Page 34 of Coerced Queen

I take a sip of the robust brew.“This tastes like heaven.”I utter a sigh.“If you weren’t already married, I’d propose to you.”

The words tumbled from my mouth in a sneaky unguarded moment when I allowed myself to relax.Given our situation, the humor is inappropriate.It’s a terrible compliment, an unfortunate comparison, but he only smiles.

“I wouldn’t think twice,” he says.“I’d say yes.”

His playfulness catches me off guard.Yet he’s not joking.Not only.There’s a serious undertone to his words.

This—making semi-funny statements that we semi-really mean—isn’t us.

“Seriously, Sav.”I lower my mug.“What are we doing?”

His gaze becomes shuttered.“What do you mean?”

“Until yesterday, you wanted me to leave.Now we’re sleeping together.”

His chuckle is wry.“We’re husband and wife, Anya.”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about.You’re confusing me.”

He watches me with that intense look that always makes me feel a little uncomfortable.Under scrutiny.As if he can see into my soul.

“Which part of my behavior do you find confusing?”he asks.“I think I made it pretty clear how badly I want inside you.”

“It’s not the sex.”

“No?”He raises a thick, dark eyebrow.“Then what is it?”

“You married me for Claire, yet Dante spends more time with her than you do.”

And if he doesn’t want to be a father any longer, then what am I doing here?

Wait.

Is this why he wanted to ship us off to Europe?

“What do you want?”I ask, my chest suddenly too tight.“Have you changed your mind about becoming a parent?”

His tone is flat.“I haven’t changed my mind.”His expression darkens.“Circumstances changed.”Studying me with a predatory gleam in his uncovered eye, he says, “I gave you an option, and you made your choice.”He shrugs, not quite managing to pull off a nonchalant attitude.“You’re just going to have to live with it now.”

I swallow, not knowing what to say to that.One night of explosive sex, and we’ve gone back to how things were before the wedding.I guess that’s the only way we know.

On cue, Claire’s fussing sounds on the monitor on my nightstand.

“Shall I ask Livy to take her while you finish your breakfast?”Saverio asks.

It’s not lost on me that he didn’t offer to go to Claire.

“No,” I say, putting the mug on the tray and pushing it aside.“I’ll get her.I can eat while feeding her.”

He gets out of my way when I swing my legs over the side of the bed.

“I’ll take care of dinner.”He goes ahead of me to the door.“You don’t have to worry about cooking.”

“Aren’t you coming to work?”I ask, my gaze glued on the back of his head.

“Iamworking,” he says without turning around.

“I mean at After Dark.”

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