Page 92 of A Devious Arrangement

My mouth waters, and his eyes track my tongue as I wet my bottom lip. Just as he takes a step toward me, the doorbell rings again.

His jaw ticks, and his gaze is slitted with annoyance. “Hold that thought.”

I laugh as he rushes out of the room, not wanting to waste a single second. My thoughts are clear without him here, but where I expect doubt and anger at the way he’d tricked me, all I feel is warmth. Sebastian Everette, Lord of the Order of Saints, loves me. I scoot up the bed and rest my back against the headboard while I wait. There’s a giddiness bubbling up my stomach, and I can’t contain my smile when he appears, his broad shoulders blocking out the light from the hallway.

His gaze roams over my face, and he grins. “Marry me.”

I roll my eyes, not willing to risk speaking, the action only encouraging him more.

“Silent treatment? That hurts.” He kneels to the side of the bed, tall enough that he’s only a few inches below me. That’s when I notice the two boxes he’s holding, one tin and the other a smooth black.

I lift my chin toward them. “What’s that?”

“These? The only reason Xander isn’t dead.” Bash opens the white tin, revealing medical supplies. It’s some kind of medicalkit, and it’s fully stocked. I don’t even want to know why they’d need to have this.

“Let’s see your hand.” I reach out, and he holds it delicately in his, sucking a breath through his teeth. “Fuck, Stas. I should have been more careful.”

“I didn’t notice at the time,” I admit.

His eyes glint, and he bites the corner of his lip. “I’m doing my best to behave here.”

I’m about to tell him not to when he brings a cloth to my palm.

“This is going to sting a little.” He looks apologetic as he dabs it over the red skin. I flinch but stay as still as possible.

He blows softly on my palm, cooling it.

“That’s the hard part,” he says, grabbing a small tube of ointment and covering my wound. “This has a numbing agent, so it should help.”

There’s a crease between his brows as he concentrates, and he meticulously wraps a bandage around my hand. His movements are slow and controlled, as if he’s holding something delicate.

Once it’s wrapped, he turns it over and kisses my knuckles, looking up through his lashes. “I love you. Marry me.”

There’s a seriousness to his words and the way he’s holding himself, making it clear this is an actual proposal.

“You hurt me,” I whisper back, even though all my fight has been drained out. If his plan was to fuck it out of me, it worked.

Bash wraps his arms around me, whispering into my ear. “I know. I’m sorry.”

I nuzzle into his chest and lie. “I don’t believe you.”

His thumb draws calming circles over my back. “Give me your command, and I’ll make it happen.”

He says it with so much confidence there’s no doubt he means it.

I pull back and meet his gaze. “Get my brother back and destroy the Russians.”

There’s a wicked smile in his voice.

“My fucking pleasure, Princess,” he says and places the Kokoshnik Tiara on my head.

Chapter 44

Bash

I would have preferredto stay locked away with Stasia for the next week, but I’m determined to keep my promise to her. Which is the only reason why I agreed to leave our house and come meet my brothers. Our private room at the Elysium provides the perfect location to plan, explain what’s happening with the Russians, and ask for their help. Not that there’s any doubt they’ll help us; it’s more like a heads-up to what we need.

Stasia’s warm in my arms, where we’re sitting in one of the leather club chairs. Despite her protest, I pulled her onto my lap the second we got here, not being able to stand another second apart from her. If I could meld her into my body, I would.

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