimidating and maybe dangerous, but so far, he’s kept his word on everything he’s said. We have to see how this plays out.”
I grew quiet, lowering my head, and sinking my ass further down onto the backs of my feet.
Fingers pushed through the hair at my crown, and I closed my eyes through the whirlwind of my racing thoughts.
Drayton had no idea who Elec was. He didn’t even suspect what Elec was doing, despite already being told multiple times.
His mind wasn’t experienced enough to recognize the truth.
That was good and bad for me…but not for him.
He'd just hear a regular conversation. I would see us getting strolled right through the door of doom if that was Elec’s intent.
He’d convince us hell felt like home, and everyone but me would agree.
I had to watch over Drayton. Over myself.
This wasn’t over between me and Elec. Not even close.
“Marian?”
My head lifted, and I felt how hard it was for me to open my eyes.
I was so damn tired. With how Drayton couldn’t keep his hands off me, I couldn’t remember the last time either of us had gotten any solid sleep.
How long had I even been awake? How long had he?
Time didn’t feel real. Had Bastian been dead now for days?
Was I even the same Marian I’d been before I took him apart?
It felt so long ago since Drayton had taken me. How had it only been a couple of weeks?
“Yes, Dray?”
He turned to Quinn, lowering his voice. “Make the calls over there.” He gestured with his head. “I’m going to put her to bed.”
Quinn stood, and so did I. There was a bedroom in the back of the jet, and I wasn’t going to argue, but Drayton didn’t stand to join me.
He eased me across his lap, pulling the lever back to the oversized recliner.
I was so caught off-guard by his behavior, I wasn’t sure what to think.
I stayed quiet, moving my legs from his lap to lie down against him.
My head rested close to his, and his fingers went back to stroking my hair.
“We’re about to be married.”
My hand flattened on his chest as I nodded.
“We are. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
I closed my lids, feeling my emotions catching up with me.
“You didn’t want this, but you wanted back what was taken from you. I was part of the deal. I understand that.”
He let out a deep breath, pulling me in tighter as he wrapped his arms around me.
With the way he was dressed in the dark blue button-up and slacks, I almost felt like it was the old Drayton.
His hold was comforting, but he’d had his arms around me before, and he had the strength to break me to pieces if he wanted.
“Marian, I wasn’t left without a choice. I could have given you to Elec to do away with. I could have let someone else marry you for your line.”
“But you did it for the revenge.”
“I did.” He paused. “And because it was you. Because the thought of someone else hurting you or having you, it’s like a fucking knife in my heart.
” He turned more in my direction so that we were face to face.
“Only I can ever hurt you. And I have. And I probably will again. But you have my word, no one will ever lay a finger on you. They won’t hurt you with words or so much as look at you the wrong way.
If they do, I will step in. I will be there, and I will handle it. That’s what husbands do.”
My head shook, and I nearly broke.
“That’s not true. It’s what Penningtons do. It’s why I fell in love with you, Drayton. And I have missed you, even if you don’t want to hear it.” My fingers dug into his chest. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“Good, because you need to rest. Close your eyes, Marian. Sleep. Dream of us being happy. I fear we’re not going to find that for a very long time.
The past has been hard, but the future is going to be harder.
The circle is already at war from your mother.
It’s very bad out there, and we’re about to make everything worse. ”
“At least we’re in this together.” I snuggled in deeper, hearing my mother. Hearing her instructions. “They won’t stand a chance against us. The Penningtons were meant to rule, and they’ll continued to do so through you. I’ll fight with you to restore order, Drayton. I’ll fight for you.”