Page 40 of Pure Vengeance

“We’ve been through this already, Saoirse. Drop it.”

“Fine,” she grunted sourly, then added, “The thought of being tied to the Ashland family makes me sick. I can’t even imagine what Darragh?—”

“I said, that’s enough.” I refused to have our brother’s name mentioned while the physical manifestation of over a decade of planning and work walked toward me. “As long as you did your job and convinced her to come to me willingly, your part is almost done.”

“I can’t believe I agreed to this, but I’m finished after tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, just as I promised.”

“Good.” She huffed and seemed to glare at me while smiling at my bride. “I told the little brat I couldn’t wait to have a new sister. She swallowed the lie whole.”

In her white dress and veil, Natasha looked deceptively innocent, but I knew what lurked inside. She was Steve Ashland’s daughter, after all. Despite her beauty and heart-stopping curves, her soul was as black as his was.

Even now, Steve seemed reluctant to let her go as he led her up the few stairs to the altar. He didn’t release her until I leveled him with a hard stare. I hadn’t left him with a choice. I’d bought up all his debts, and he was well aware of what I’d do if he didn’t give me his beloved little brat.

Her days of being her father’s pampered princess were over, and Steve would watch while I knocked her off the lofty perch he’d put under her delicate feet. She’d crawl for me and beg for even the tiniest scrap of kindness.

If Steve was very lucky, I’d send her back to him in one piece after I got my fill of vengeance. Well, her body would be more or less intact. I didn’t plan to leave her mind that way.

At first, I’d considered getting an heir from her before I broke her, but Saoirse had a point. I didn’t want my bloodline contaminated.

Steve swore she was a virgin, but there was no telling how many men had come before me. Thankfully, the blood test I’ddemanded had come back clean. She’d also gone off the script and gotten a birth control shot.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Part of me was glad I wouldn’t have to worry about getting her pregnant, and another was furious that she’d taken the choice from me. Knowing I was being ridiculous didn’t soothe my irritation.

“Lachlan, do you take Natasha to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Realizing I’d spaced out on most of the ceremony, I focused my attention on the minister. “I do.”

“Natasha, do you take Lachlan to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey until death do you part?”

Her lips twisted at the old-fashioned wedding vow I’d instructed the minister to use. She lifted her chin, then said, “I do.”

I wasn’t at all pleased at the sudden surge of arousal in my gut at the sound of her soft, husky voice. Maybe I’d keep her gagged. I didn’t want to hear anything that came out of her duplicitous mouth anyway.

Finn, my second, and best man for this farce of a wedding, handed me the plain gold wedding band I’d had him pick up at a discount store, and I slid it over her left ring finger as the minister droned on.

The minister smiled and closed his bible. “By the power vested in me by God and the State of California, I now pronounce you man and wife. Lachlan, you may kiss your bride.”

Gritting my teeth, I lifted her veil to perform the distasteful act, then pulled her into my arms. Her big brown eyes widened, and I almost laughed when she blushed. I hated that she smelled delectably like citrus and vanilla, but the perfume hid putrescence.

It didn’t matter. Her scent would soon match what lived inside her.

She stiffened and a tiny gasp escaped her rosebud lips. Despising myself, I lowered my head to kiss her. Heated electricity shot through my body at the first touch of her lips against mine, and against my better judgement, I deepened our kiss, tasting lemon candy and something spicy I desperately wanted to consume.

Strangely, she didn’t seem to know what to do with her tongue when I coaxed her to open her mouth. She kept it tucked firmly against her bottom teeth until I tipped her head to the side and traced the edges of her straight, white teeth with the tip of my tongue. Whimpering softly, she finally relaxed and let me kiss her like I wanted.

Saoirse cleared her throat, reminding me of my purpose. Reluctantly, I eased away from Natasha, but the feral beast inside me reveled in the sight of her glazed eyes and swollen lips.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to present Natasha and Lachlan O’Donnell.”

The few guests rose and clapped politely. They all knew this wedding wasn’t a joyous occasion.

When the applause faded, the minister said, “If you’ll follow me, we’ll get the marriage certificate dealt with.”

“All right.”

I took Natasha’s elbow and scowled when she jerked out of my reach to pick up the back of her dress.

---