Page 57 of A Twisted Arrangement

A hand lands on my shoulder, and I turn to face Damon.

“You sure about this?”

I knock on the door again. “Dead. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”

Damon laughs. “She’ll try to kill you.”

The idea of her, fire in her eyes as she takes a swing at me, has my cock twitching. I’m one hundred percent a sick fuck. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Scarlet, get your cute ass out here.”

“Ten. Nine.”

“I never agreed to this,” she yells back from the other side of the door.

“Don’t you remember? You agreed ten years ago,” I reply and keep counting during the long pause. “Eight. Seven.”

“We were kids.” Her voice has lost some of its edge and is tipping closer to curiosity.

“We’re not kids now. Six.”

There’s a thud that sounds distinctly like her head landing against the door. “I’m not coming out.”

“Five. I dare you to test me.”

There’s no movement from the other side.

“Four.” It comes out like a warning.

The door swings open, slamming into my forearm, and I grunt against the pain as it spreads up my arm. She’s radiant in the white dress, and I have to choke in a breath. I’ve been planning this for months, but I’m in no way prepared for the real thing. Her hair’s wild, pulled on top of her head into a messy bun, as if in protest.

“Good girl. I knew you’d make the right choice.” I bite the corner of my lip as my dick twitches in my pants. She looks freshly fucked, and if today wasn’t so important, I’d tell everyone to leave and drag her back to bed.

“How does it feel to be the same as every other guy who wants to use me?” Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her eyes narrowed into slits.

I grab her chin, squeezing around her delicate bones. “I’m nothing like them. All they wanted was to use you. I don’t need your spot in the Order.”

“Then what do you want?” she mumbles through clenched teeth, unable to open her mouth against the pressure of my hand.

I lean down, resting my forehead against hers, basking in the way she gasps in a breath.

“Everything.”

She fists my shoulders, but she doesn’t push me away, and I use the opportunity to run my nose along hers.

“I’ll make you happy.”

She huffs out a laugh and seethes. “I hate you.”

“Liar.”

She shoves my shoulders, and I let her push me back several feet. If we get any closer, I’ll be fucking her here, not giving a damn about our audience.

The officiant clears his throat. “Um…if y…you’re both ready, we can begin.” He’s standing with his back toward the window, an open space in front of him. I’d spent more time than I want to admit figuring out where to do this without going outside.

Wrapping my fingers around Scarlet’s wrist, I drag her with me.

She winces, and I immediately release her, turning her arm. The faint bruise circling her wrist from the cuffs I’d locked her in has pain piercing my chest.

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