Page 139 of Cruel Dominion

“She saw it by the way,” Carter said, distracting me. “The ring.”

“No way, I totally hid my hand,” I said, my thumb feeling for the platinum band on my finger at the mention of it. It was the first time I’d worn the obnoxious ring in public and to be totally honest, it was kind of hard not to notice it.

Carter looked pleased with himself, as if now that my mother had seen the ring it made it more real. In his mind, there were no take backs now.

I rolled my eyes. Carter had proposed at least ten times before I cracked. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to marry him. I think a part of me always knew I would. I just wanted to do it on my terms.

“Now that she knows, we have to get hitched,” he said, the mirth in his eyes and seriousness of his voice contradicting each other.

“Is that so?”

“We can do it however you want. Big and lavish. A quiet ceremony. I’d settle for going to the courthouse if you prefer. I just want?—”

“To be tied to me in every way possible,” I finished for him and he gave me that rare soft smile.

“Exactly.”

“Fine.”

“Fine?”

“After the baby is born we can set a date. And I want it small, just our closest friends and family.”

He looked down at me like I’d just given him the world on a string. “I can’t wait to get you out of here. How much longer are you going to make me wait?”

“I’ll let you know when I’m finished,” I said coyly.

He groaned, reaching out to give me a squeeze before I pulled away to mingle, feeling just a smidge more confident than I had five minutes ago.

I shook a few hands and gave a few smiles, all with Carter hovering next to me like my own personal shadow monster, intimidating most people away before they could get too close.

“Carter,” a voice came from the front entrance, and we turned to see some of Carter’s friends enter with their wives.

“You bastards actually made it,” Carter said, shaking the hand of the man on the left. I’d met him once before, when he stopped by for a drink with Carter as he was passing through. His name was Ruarc Monroe, and he was probably the most terrifying human being I’d ever laid eyes on, but he was polite enough, and had a great laugh.

“Wouldn’t miss it. You remember my wife, Emily?”

She was a vision in black silk. A real life Morticia Adams but with a heart shaped face and big, soft eyes.

“Nice to finally meet you,” Emily said, making a point of shaking my hand before Carter’s.

“Okay, move along,” Carter’s other friend, Enzo Zanetti said, shoving Ruarc out of the way as if he hadn’t just affronted the devil. “He pulled Carter in for a manly hug, thumping him on the back. Even though Enzo was nearly twice my age, he didn’t really seem it. Especially when he was with his wife, Nina. Probably because she was also half his age. She was such a bright light with her long golden hair and perpetual smiles.

“And look at this,” Enzo said as Carter pulled away, reaching for my belly.

Carter stepped in his path, putting his hands on Enzo’s shoulders as he leaned in to whisper something into his ear that had Enzo straightening with an amused, if a little concerned, expression.

“Right,” Enzo said, straightening his jacket. “We’re here to see some photos. Where do we start.”

I explained how they should view the Exhibit and their wives dragged them away to start the show.

“What did you say to him?” I asked Carter when they were out of earshot and he fake coughed into his fist, looking innocent as he asked me to repeat myself.

“What did you say?”

“Do you really want to know?”

I thought about it. “Yes.”

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