Page 31 of Wickedly Yours

“That’s nothing.” I chuckled, thinking about how long demons could live. “To most demons, I’m still a teenager. I’m hardly a quarter of the way through my lifespan.” My father was almost a thousand, and even then…

“But that’s…” She shook her head. “How is this possible? Why were you even here in the first place? What business does a demon have here, anyway? ”

“I was checking up on my brother.” Truth enough, as it was. He was only here because I’d sent him here.

How would she feel when she found out I’d been here to snatch her away? To spirit her to my realm like Hades stole Persephone? But had he stolen her, or had she gone willingly? It all depended on who was telling the tale.

“Your brother?” I watched as something clicked in her mind. “Damien?” Her eyes widened as I gave her a nod of confirmation. “Damien is yourbrother?”

“Half, but yes.”

“So, your brother is seeing my sister, and you didn’t tell me?” She drew her face in, quirking an eyebrow.

I shrugged nonchalantly. “He doesn’t know I’m here. No one does.” The fewer people that knew, the better, actually. As evidenced by what had just happened. “But I should have known better.” I rubbed at my temples.

Luna frowned, blinking at me a few times. “This is a lot to take in. Even for me.”

“Come back with me,” I said, offering her an open hand. “I’ll keep you safe. I promise.” Like a devoted knight, I still kneeled in front of her. That was what I could offer her—my body, my sword, my shield.

She smoothed her hand over her skirt. “How? We don’t even know that thiswillhappen again. Couldn’t I be attacked just as easily—no, eveneasier, there?”

Where there was one, there were more. “I wish I could say it wouldn’t happen again. But you’d never be alone. My guards would protect you, even when I couldn’t be there. You just need to…” I swallowed, knowing she wouldn’t like what would come next. But there was only one way I could protect her without revealing the truth. “Be my bride.”

“What?” Luna froze, astonishment touching the features on her still-too-pale face. “Are you insane? You want me to marry you?”

I brushed a hair off her forehead. “No one will harm you if they know you are mine.”

I’d make sure they wouldn’t. They could threaten the kingdom all they wanted, revolt and pillage and burn, but they wouldn’t dare to touch one hair on her head.

“We barely even know each other, Zain,” Luna said, frustration seeping through her features as she pushed me away, standing up to pace back and forth across her rug. “A few nights and conversations don’t equal love.”

I stood, my eyes fixated on her, taking in every detail. “Yes, I know.” I thought we’d have more time to get there before it would come to this. “I don’t expect you toloveme.” Frowning, I let her have her space.

“What, then? It’s allfake?” She furrowed her brows, and I was struck with the realization that it wascute. She was adorable, with her nose all scrunched up as she tried to work her way through it. I wanted to smooth the lines out on her forehead with my thumb.

No matter what was going on, I was constantly tampering down the urge to touch her. It was something I’d have to get better at if we were going to be spending even more time together because she couldn’t know the rest. Not until… I shook off the thought.

“It can be whatever we need it to be.” I shrugged my shoulders. Like we weren’t talking about a marriage that would tie us together for...No. She’d never forgive me if she knew what I was thinking, even now.

“An act.”

I merely hummed in response, watching as Luna stopped abruptly on the floor, turning to face me once more.

“Do demons make deals?” Luna quirked an eyebrow at me, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What?” I startled. A demon’s deal wasn’t something to make lightly. And she was just…

“Make a deal with me. That’s what demons do, right? You make deals and steal souls?”

She wasn’t entirely wrong, but she wasn’tright, either. My kind of demon didn’t barter with human souls.

I shut my eyes, trying to summon whatever threads of patience I had. “What sort of deal are you thinking?”

She looked up at me with those light green eyes, sparkling like peridots in the low light. Her gaze was full of such intensity that I wanted to look away. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. She’d captivated me since the first night.

“In order to protect me, you need me to be your wife, right?”

I gave her a nod, wondering where she was going with this.

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