Page 69 of Reign of Psychos

Deciding it was now or never, I reached into my pocket for the ring. It sparkled in the light as I held it in my hand. Thea half-turned, her eyes wide as she stared at the ring.

“Wow, that’s beautiful,” she marveled before her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Where did you get it?”

“It’s not stolen, if that’s what you’re implying,” I chuckled. “It was my mom’s, and then my father gifted it to Ekaterina before they wed.”

“So how come you have it?”

“Because she’s dead and father gave it back to me. As a family heirloom, it was always meant for my bride. Only he lost his mind when he met thatcyka.”

“Um, she’s dead? What happened?”

“Dad killed her.”

“Why?”

“Because he finally realized what an evil whore she was.” I could have said more, but that woman didn’t deserve to take up any more space in my head. I’d already wasted too much of my life on her.

Thea searched my eyes and then nodded, apparently willing to accept my half-assed explanation without needing to know the details. Maybe one day I’d tell her what Ekaterina had done to me, but not now.

“This ring is for you, my darling. I love you and I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?” I probably should have got down on one knee, like they did in the movies, but I couldn’t bear to let her go. Touching her was like oxygen to my soul. She warmed the ice in my veins, made everything around us seem brighter. I needed her to say yes, but she hesitated.

“You want to marry me?” Her dark eyes stared up at me, tears sparkling like diamonds. “I’m a nobody, Kyril. The ghost daughter of a criminal. Your father won’t want Francesco di Luca’s kid as his daughter-in-law.”

“My father doesn’t give a damn. Once we’re married, he can go fuck himself for all I care.” I appreciated the fact he’d finally ended Ekaterina, but it was too little, too late.

“So he’s not going to put a hit on me if we get married?”

“No, kitten. And if he tried, I’d kill him.” And burn the bastard to ash, like my grandfather did to his father before him. Yes, our family was almost as dysfunctional as Thea’s.

Since she still hadn’t given me an answer, I gently took the ring from her and slid it onto the fourth finger of her left hand. It fit perfectly, like it had been made for her.

“You haven’t heard my answer,” she grumbled with a faint smile, but the ring stayed on her finger.

“The question was rhetorical. You’re going to be my wife, whether you like it or not.” I refused to accept a rejection.

“You do realize Landon is going to lose his shit when he finds out you usurped him?”

I grinned. “He’ll get over it.”

I lifted her so she sat astride me, her legs wrapped around my waist and her pussy resting on my dick. If it wasn’t so cold, I’d fuck her. Remind her who she belonged to.

She moaned softly as she felt how hard I was for her. She always made me that way. Feral to the point of madness. I needed her every minute of every hour, and it had been way too long since I’d been inside her.

I was done waiting.

“We’re going back to the hotel now,” I told her before claiming her mouth. She tasted of chocolate, her lips cold but her mouth hot and sweet.

The ring on her finger meant she was mine now. Mine to love. Mine to cherish. And mine to protect. Always and forever.

I lifted her and carried her across the park, bridal-style, ignoring her half-hearted protests that she had legs and she knew how to use them.

It was time to claim my bride-to-be.

34

Cassian

The TV droned on in the background as I worked on cash flow projections for Kyril’s casino project. We’d agreed that I would handle the financials while he dealt with the more practical elements, such as persuading city officials to approve our plans.

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