Page 23 of His Wife

Both Caelian and Nicoli laughed, and I groaned at the reminder of my trip ahead. We might not have allies in the sense of sharing the Dark Sovereign’s business and making it a fucking democracy, but we do have friends, ones we would go to war with if need be.

“Are you taking her with you?” Nicoli asks, and my migraine starts getting worse.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, if I may give my ten cents here—”

“You may not—”

“—I’d suggest taking her with you. Showcasing your perfect marriage would only amplify the security your leadership will bring to the Dark Sovereign.”

I know he’s right, and it fucking irks me even to think it.

Nicoli gets up and places his hand on my shoulder. “I have no idea what the fine print of your deal is and when she’s supposed to leave, but do what you must so she goes with you next week. I’m ninety-nine percent sure it’s what Dad would have wanted.”

Sighing, I empty my glass, cringing from the sting. “She’s not.”

Nicoli stills. “She’s not what?”

“She’s not leaving.”

He narrows his eyes. “Does she know that?”

I get up on my feet and button my suit jacket. “Not yet.”

ChapterTen

LEANDRA

Alexius sits on the side of the bed, holding an ice pack against his cheek, when I walk out of the bathroom, tightening the towel around me. From a distance, I can see the tension in his shoulders as he slams back the last mouthful of whiskey.

I couldn’t stand seeing them fight, watching two brothers wanting to hurt each other. But, more than anything, I hated being the reason for the conflict between them.

“You’re wrong,” I say, and Alexius looks in my direction. “Isaia is not in love with me. I won’t deny that there is a connection between us, but it’s nothing more than friendship.”

“According to you, maybe.”

“I’m serious.” I walk up to him as he reaches for a cigar in his bedside drawer, lighting it. “Other than Mirabella, Isaia was the first one to show me any sort of kindness when he walked me down the aisle. He was the only one who didn’t make me feel like an outsider, not because he’s in love with me, but because he’s an outsider himself. Can’t you see that?”

A plume of smoke slowly wafts from his lips, and I step up, my knee touching his. “You and Nicoli are twins, and you share a bond, a kinship like none other. Caelian and Nicoli are together most of the time because you’re always working.” I lean my head to the side. “But Isaia, he’s always alone, drifting down these halls like a ghost, and hardly anyone notices.”

“You do. You notice.” The way he looks at me with those azure irises makes my heart skip a beat. It’s like he’s trying to figure me out. Trying to decide for himself whether what he thinks is true about Isaia’s feelings for me, and that it might be mutual. It’s not. Not even close.

“Only because for half my life I did everything I could to be invisible, to not be seen. In my world, being noticed is dangerous, and it comes with a price no woman wants to pay. But in yours, not being noticed means you’re not good enough.”

He reaches out and yanks the towel from around me, and my lips part as his eyes turn dark. “In my world, when another man desires your woman,” his warm breath against my naked hip makes me shiver, “touches her,” he slides a finger up my thigh, “or simply looks at her the wrong way,” his hand brushes against my sex, and I suppress a moan, “he dies. Whether he’s blood or not.”

“He’s your brother, Alexius.”

“And you’re my wife.”

“A wife you didn’t want. Something Isaia is very much aware of.”

“That doesn’t give him the right to want what is mine.”

“Is that what I am?” I challenge, shifting from one leg to the other, the slight movement luring his gaze down to where he’s touching me. “Yours?”

“Have you ever doubted that for a second?” He continues to stroke his finger along the crease of my sex, and I’m struggling just to keep my breathing even. “Because if you have, I clearly haven’t fucked you hard enough.”

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