Page 59 of Dark Reign

The others stood at the door with me as we watched him leave. Elle waved as the white van left the driveway, headed for the path toward the front gate.

“Scotch, gentlemen?” Levi spoke for us all, exhaling a frustrated breath.

“Took the words right out of my mouth,” Roman grumbled.

As Elle locked up, the rest of us headed toward the study where I kept the good stuff. The meeting with my father was scheduled to begin soon, and if ever there was a time for a strong drink, it was certainly now.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Julian

I stood there, waiting outside her door. Me coming to personally escort Corina to the car was Elle’s idea. Apparently, at some point, she’d come to understand women better than I did.

The idea was that this act of chivalry might make Corina feel welcome here. After all, we were officially stuck together for the foreseeable future. While I didn’t totally believe she’d appreciate the gesture, I figured it was worth a try.

Today—despite the early hour—had already been tough for her.

My fist rattled the door for a second time, and it seemed I was right to assume this wouldn’t work, but then, just as I turned to walk away, the hinges creaked quietly. So quietly, had it not been for my keen hearing, I might have missed it. I glanced over my shoulder and felt that faint pounding in my chest, the somber beat of a heart that typically thumped so infrequently I barely noticed it.

It was triggered by the mere sight of her.

She looked different today; no longer hidden beneath a coating of pale makeup, or sporting the red irises that had me fooled a short time ago. Now, her cheeks bore a pink twinge and a hint of golden-brown Ianites were incapable of achieving. Dark waves rested on her shoulders, and I caught the scent of her, even with several feet between us.

She was beautiful, even through the veil of sadness that marred her innocent face. Based on what I knew of her, I was aware that this innocence was a mirage, but this knowledge still hadn’t lessened the guilt. It was brought on at the thought of me being the cause of the puffiness beneath her eyes, and the wad of tissue she clutched in her hand. It mattered little that today’s decisions had been made to keep her safe. I imagined that, in her eyes, she only saw me as the tyrant who’d forced her into a lifestyle she never wanted.

Little did she know, I was no fonder of this idea of forced companionship—however deep or shallow it ran—than she was.

My gaze scanned Corina quickly, noting how well she wore the ensemble Elle had chosen. It had been brought to my attention that she was severely malnourished, but somehow, living in what I guessed to be a state of perpetual hunger hadn’t left her void of feminine curves. Tracing them with my stare, they offset her otherwise slender figure. It was no wonder I hadn’t noticed her human tells the night before.

There were so manyothermarvelous things to notice about her.

“Good morning,” I greeted, clearing my throat right after as I reminded myself of why I’d come.

No words left her mouth. She simply let her gaze slip to the floor.

“We need to run an errand,” I informed her. “If you’re ready—

“We?” she interrupted. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Remaining still, I stared into the gaze of the most defiant human I’d ever met in my entire life. Usually, they cowered when standing face-to-face withanyIanite. That intimidation only intensified when that Ianite was royalty.

But not her.

Not this devastatingly beautiful troublemaker.

I sighed deeply, before making things clearer. “I wasn’t asking. Me being polite was merely a formality. You’re coming whether you like it or not.”

She didn’t move an inch. Instead, she kept her stare trained on me, as we silently acknowledged we’d reached a stalemate. Only, I was determined to win this argument at all costs.

“You can either follow me out like a lady and maintain your dignity, or I can have you dragged out like an animal,” I warned through gritted teeth. “The choice is yours.”

With that, I turned to leave, taking several steps away from her.

“I’m locked up like an animal, so you may as well be consistent.” The defiance in her tone grated on my nerves.

My steps halted and it took everything in me not to rush toward her, showing her all the reasons she’d be wise to mind her manners, wise to fear me, but I restrained myself. Instead, choosing to behave like a gentleman.

This time.

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