Page 46 of Dangerous Devotion

I turned away, pretending to examine one of my paintings. “There’s just a lot I had to do, a lot on my mind?—”

“Cut it,” she interrupted, stepping in front of me. “It’s not even that you didn’t come to bed yesterday. You’re cold and pushing me away, and I want to know why.”

Her perceptiveness was both impressive and infuriating. I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. “I’m not pushing you away. I’m just?—”

“Trying to protect me?” She let out a humorless laugh. “By shutting me out? Now? That’s rich coming from the man who kidnapped me and threw me in a pool, who kissed me and demanded I marry him.”

I couldn’t help but smirk at the memories. Our time getting to know each other might not have been long, but it had been intense and fun. “That was different.”

“Oh, was it?” She crossed her arms, her green eyes blazing. “Enlighten me, Oh Wise One. How was this any different? You told me we’re a team just yesterday; was it all lies? Horseshit.”

Her sarcasm caught me off guard, and I found myself chuckling despite the tension. “You’re something else, you know that?”

She narrowed her brows and glared at me. “And you’re an emotionally constipated idiot,” she fired back.

I walked right into her and pushed her back until her knees hit one of the flowerbeds. “You better watch your mouth, Little One.”

She growled but held her ground. “I’d rather watch your back.”

“You”—I scanned her up and down—“watching my back? That’s the most terrifying thing ever.”

She straightened against me. “Stop acting like a jerk, and stop trying to pick fights. Just talk to me.”

“You think I’m the one picking fights? When you’re the one insulting me constantly?” I growled.

She rolled her eyes and exhaled but then softened against me, laid her head against my chest, and slung her arms around my waist. “What did you think? That I’d magically be safer if you kept your distance?” She shook her head. “That’s not how this works, you big dodo. We’re in this together now, whether you like it or not.”

Wow. I stared down at her. This was not how our arguments usually went.

I sighed.

She remained quiet, held me, waited for me to say something. She wasn’t going to let this go, and she wasn’t going to give in either.

“Fine. But this is not some Shakespearean tragedy.” I put a finger under her chin and lifted her face until I could stare into her beautiful eyes. “My own father wants me dead, and now you’re in danger, too. I thought if I kept my distance, maybe…”

“Maybe what? I’m right here—like you wanted me to. I’m marrying you—like you wanted me to. How dare you treat me as if I’m not strong enough to stand next to you.”

I couldn’t help but smirk at Jemma’s fiery retort. She was right. She was a strong woman. Feisty. “Strong enough to stand next to me? You barely reach my shoulder, Little One.”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “I meant metaphorically, you overgrown suit. And I’ll have you know, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and you.”

“Oh really?” I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a low growl. “Is that why I found you and Bella alone with Zotov?”

She pushed against my chest, but I didn’t budge. “I didn’t plan for that to happen.”

I scoffed. “And yet it did.”

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “Why was he even out there?”

And wasn’t that the question of the century?

My anger flared again, and I forced myself to take a deep breath. How did Zotov escape my men and just wander around the property as if he was a goddamn visitor on a countryside walk? “Why were you out there? That’s exactly the kind of thing that could get you killed. Do you not understand the gravity of this situation?”

“Of course I do!” she snapped. “But do you not understand that I can’t just sit around and do nothing?”

“You’ve got a fucking wedding to plan,” I growled.

“It’s a publicity stunt, not a wedding, and I don’t give two shits about floral arrangements or seating charts,” she snarled.

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