Page 22 of Wolf Queen Ruin
“Good.You don’t look too shabby yourself.”An understatement, obviously.
In that tux, the man looked like a walking vibrator, able to help you reach climax in 0.5 seconds.
I started down the steps and then took his offered arm.
Then a thought snapped over my tongue, too fast for me to reel it back in.
“Those pretty panties you picked out for me?Awful trip to Wedgie City.”
“I apolo—“
“So I’m not wearing any,” I whispered.
His lips parted again as he gazed down at me with such intensity that my blood sparked hotter.The charged air surrounding us caged us in for several heartbeats.My breaths grew shallower and shallower until my chest heaved for more oxygen, which made the room spin faster.
Felix cleared his throat, and the spell shattered.
“I believe you have one last detail to attend to?”he prompted Damien.
“Ah, yes.”Damien cleared his throat, blanked his face, and produced a small velvet box from his pocket.“The final touch for our performance tonight.”
He opened the box, revealing a ring that made my breath catch.An oval-cut sapphire the color of golden honey, surrounded by smaller diamonds that seemed to capture and refract light in impossible ways.The band was white gold or platinum, intricately engraved with symbols I didn’t recognize.
“This engagement ring has been in my family for generations,” Damien explained.“Felix knew of a jeweler in the city who had it resized and polished for tonight.”
“It’s stunning,” I whispered, unable to tear my eyes away from the ring.“And probably worth more than everything I’ve owned in my entire life.”
“May I?”he asked, removing the ring from its box.
I extended my left hand, aware of how intimate this gesture felt.His cool fingers brushed against mine as he slipped the ring into place.It fit perfectly, another detail he’d somehow anticipated, and felt lighter than its size would suggest.
He already wore a ring similar to mine, and it twinkled when it caught the light.
“Now we’re official,” I said, still trying to draw a proper breath.“Officially engaged.”
It felt so strange saying that out loud.Or thinking it.Or acting it.
Damien cleared his throat and stepped back.“I believe ‘mutually respectful political alliance with undertones of genuine affection’ is what we’re aiming for.”
“Romantic,” I deadpanned.“You should write greeting cards.”
Felix coughed in what sounded suspiciously like concealed laughter.“I’ll see you both at the gala.”He looked at me meaningfully.“My staff will call me if there’s any change, so try not to worry this evening.”
Yeah, no.That would never happen.I glanced up at the large clock above the door and firmed my lips.We needed to leave right now to get there on time.
With an understanding nod, Felix slipped out to his own waiting car.
Damien offered me his arm once again.“Shall we, Ms.Rookwood?Or should I say, future Mrs.Cross?”
“Call me that again, and I’ll stab you with one of my concealed weapons,” I threatened sweetly, taking his arm.“Let’s go crash this party and find our gross skin map.”
Selene’sestatemadeDamien’sborrowed mansion look modest by comparison.As our car joined the line of luxury vehicles approaching the main gate, I caught my first glimpse of the house itself—a massive neoclassical structure with columns that glowed blue in the gathering darkness.
“That’s not normal architecture,” I said, noting how certain parts of the building seemed to shift subtly when viewed from the corner of my eye.
“I did some homework.Selene’s residence exists partially between realms,” Damien explained.“Certain sections phase in and out of this reality depending on the lunar cycle.”
“Oh, sure, makes sense,” I muttered.“Why have a normal mansion when you can have one that occasionally goes on vacation to another dimension?”
