Page 119 of Where the Wicked Reign

Damn.

She tensed.

Julian and I exchanged a look.

Shoving a hand through her hair, she took a beat, then told him, “This marriage isn’t real. It’s all a sham. I mean, yeah, they’ll make it seem legit, but it’s just about alliances and political bullshit. And let’s not forget my humiliation and degradation. So if you think I give a shit about the fucking ring, you are way off base. In fact, it worries me just how off base you might be. Just because I’ve grown fond of you,veryfond of you, if you must know, doesn’t mean—”

“Veryfond of me?”

“That was so far from being my point.”

“I know,” he said, stepping up to her and getting into her space. “Now hear mine.”

“Just very fond ofhim?”Julian called over.

I rolled my eyes. Of course. That was mySunshine.

His interjection worked to lessen the tension ramping up, as he’d clearly intended, as was his way. But I could also see by the look in his eyes that he actually wanted an answer, too. Not that I was above it.

“No,” Caterina said, looking between Julianandme. “Not just Nico.”

Julian’s eyes lit up. “Good to know, darlin’.”

I smiled.

“As I was saying,” Nico went on, laser-focused on her. “Tonight there was a lot of pretense, and you couldn’t defend yourself. It hurt you. I know that. I saw it. We all felt it when I brought you back here. Unfortunately, there’s going to be more of that before we’re through. In those moments when you’re alone, or feel alone, you’ll need something to hold on to. Something more immediate than the promise of winning this war. And that’s what the special ring we’re currently having made for you is intended as… something to hold on to. Physically, too, if you need it.”

“We?” she murmured, looking between all three of us.

Nico told her, “I had the color, cut, and clarity covered. Julian zeroed in on your favored style. And Milo connected with a specialist jeweler he’s familiar with who is going to give it a little something extra.” He grinned at her. “A panic button hidden beneath the center diamond.”

“A poisoned spike too,” Julian added.

She arched a beautiful brown eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“He’s fucking with you,” I told her. “About the poisoned spike part, at least.” I eyed Julian. “She doesn’t need that. Sheisthe weapon.”

“I get that, except for the fact that she can’t play that card in front of her family. So-called family.” He muttered, “Sick and twisted bastards.” He looked at Nico. “And not the glorious way in whichwe’resick and twisted where there’s a whole lot of mutual—and consensual—pleasure to be had.”

“Thank you for doing that,” she told us. “It’s a really nice gesture. And a practical one.” She sighed and walked back to the couch, settling down heavily into the spot she had been before beside Julian. “And what you did for me tonight… it meant a lot. It showed me that you are all truly with me, that we’re in this together all the way.”

“We are, Caterina. We’ll all in this as one,” Nico affirmed. He gestured at her laptop that I’d finished shutting down the process she’d started to expose Angelo, and had placed back on the coffee table. “That also means we act as one. Any lone wolf moves need to be off the table going forward. Everything needs to be strategized between the four of us down to every little detail if we’re going to do this rightandcome out of it alive.”

“I know and I’m sorry.”

“You are?” Nico asked, as surprised as we all were.

“Yeah, I mean, this isn’t going to work if we’re all going off half-cocked like I was about to do with taking down Angelo. There are intricate pieces that need moving around the board very carefully for us to win out here and destabilize—and eventually destroy—those fuckers.” She shoved a hand through her hair. “I just… he got under my skin. Everything tonight did. It hit me harder than I’d expected to go back to that powerless state around them. It tasted foul, and it felt even worse.Butthat’s their goal, to do that to me. If I back out now, run, or anything along those lines, they win. And I fucking won’t allow that. They deserve to fall. And they will. Byourhands.”

We smiled out at her, the conviction rolling through her, the powerful determination.

She moved to the edge of the couch cushion and looked between us in turn expectantly. “So, let’s get to the strategizing, then.”

“You’re still wound up,” Julian told her. “I think the best thing to do is to let it out first, so clearer heads prevail.”

“Let it out?”

He nodded. “All that rage and pain. That hopelessness and powerlessness that tonight afflicted you with. I can still feel it all rolling through you. You should purge it, take back your power.” He winked. “And take your pleasure while you’re at it.”

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