Page 26 of Sunshine & Ink

I opened my mouth eagerly, and Raker bent closer and gently spat the holy water in my mouth.

The water was warm and seemed to spread a heated glow all through my body, suffusing each limb until I was tingling with power.

It tasted sweet too, sweeter than the best honey I’d ever had.

I felt Elizabeth’s angry eyes on me. With all her purity and finery,Iwas the one Raker had given the holy water to.

Trembling, I swallowed, my heart full of love, wishing he was mine only. Hefeltlike mine only. Why couldn’t it be true?

I had to use the bathroom before we left, and I hurried over to the Elders’ marble-clad facilities. We had abstained from water all morning, but I always had to pee these days.

As I was heading back out, wiping the hand sanitizer on my hands, I heard Angel’s voice, and I flattened myself back against the building.

She was probably pissed that Raker had given me the first water, and I was in no mood for her to slap or pinch me, especially without my friends Amira or Bridget around to rescue me.

Then I heard Elizabeth’s voice, too.

What in the world wouldshehave to talk to Angel about?

Moving cautiously, I sidled as close to the corner of the building as I could. There was a little tiny hole in the marble and I bent down so I could see Angel and Elizabeth.

“I have some information to give you,” Angel said, her eyes downcast in a modest way that was most unlike her.

“What is it?” Elizabeth snapped, arranging her pure white gloves.

But just then my clumsy hands bumped into the side of the building, knocking off a ceremonial jug, and Elizabeth whipped her head around.

“What are you doing there, you little whore?” she hissed, dragging me out. “Trying to spy on me?”

Angel’s eyes glistened and I felt my stomach sink knowing she must be talking about me.

“Sunniis in love with Raker. She’s so delusional she thinks there’s a chance he’s going tomarryher.”

Elizabeth turned ice-cold eyes to me. “Why, how foolish of you. What a silly strumpet you must be.”

“I don’t—I’m don’t want that,” I said feebly.

Was the lie written all over my face? Ididwant to marry Raker.

“He’s going to marryme, make no mistake of that.”

“I know it,” I said, trying to keep the strangled bleak sound from my voice. “I know he is.”

“There’s something even worse,” Angel said, and I tried to beg her with my eyes to stop.

Elizabeth with her streak of cruelty was the last person I wanted angry at me!

“Sunni’s planning on tricking Raker into getting her pregnant. If I were you, I’d tell him to be careful with the condoms.”

There was a sudden frozen silence.

“Surely she wouldn’t stoop to tampering with holy protection,” Elizabeth said sharply, a different note in her voice now.

“She would,” Angel said, her blue eyes flashing maliciously at me as Elizabeth stared in horror. “She’s justsodesperate for his baby.”

“Well,” Elizabeth said. Then she turned and slapped me across the face, with such sudden, vicious violence that I almost fell on my ass. “I will make sure he drops you before our marriage. And any baby you have gets kicked out with you.”

Although I had managed to stumble away from them and find my way back to the Saints MC, I felt sick with worry. Even Raker’s strong arm around me on the way home didn’t fully shake my sense of unease.

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