Page 60 of Wicked Pursuit

I don’t call Dad an asshole, but it’s hovering right there on the tip of my tongue. Then again I suppose this was a test in and of itself. For both Casimir and me.

I catch a glimpse of myself in one of the nearby mirrors. The makeup I had on earlier is smudged from working out, and there’s no saving my hair. Casimir has seen me looking messier than this, but I need a minute to think about what Dad said. “Yeah, a shower sounds good.”

18

Idon’t exactly take my time in the shower, but I don’t rush either. It’s nearly another hour later when I finally walk into the foyer. Set up against the wall, there’s an antique bench that no one ever uses. Casimir looks absurd perched on the edge of it, his elbows propped on his knees. He’s not fidgeting or showing even the smallest sign of impatience. But when he looks up as I walk through the archway, his pale eyes go molten hot.

“Hey, baby.”

I chose my clothing carefully, wanted to remind him of everything he said he’s been missing for the last twelve days. My short wrap dress is a deep crimson that matches my lips. I’ve curled my hair so it falls around my shoulders in careless waves. I look fuckinggood.

He looks even better. As Luke, he often wore suits for work, but they were always slightly ill fitting. As Wolf, he only ever showed up in a hoodie, jeans, and a skull mask, his leather gloves constantly in place. Now he’s wearing a designer suit that fits him so perfectly, it has to be tailored. The dark blue contrasts with a pale-blue shirt nearly the same color as his eyes.

All I want to do is rip everything off him and reacquaint myself with his body, but Dad’s warning lingers in my mind. The stakes have never been higher. If I make this choice, it’s for keeps. I don’t get to back out or change my mind later. I know what my heart is saying. I know what my head is saying too.

What I don’t know is what Casimir is thinking.

“Did you do what I asked you?” I finally say.

“Things in Russia were a little more complicated than I expected.” He gives a slight shrug. “My uncle doesn’t like to be challenged, so it had to be handled delicately.”

“That’s not an answer, Casimir.”

He reaches into his jacket and produces a paper. I accept it and unfold it, finding a letter from Jovan. It’s a lot of flowery shit and doublespeak, and while he gives his word not to attack the Belmonte territory... there are obviously a lot of loopholes he left open to exploit. “This isn’t good enough.”

“I know.” He stares at me intently. “I spoke with my father, and while he is not the leader of the Romanov family,hisword is above reproach.” He rises slowly to his feet. “If you say yes to me, then my branch of the Romanov family will stand with us regardless of whether or not Jovan goes back on his word. I can’t speak for the other territories—they’ll have to figure their shit out—but the Belmonte territory and all its people are safe from Romanov meddling. My family and I will make sure of it.”

I blink, trying to process what the fuck he just said. Casimir’s uncle Jovan is the ultimate ruler of the Romanov family, which means his children are the ones who will inherit that throne. If what Casimir’s saying is true, then his father, the second Romanov brother, would potentially rebel if Jovan gave the order to hurt us. “How am I supposed to believe that?”

“I give you my word. Like my father’s, it’s less... malleable... than my uncle’s.” He stops in front of me but makes no move to touch me. “My father and his brothers present a united front to the rest of the world because our enemies are vast, and any sign of weakness has a risk of being exploited. That doesn’t mean my father likes every choice my uncle makes. I might be firstborn, but I’m heir to nothing. My parents and siblings won’t stand back if Jovan ever decides to come for us. They’ll stand with us.”

I should find that comforting, but all it does is spotlight just how dire the stakes are. I stare up into the face of the man I love and wonder if I’m about to make a terrible mistake. But even as I think that, I don’t really believe it. Casimirseesme. He’s twisted in just the right way to match my crooked heart. “If you try to undermine me, I will make you wish you were dead,” I finally say.

His grin is slow and wicked. “Noted. We’ll present a united front in public, and if I have an issue with one of your orders or policies, I’ll take it up with you privately.”

“Well . . . good.”

“I don’t want to rule, baby, but I’m good at getting my hands dirty, and you’re going to need that skill set for what comes next. No one will touch you. I promise.”

I reach out but stop before placing my hand on his chest. “What if I want them to touch me?”

He covers my hand with his and presses it to his chest. “Why don’t you tell me what you want, and we’ll go from there?”

It feels strange to stand here in the golden afternoon light and speak the truths I keep most hidden. If he were anyone else, I don’t think I would dare. “If I marry you, that’s it. We will vow ’til death do us part. No divorce. It doesn’t end until one of us is in the grave.”

“Da.” There’s not even a flicker of doubt on his face.

Strange how that was the easy part. Asking for what I personally want is so much more difficult. I lick my lips. “That primal scene...”

“Yeah.” He brushes a strand of my hair back from my face. “It made me wild to see you with other people, fucking murderous, but reclaiming you? Yeah, baby, it did it for me too.”

“If we play like that, you can’t actually murder people. Or not anymorepeople.”

He cups my jaw and smears his thumb across my bottom lip. “I know.” He makes a face. “I suppose if we want more formal games, we request to attend Reaper’s club. I think you’d like it, and it’s only a short plane ride from Carver City.”

I glance around, but the foyer is just as empty as it was earlier. That doesn’t mean there aren’t eyes on us. My parents would never let me stand here with him without being close enough to save me if things went sour. I take a deep breath. “There’s no going back if we do this.”

“You keep saying that. There was no going back the moment I laid eyes on you. None of the other shit makes any difference. It’s you and me forever, baby.”

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