5. Julian
Julian
He was going to kiss me, wasn’t he? I’m not imagining this, am I? Heat floods my system, driving my confusion south.
Fuuuuck.
I shudder, my breathing hitching. What the fuck is wrong with this bastard? I’m perfect and irresistible, true, but me and that self-assured dictator who likes to torture his victims in the weirdest ways… No way in hell.
My heart beats wildly, a pinch of disappointment sitting heavy in my stomach. I ignore it. It’s not there. This is relief. Yes, that’s it, because there’s no way I actually wanted that kiss to happen, that’s fucking crazy.
I glance at Isidoro. He’s gawking at me like I’m a madman that just grew horns. This motherfucker thinks I’m crazy? Look in the mirror, buddy. You’re the one who wanted to violate my mouth, not the other way around.
I consider that for another moment or ten as I stew in his intense gaze.
Would I have allowed it? I shudder again, my insides wriggling as heat spreads all over me.
Let’s not go there. Focus on what matters—this deal.
Insane or not, since this is the only way to ensure my survival, you bet I’m going to marry your tyrannical ass.
Sorry father, but I’m not going to pay for your mess-ups. I’ve got a life I need to live.
When Isidoro doesn’t say anything and just keeps looking down at me from above, I start to get antsy. And not in a good way. My insane proposal and the close encounter I experienced with death are taking me on a ride. I’m vibrating like I’ve run for hours and my face feels way too hot.
Shit. What will it be? Is he going to say no? Fuck, I hope not! He’s desperate, I can feel it. He’s got nothing and it’s killing him. That conversation earlier with his P.I. was such a shitshow. My crazy plan will work. It must.
My body picks that moment to remind me exactly how it felt to sink my teeth into Isidoro’s hand. The memory of his blood entering my mouth barrels through me, even as I try to chase it away. He tasted of darkness and danger, of things I can’t have. My cock jumps.
Fuck. Why does this motherfucker have to be so unfairly hot? No, no. Don’t think about this, Julian. You’ve just lost your mind a little. It’s all because of the chase! Yes, it got me all pumped up and now I’m a little hyper. That’s all there is to it.
I take a deep breath. Focus on the deal. It’s now or never.
“Marry me, Isidoro. If you don’t want to live in fear every day, if you want your revenge, if you don’t want my father to consume every waking moment of your life, you will marry me. You have no other choice.”
His upper lip curls, teeth glinting. He didn’t expect that. And he also doesn’t like it, not one bit. Ha, serves you right, asshole. But say yes already, will you?
Isidoro scrunches his nose. “Tell me first, and I will consider your… proposal.”
I blink at him. Shit, is he going for it?
Fuck me. “Uh, no, I don’t think so. We get married first, and only then do we talk.
” As his hold loosens a notch, I wiggle my way out of his claws and rub my neck.
Then I toss my arms above my head. “Alternatively, go ahead and kill me here and now and be done with it. I’m so over this. ”
His gaze grows distant as he contemplates his options. I bunch the grass in hopes he won’t just slit my throat for daring to give him such an ultimatum.
A couple of minutes pass in grave silence.
I don’t take my eyes off him as tension takes hold of my body.
The anticipation is killing me. It’s like my insides have slid out of their place and all tangled together.
His deepening frown doesn’t help. Shit. This was a bad idea.
He looks even angrier than before. Did I just set my own death in stone?
“Fine,” Isidoro says, displeasure bleeding from his voice.
I freeze, eyes boring into him. “Fine?”
He nods and slowly stands, letting out an exasperated sigh. I sit up, buzzing and kind of numb from being caged on the ground for so long. My head spins and my body trembles even though it’s not cold. Did this really work? Holy shit. I know I kind of bet my life on it, but I didn’t really… Fuuuck.
I get up to my feet, swaying a little. “Okay. Yeah, okay. Good. Yeah. Let’s get married.”
He cocks his head to one side and folds his arms, studying my face.
Without meaning to, my eyes zero in on his lips.
They look soft. They have more color than the surrounding skin, a hint of pink that seems natural.
They aren’t puffy, but they aren’t too thin either, the perfect middle ground for the delicate shape of his face.
My nostrils flare, chasing his scent as something low in my gut coils tight. Fuck, he’s more tempting now that I know the taste of his blood.
“We’ll do it tonight. At the coronation,” he says, smoothing out his red pajama. Or what’s left of it. Then he taps his long, lean fingers against his arm. “Everyone will be there already, so we might as well take advantage of that.”
