Page 54 of Twisted (Never After)
I smile. “Now, we get married, gattina.”
Anthony stands at the front, his face drawn and somber as he officiates what must be the quickest ceremony in New York history.
Yasmin’s mouth gapes when I pull out the 8.92- carat canary- yellow diamond, slipping it on her finger along with an eternity band, and she keeps a brave face when she slides the simple black ring on mine. But I can feel the tremor in her hands.
Stepping in close, I brush the tight, black curls away from her face. “Is this the part where I get to kiss the bride?”
I don’t reallywantto kiss her, but she’s been so docile and tame the entire time she’s been here, and a part of me wants to see how much it takes to get her riled. To stoke that fire that I love to feel, just so I can imagine all the ways I’d love to snuff it out.
She runs her hands up the front of my torso, my abs tightening. I resist the urge to shove her away as she rests her fingers on my chest. I stare down at her, my body stiff as a board, nerves on edge from having someone touch me. I blow out a deep breath and she smirks as she rises on her tiptoes. If I weren’t paying close attention, I’d think that she was enjoying this, but I see the flash of grief in her eyes right before her lips meet mine.
My synapses fire like an explosion, so intense it’s almost painful, but I push through the feeling and wrap my arm around her waist, dragging her closer, my teeth sinking into her lower lip to anchor her to me.
Her lips part and I inhale her breath like it’s stolen air.
My eyes are wide open and so are hers, a battle of wills that neither of us are willing to lose. My tongue slips against hers and she stiffens but allows the movement. And when I deepen the kiss, falling prey to the sweet taste of her mouth, her lids flutter before closing completely, her body relaxing against mine as she starts to kiss me back.
My stomach somersaults, my cock suddenly so hard it aches, and I fist the material of her dress, feeling—for the first time in my life— as if I can’t get close enough. It catches me off guard, and I should be wary, take it as a giant red flag waving in my face, but instead, I’m lost to the new sensation of having someone touch me and not hating the way it feels.
One of my hands slips up her side, enjoying the way she gasps into my mouth, and I cup her jaw, my thumb pressing against her chin to pry her open further.
Christ.
A throat clears, and Yasmin and I jump apart, our hands dropping away from each other like they’ve been doused in acid.
Her hand flies to her mouth, her wide gaze filling with horror as she stares at me.
I force a haughty look, even though my insides are reeling. “No need to get shy, gattina. You’re my wife now. Nobody will think twice if you take what’s yours.”
Her eyes narrow, but she lowers her hand and glances around, looking at Ciara, Razul, and Anthony. “I prefer to do things like that in private.”
A slow smile spreads across my face. “Then let’s go home.”
Chapter19
Yasmin
Julian’s home is exquisite, which pains me to say. He’s so revolting that in my head, I’ve built up everything else about him to be just as bad, so when he drove us through the hidden hills of Badour, past the iron gates and down the rows of trees that line his quarter-mile driveway, I was taken aback by the view, to say the least.
And now I’m in the family room that’s just off the open kitchen, staring out at the lush forest that hides his mansion from prying eyes. It’s a beautiful view, one that if this were any other scenario, I would bask in. The sun is starting to set over the tops of the trees, splashes of muted orange and pink breaking through the leaves.
But instead of enjoying the scenic moment, I’m trying to keep from throwing up.
Ikissedhim. Like, actually kissed him. My tongue was practically halfway down his throat. And I can pretend that it was nothing more than me playing the part— and to be fair, that’s how it started— but I’m trying this new thing where I’m completely honest with myself. I have to be, or else my mind will get too muddled in the white lies to see the finish line and have a fighting chance of coming out of this on the other side.
And honestly…for just a moment, when he kissed me, I forgot where I was. Forgot who I was with.
My stomach heaves at the thought of Aidan finding out.
The sparkle of my new wedding ring glints off the dim recessed lighting in the family room, and I glance down, my heart squeezing at the sight. The ring itself is stunning, a yellow diamond cushioned between two trapezoid white diamonds. I don’t want to think about what it means that the man I hate more than the world picked something so close to what I would have chosen for myself.
And it makes me so fucking pissed, because it’s just another thing that Julian’s ruined for me. I can’t even take in its beauty without being reminded of the chains that are attached.
A champagne flute appears in my peripheral vision, and I tear my eyes away from my hand to look at Julian as he hands me the glass.
“A toast,” he says.
My lips purse. “There’s nothing to celebrate.”
