Page 10 of Now You're Mine

Gasps ripple across the room, and I see Roman’s gaze drink the figure in, his expression hardening.

Ash steps in beside me, the hood of his cloak pulled over his head. Under the hood, his face is cast in shadow, his features harsh, and his jaw set, making him look dangerous and sinister.

He’ll fit right in.

Roman’s expression is murderous. If looks could kill, Ash would be a heap of bloody flesh right now.

I lift my chin and raise my voice, so I can be heard over the chatter. “Ethan Ashford was initiated this afternoon under exigent circumstances with ten senior members as witnesses.” My gaze shifts to Roman. “Bow to yournewking.”

CHAPTER SIX

Roman

The rage movingthrough my veins is so thick, I nearly choke on it. All I see is Ash standing next tomywoman, laying claim tomyfucking throne.

What the actual fuck is going on?

In three strides, I’m right in his pretty-boy face. “You’ve really fucked up now, Ash.” I lean in, lowering my voice, so only he can hear me. “If you so much aslookat Lux, I swear I’ll slit your throat. You already know I’m capable of murder.”

When I pull back, he doesn’t look bothered by my statement. I’m sure he saw it coming to some degree. I glance at Lux, and she looks wide-eyed like she’s afraid of what I’m going to do.

She should have thought of that before she marched Ash in here like her prized-fucking-pig.

With one last lingering glare at Lux, I turn and stride out of the ballroom, the guys following. We head straight to the study.

“What the actual fuck wasthat?” Christian yells, slamming the door closed behind him.

Jackson is taking his robe off, too. “She can’t do this,” he says. “It’s never been done before.”

“Just because it hasn’t been done,” I say. “Doesn’t mean she can’t do it. If she hasactualevidence against us, then I have a feeling we’re fucked.”

“There has to be a way to get around this shit,” Lucas chimes in, still in his robes, leaning against the desk, arms crossed over his chest. “Our forefathers were the kings of loopholes.”

“Lux has played us,” Jackson says.

It’s true, and I’ve got to give her credit, it was cleverandwithin the rules, unfortunately. Damn, as enthralled as I am with her, somehow I’vestillmanaged to underestimate her.

I’m the one who invested her with all the power of a queen, and this bitch used it. I definitely didn’t see that coming.

Every single queen or consort since 1890 has kept to the shadows. Subservient. Content to do as she’s told. Of course, I would get theoneconsort in centuries with big enough balls to pull something like this.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I tilt my head back and try to breathe. A headache is blooming behind my right eye, though, so that’s fun. “I’m sure there’s something in the book we can use to our advantage. We just need to find it,” I say.

Lucas releases a long breath. “You should talk to her,” he says. I drop my head and look at him. “She’s pissed. That’s why she’s doing all this. She doesn’t give a fuck about the society. This is revenge.”

“And how am I supposed to talk to her?” I ask. “She hates me. Actually, no, scratch that—she hatesallof us, as she should.”

“We did what we had to do,” Lucas says solemnly. “And we got results. Your brother is out of jail, isn’t he? Are you saying you regret that?”

I shake my head. I don’t know what to fucking think. Walking over to the sideboard, I pour myself a whiskey from the crystaldecanter. It’s one of the few things Lux didn’t break in her tirade the other day. She would have, though, if we’d given her time. She was determined to destroy everything.

And she still is, apparently.

But what Lux doesn’t know about our forefathers is that they were clever bastards, and they had an interest inappearingdemocratic while secretly protecting their interests. I can’t imagine they’d introduce an article that we as Sacred Sons had no way of circumventing. We just have to find the loophole.

I pull the invite out and read it properly this time. “The tribunal is in a few days. We can ask a few senior members to look over the bylaws and see if they can find anything we can use,” I say. “In the meantime, try not to freak the fuck out.Jesus.”

I’m afraid if these guys start going off the deep end, they’ll lash out at Lux, and that’s the last thing I need. Because, regardless, I’m protecting her. She may hate me. She may be trying to destroy my entire-fucking-life, but can I blame her?

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