“Not imprisoned,” Mother says. “In exchange for our freedom.”
He laughs. “That’s not happening. Not anytime soon. But I won’t kill you.” He turns back to me. “What do you say?”
I won’t exchange my life for my parents’. They didn’t earn that sort of loyalty from me. Not after everything they’ve made me do.
I also don’t want to give Phoenix the satisfaction of seeing my fear or hurt, so I lift my chin in defiance. "And if I refuse?"
"Then I destroy everything. All of you. Even that kid you’ve got hidden somewhere in the house.”
My breath catches. How does he know about Brigit? I remember how his brother Blaise had infiltrated the family. Had he paid enough attention to know about Brigit? I’d heard he’d married our former gardener, Jenna. Maybe she told him.
He can smell my fear. He leans toward me, his voice dropping lower. "That’s right. I know there’s a child somewhere in this house. I know you’re the one hiding her.”
He’s threatening to kill her too. How had I ever loved this man?
I can’t think about that now. Now, all I can do is try to save Brigit. “I’ll do it. I’ll marry you, Phoenix.” I’ll do anything to protect her.
He grips my chin between his thumb and forefinger and without warning, he claims my mouth with his, kissing me hard enough to bruise. I gasp against his lips, and for a moment, I'm back to those stolen moments ten years ago, when our love felt pure and possible.
But this isn't that innocent time. This kiss is about possession, about power, about marking me as his. My fingers dig into his shoulders, wanting to make him stop, but he doesn’t. It’s like power is building in him the longer the kiss goes on.
But if he thinks he can own me, he’s got another thing coming. Oh, sure, he can force me to be his wife. He can claim my body. But I’ll never be his.
Never.
2
PHOENIX
Ibreak the kiss, but the taste of her lingers on my lips. My fingers dig into her arms, probably leaving marks on her porcelain skin. The urge to pull her closer wars with the need to get her away from me… far, far away.
Keeping her close wins for the moment as I trace my thumb across her bottom lip, remembering all the nights we spent wrapped in each other's arms. Back when I was young and stupid enough to believe a Kean could ever love an Ifrinn.
Memories flood my brain. The scent of smoke. The heat of flames. With that, I shove her away, unable to look at her face without seeing the inferno that claimed my parents. The screams. The burning flesh. All because of her family's greed.
"Phoenix—"
"Don't." Ice coats my words. "You lost the right to say my name when your family murdered mine."
But even as hatred courses through my veins, my traitorous heart skips at the way she says my name. Ten years. Ten fucking years I've spent burying every memory of her beneath layers of rage and revenge. Yet one kiss threatens to unravel it all.
I turn away, focusing on her parents, her father still on his knees where I forced him to beg for his life. He stares at me with a murderous hate, and it reminds me why I'm here. Why I can never let myself feel anything for Keira again.
"I claim Keira as my wife, but don't mistake this for forgiveness. Your family took everything from me. Now I'm going to take everything from you."
I glance over at Keira. Her expression is impassive. Almost like she doesn’t care what I do.
"Take her back to her room," I command one of my men. "Make sure she stays there."
He grabs Keira's arm, but she yanks away from him. Her chin lifts in a defiant tilt that she hadn’t had ten years ago.
"I can walk myself."
The sway of her hips as she leaves burns into my retinas. Marrying her is a bad idea and yet, a perfect one as well.
I turn to face Hampton and Lana Kean. She’s helped him off the floor, and now they sit on the old bed. I wonder how many people they’d held down here as prisoners. There are a shit ton of missing people surrounding them, my brothers and I included until we returned to reclaim what is rightfully ours. But the others I imagine are dead and buried.
"Comfortable?" I crouch in front of Hampton, close enough to see the hatred blazing in his eyes. "Don't worry, you'll get to attend your daughter's wedding. Though the accommodations until then might be less than what you're accustomed to."
