“I won’t be cuckolded, Keira. If you ever undermined me in any way…” He doesn’t finish the sentence, but he doesn’t have to.
I decide to return to the wedding topic. “The staff won't follow my orders, not after you effectively ruined any respect they might have for me."
His fingers tighten briefly before releasing me. "I’ll make sure they follow your orders related to the house management and the wedding.”
Maybe this would be an opportunity to find a way to better safeguard Brigit. "Fine. But I can't coordinate everything if I'm locked in my room with guards watching my every move."
"Careful what you ask for, love. More freedom means more chances to disappoint me."
"I'm not asking for freedom." I gave up on freedom the day my father told me he’d killed the Ifrinns. "I'm asking for the ability to do what you want. Unless you'd prefer a disaster of a wedding that makes you look weak to the other families?"
His jaw tightens, but I see the calculation in his eyes. He knows I'm right.
"You'll have access to the main areas of the house," he says finally. "But step, one toe out of line, and this deal is over. I’ll torch everyone and everything you hold dear.”
I do my best to hide the shudder of fear. "I need access to a phone and a laptop. Your men confiscated mine.”
He gives me a smug smile, like he feels he’s won. Would he be angry if I told him I’ve thrown the match? "You'll have what you need to get the job done. Nothing more. And remember, I'll be watching. Every. Single. Move."
"Understood." I keep my voice neutral. "Now, can I get started, or would you like to waste more time with threats and humiliation?"
He smirks. “This is going to be interesting. I hope I don’t regret it.” He walks to the door to leave but pauses and looks over his shoulder at me. "Tell me. Were you really going to follow through back there? Drop to your knees and suck my cock in front of everyone like the obedient little wife you're pretending to be?"
“I guess we won’t know. I wonder why you stopped me since sexual humiliation seems to be your goal. I have to say I’m surprised.”
“Really?” He looks more intrigued than annoyed.
I shrug, trying to act nonchalant. “It’s so unoriginal. For all your talk about how you’d be different, you’ve become just like my father.”
For a moment, I think I’ve gone too far. The rage firing in his eyes, the way his fists clench, I’m pretty sure I won’t be planning a wedding. Instead, I’ll be planning funerals.
“Careful, Keira. You don’t really want to test that theory, do you?”
I say nothing.
Our gazes hold and for a moment, I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing as I am. What happened to the young couple who’d been so in love? But then it’s gone, and I have to accept that to him, I'm nothing but a means to an end. The girl he once loved is as dead as he was supposed to be. Today, we’re a twisted version of the past, him the vengeful master, me the conquered prize.
"Nothing to say?" His lips curl into a cruel smile. "That's new.”
What can I say? That each degrading comment chips away at what's left of my soul? That every time he treats me like a possession instead of a person, I die a little more inside? That’s the point. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction.
No. He can control my body, my movements, even my wedding. But I won't let him see how deeply he wounds me. I have too much at stake to break now.
“I can see the wheels of your mind spinning, Keira. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
“Nothing important.”
He leans against the doorjamb like he’s settling in for a long discussion. “I’ll be the judge of that. Come on, tell me. Are you imagining all sorts of ways to kill me?”
“What? No.” And it’s true. I might want him gone, but I don’t want him dead. What has killing ever achieved?
His brow furrows as if he didn’t expect my reaction. But he recovers quickly. “What are you thinking?” he demands.
“Fine, you want to continue to kick me when I’m down. I’m thinking you can parade me around like a trophy, use me to prove your dominance, even force me to my knees in front of everyone. And it’s a profound disappointment to me that you find such glee in it. I wouldn’t have thought you, of all people…”
His eyes darken. “This is what you get after you and your father took everything from me.”
“Something tells me your father wouldn’t?—”
