Page 73 of Descent

“I have to have dinner tonight with Annie Williams, at my brother’s house.”

Frowning at that, I pull away a bit as I look down at him.

“The desk slut?”

“Desk slut?” he questions, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been referring to her as in my head.”

Ronan lets out a short chuckle as he nods.

“That’s the one.”

“Why do you have to have dinner with her at Christopher’s?”

He rolls his lips together, he looks down at his lap for a second before looking back up at me. The look in his eyes alone is like a gut punch.

“To talk about the engagement.”

Nope, I lied. The look in his eyes was nothing. His words? That was the true gut punch. Pushing out of his grasp, I stand, looking at him in shock before I shake my head.

“So, what? That’s just it? You’re going to marry her?”

He stays silent, staring at me like a fucking idiot. I smack my hand against his desk in anger.

“Answer me!”

“What do you want me to say, Skyla?” he huffs. “What choice do I have? Should I tell my brother I can’t because I’m in love with his daughter-in-law? Should I tell her that there is no way I could ever truly love her, because she will always pale in comparison to the one woman I’ll never be able to fully have?”

His words feel like a slap to the face. I take a step back, then another, heading for the door. I get it unlocked and cracked open before it’s slammed shut. Ronan’s hand is on the door above my head, while the other is on the doorknob.

“Stop,” he grouses, before blowing out a long breath. “I’m sorry. I…I don’t know what the fuck to do. I’ve got Christopher and the Williams family breathing down my fucking neck. There is some piece of shit out there, stalking the woman I love and I…I feel so goddamn out of control. I’m never out of control. I always have a plan, always have a solution.”

I do my best to fight the quiver in my voice, but with the hot, scratchy feeling taking over my throat, I don’t have much choice.

“So…what? We’re just…over?” I choke out, as I stare at the wooden door.

“No!” he snaps, before spinning me until I’m facing him.

His body closes in on me, pressing me against the door as he shakes his head.

“No, baby. We aren’t over. We will never be over. I’ll figure something out. I just…I gotta play the part occasionally, for now.

I stare up into his clear blue eyes, the ones that are begging me to understand. I can’t help but shake my head, though.

“Is that what happened to your last fiancé?”

He tenses at that, his face remaining blank.

“What?”

“I’ve heard Asher and Liam talk before, off-handedly, about how you were engaged after you graduated from Gallows Hill.”

Ronan blinks at me, looking down at me solemnly.

“Every man is arranged to be married post-graduation.”

“I know,” I say. “I just was waiting for you to tell me the story.”

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