I want to ask him to finish his thought, but I feel like he’ll close down. After all, he doesn’t want to want me.
He begins to pace again. "I figured we’d have a marriage in name only. I’d keep my distance and focus on revenge, but it’s hurting you, Hannah, and I hate that. You’ve gone above and beyond to make this situation tenable, and I’m just a fucking asshole.”
He stops pacing and looks at me. I wonder if he’s wanting me to reject his comment.
I give a wan smile. “You’ve been cruel, Ash. But now I understand why. I’d struggle too if I loved someone and was forced to marry someone else. And now that I know the truth, I’ll try?—”
“No, honey.” He lets out a gentle laugh and sits on the bed next to me again. “You’ve tried enough. I still… I can’t give you?—”
“I know. I understand.” It hurts me to be married to someone who can’t love me, but knowing why makes it more bearable.
“I’ll call your teacher and make amends. Or I’ll hire someone else, and I promise not to threaten to kill him. I know this marriage is hell for you, and I want to give you something to make life with me tolerable.”
“Thank you.”
We sit in silence for a moment.
“Is the revenge plan working? Are you getting what you need from my father?” I figure I can at least support the goal of this marriage arrangement.
“Your father… well…”
“What?” Now I’m curious, leaning toward annoyed. Has my father reneged on the deal after all Ash and I have sacrificed?
“He’s nervous all of a sudden.”
I sit up straighter, squaring my shoulders. "Can I help? I can talk to my father.”
Ash's expression darkens. "Absolutely not. I won't have you involved in this."
"I'm already involved." I meet his gaze, refusing to back down. "This is my family too. The Keans tried to force me to marry Ronan. They've threatened my father, controlled our business. I understand what we're up against."
"You don't." His voice turns harsh. "You have no idea what Hampton Kean is capable of. What he'll do to anyone who stands against him. I won't put you at risk."
"I'm not asking permission." The words surprise me, but I mean them. “I know I’m not given the same respect as you or Phoenix, but I’m the pawn, Ash. My father is free from the Keans because of me and the debt your family paid. Let me remind him of that.”
“I already did.”
I wonder if he went full-on beast mode with my father like he did with my teacher. There’s a part of me that wouldn’t have minded seeing that.
I slide closer, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body. "I'm your partner now. Let me act like it."
His jaw clenches. "If anything happened to you…"
"Nothing will happen to me. I'm not suggesting I storm the Kean compound. I just want to talk to my father. To help secure the alliance, especially since I probably won’t have any art lessons anytime soon. The house is done. I need something to do."
The muscles in his shoulders remain tense, but I can see him considering my words.
“I’ll find you a new teacher tomorrow.”
I want to push him more on my talking to my father, but the mention of the teacher reminds me of his actions and howshocking they were. “What was that about, anyway? Why did you attack Jim like that?”
His jaw tightens, and he looks away. "Hannah…"
"No. Why did you go all caveman on him? It was like you were jealous, but I know that’s not true.”
He rolls his shoulders like he wants to be nonchalant. "I didn't like seeing another man's hands on you."
“You act like we were making out. He was just showing me shadows and light to help me sketch a self-portrait.”