Sure, that makes sense—Hold on. Did he say tonight? At his coronation? Isn’t that a little too soon? I know I’m the one who suggested it, but I haven’t exactly prepared myself psychologically. It’s not every day you marry your clan’s biggest enemy! I didn’t think my insane proposal would even work.
Silence descends upon us once more. Isidoro just stands there, watching me. It’s a little unnerving being scrutinized by his wine-red eyes like this. Okay, maybe a lot. I feel exposed in a way I didn’t before, and that only makes the almost-kiss worse.
That’s what it was, wasn’t it? My heart stutters in my chest. I place my hand atop it and try to coerce it into calming down.
“Go back to your room. And don’t try anything or our deal is off,” Isidoro says eventually and heads back into the mansion. “I expect you to be on your best behavior at the ceremony.”
I jog after him. “Wait, hold on! What about my company? It’s part of the deal. I want it back.”
He halts and turns around, eyebrows slanted low. It looks like a storm is brewing on his already stormy face.
Before he can respond, or reprimand me, or crush my windpipe because I’m overstepping our very threadbare and delicate truce, I rush out, “That will be your wedding gift to me. I want Sanguine & Silk back. In exchange, I promise I won’t cause any trouble or embarrass you.” I hold out my hand.
He looks at it but doesn’t shake it. “After the wedding. If you keep your end of the deal and don’t make fools of both of us at the ceremony, you’ll have your company back.”
“No, no. You will hand control of Sanguine & Silk to me right away or the deal is—”
His fingers are suddenly under my chin, tilting it up. “Don’t overstep.”
My heart skips a beat, and I feel an annoyingly sweet hum settle across me. Jesus, just what is wrong with me?
I nod and jerk away from him, afraid what the buzz might grow into if I don’t get his hands away from me. They are too dangerous, shoo. “Fine, okay. But you better keep your word, or else.”
His expression relaxes for a millisecond, the edges of his mouth quirking up. My eyes go wide. Is he smiling? Not smirking, not snarling or glowering at me, but smiling?
But whatever caused that crack in his frown disappears as quicky as it came to be and his stone-faced expression returns. I get whiplash. I’m not even sure the almost-smile was there to begin with. Maybe my brain imagined it.
He turns around and continues in his graceful strides toward the mansion, evidently done negotiating.
Fuck him for acting so high and mighty. And the worst part is that in his case it’s justified, too. I flip him over and poke my tongue out once his form blends with the shadows inside. “You can’t have it until you keep your end of the deal. Blah, blah.” Asshole.
I return to my room all dirty and leaving footprints on the floor.
I’m still vibrating. My head is a mess. I can’t believe I pulled this off.
It’s not ideal, but it’s the best deal I could’ve gotten.
Part of me regrets that I failed my escape attempt and didn’t steal Mary Eli for extra revenge points, but I can totally make his life a nightmare.
Just you wait, Isidoro. If you think me running away was the worst that could happen, you clearly have no idea what it means to marry Julian Corvath.
I pad across to my bathroom and pause in front of the mirror.
You’d think I rolled in the mud for hours.
I also have a tan, courtesy of my ‘vacation’ in Mexico.
What a mess. I rinse my face and get the bath going.
It’s already full by the time I shuck my tracksuit, so I pop some salts in and slip inside.
The warmth soothes the aches in my body, calming my overworked heart.
Some other parts refuse to stand down, but I pretend I don’t notice.
Once I am mostly relaxed, I rest my head along the lip of the tub and close my eyes, feeling myself drift off.
What a day. I can’t believe I proposed to Isidoro and he accepted.
It will go down in history. I snort. My hunch tells me it will be an even crazier night as a grin stretches across my mouth.
Fuck, I can’t wait to see how furious Isidoro will be once I tell him the truth about my father. He might just implode.
I must have fallen asleep at some point, because when I come to, Samuel, Isidoro’s right-hand man, is standing next to the bathtub with a grave expression on his face. A hint of sadness lives in it too, as if he’s partially somewhere else.
“Good. You are still here. Get dressed and let’s go or we’ll be late,” he says without any explanation, grabbing my arms and pulling me up to my feet.
My head spins as I step out of the water. I’m still here? What? Was I supposed to be somewhere else? Running away maybe? “Late for what?”
He looks at me quizzically, letting one blond eyebrow arch ever so slightly. “For the coronation and your wedding. The guests have already started arriving and you aren’t even dressed.”
What?