Page 69 of Touched By Sin
“So we let him give up active royal duty, and then we kill Dmitriy,” Alaric says, running a hand over his face.
Blowing out a sigh, Daemon shakes his head. “It doesn’t work like that. Even if he gives up his title and steps away completely, the throne still reverts back to him if either I, my father, or anyone connected to us hurts my uncle or cousin. The contract is watertight. My father was adamant about keeping the peace. And the throne.”
“Must have been some family rivalry for your dad to take such drastic measures,” I comment drily. It makes sense now why Dmitriy prepositioned me at school. Even if I don’t understand fuck about the ‘throne.’ “What happens if they hurtyou?”
“They lose their titles and access to the family fortune.”
“So this dinner tonight—” Dariana starts, but Daemon cuts her off.
“She’s not going.”
“You know your fath—”
“I don’t fucking care! My uncle doesn’t lay a finger on her. He isn’t allowed to fucking look at her!” To Ronan, he says, “What was the other reason?”
“What?”
“Your words were ‘a few reasons.’”
Ronan blows smoke circles before shrugging and placing his feet down on the floor. “Daemon, she’s an angel. Do I need to say more?”
“Yes, you fucking do!”
Groaning, Ronan gets to his feet and walks up to Daemon. “Man, why the fuck are you torturing yourself like this?”
“Spit it out!”
Ronan gets up in Daemon’s face and shoves him back a step. “She’s an angel. Your uncle will most likely sell her unless you do something stupid like offering them the throne on a silver platter. Can you imagine how much fucking money she’s worth? I’m surprised no one has tried to steal her from us yet. If we were smart, we should have kept her hidden in the fucking basement.”
My mouth falls open. “Fuck you!”
Turning toward me, Ronan laughs. “It’s for your own good, sweetheart.”
Alaric begrudgingly nods his head. “Ronan has a point. If he sold her, I bet he could get enough money to rival your father’s fortune.”
“If I’m worth so much fucking money, how come you haven’t tried to sell me yet? How come you’ve left me out of your sight at the academy?” I fold my arms over my chest, treating them all to my best glare.
“Because,” Daemon says, “no one would fucking dare try to steal you. Why haven’t I tried to sell you yet? I’m already rich. I don’t need to sell you. I was having way too much fucking fun opening your eyes to all the shit your elders kept you ignorant about. The fucking look on your face—your doe eyes—when you saw an erect cock for the first time sealed your fate. I wasn’t going to give that up. Money is fucking boring. Money doesn’t scream the fucking house down the first time it experiences an orgasm. It doesn’t crawl on its knees with innocent, wide eyes to pleasure three horny fallen angels. And it certainly doesn’t tell me no while challenging me with unfolded wings.”
I shoot to my feet so fast, it’s a miracle I don’t hit the roof. “You piece of shit!” I’m in front of him in a flash, jabbing my finger into his chest. “You didn’t think to sell me because ‘you were having fun?’ I wasfunto you, was I?”
“Yes, you were fun. Look around you. This world of darkness isn’t exactly exciting. I can have anything I fucking want at the click of my fingers. But then you came along with your refreshing innocence and blazing attitude. So yes, you were fun!”
“You stole me from my home because you were bored?!”
“You were in the fucking woods!” he roars, forcing me back a step. “Monsters lurk in the shadows, Angel.” Grabbing my jabbing finger, he continues, “Iam that monster! You walked intomyterritory. I saw you. I wanted you. So I took you. End of story. I’m not going to fucking apologize!”
My hand flies out and smacks him hard across the cheek. Seeing his head whip to the side makes me feel marginally better.
When his eyes come back to me, they’re cold and soulless. “Maybe I should let him buy you, after all.”
He walks out and slams the door behind him. The others shuffle awkwardly when rage, unlike anything I’ve known, bubbles up inside me. My feet move, following him out into the hallway. “There you go, running away again. It’s what you do, Daemon. You’re weak and pathetic!”
He whirls on me and slams me up against the wall just as the others come tumbling through the door. “Call me weak and pathetic one more time, little angel!”
I shove him back, and he falls against the wall opposite, causing a mounted painting of a portrait to fall to the floor. “You’re weak, Daemon. Weak and pathetic!”
His smile is cruel when he comes for me, and his eyes are dark pits of fury. “You think you’re so fucking special, Angel? You think I would fucking care if my uncle bought you?”
