Page 4 of Forsaken Fate

Grayson growled again. “That’s my sexy little whore,” he said. “No panties for you, ever. Got it?”

“Not now,” she said. More fumbling.

“When?” Grayson whined. “That’s what you always say. Make this easy. Let me mark you.”

My entire body began to vibrate with the urge to shift. With the urge to rip Grayson limb from limb.

Dammit, I couldn’t help myself. I edged up on the couch as much as I dared. I was able to peek with one eye over the top. Grayson had Brynna perched on the edge of Ridley’s desk with her legs wrapped around his waist. She kissed him, but something was off. Brynna’s eyes drifted to a point over his shoulder as she kissed him. When Grayson pressed against her harder, she spread her legs even wider, pulling him close to her.

But I saw her eyes. When she didn’t realize anyone was watching, she looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but here. While Grayson was clearly in it to win it, Brynna Carrington was about to fake it.

CHAPTER 2

Brynna

One hour earlier.

If Diana could see what I looked like today, she’d call me a whore. Again. It wasn’t my choice. I had a cream-colored suit picked out, had even put it on before Grayson made me take it off in favor of the blue dress that was at least one size too small. Now we were late because of it. It made him happy, though. Now, more than ever, it was important that I keep Grayson happy.

The limo driver took the long way because Grayson liked to drive along the lake. He said it calmed him. Today he clearly needed it. He sat beside me wringing his hands between his knees, head down.

I leaned over, running a hand over the back of his head. “Are you going to be okay?” I asked. He tapped out a nervous beat with his heel against the floor of the car. It made his whole body shake. He struggled today, as I knew the two parts of himself warred for balance. Half wolf shifter. Half water mage. Beings that for years, could not coexist. Maybe I could have felt sorry for him in another lifetime. Not today. Not ever. His family had taken too much away from me.

“I don’t know,” he answered, his voice sounding small, boyish. With every hour that passed since he’d taken the call that Diana collapsed, he seemed to grow younger, weaker.

I peered down, bringing my face within an inch of his. I smoothed a hand over the crown of his head; his hair tickled my fingers. He smelled of gin badly masked by mouthwash. He smelled like something else, too. Something foul. Magic that didn’t belong to him. “Baby? You can do this. These people are here because they cared about your mother, right? Then they care about you. I care about you.”

He clamped a hand over my knee, digging into my flesh as if I would float away if he didn’t hang on. “Nobody cares about me but you. They only care about her. Her power. Her connections. And not even her. They care that they get credit for making an appearance. They want to see me screw this up somehow. See me fall flat on my face.”

What the hell was he talking about? It was a funeral home.

“The worst part’s almost over, baby,” I said. “There’s just this evening and the services tomorrow and the cemetery. We’ll take it one step at a time.”

“Just don’t leave me,” he said. “Don’t ever leave me. I can manage if you stay with me.” He clawed at me. Hot and cold. Sometimes, Grayson literally had ice running through his veins. A contradiction with the part of him that was wolf. I could feel his magic brewing. Volatile. Unpredictable.

I took his chin in my palm, drawing his head up until he was looking at me, his deep-set blue eyes filled with dread and hope all at once. Why do so many men in my life look at me with that exact expression? I did what I always do: I tried to give him what he thought he needed. I smiled, caressed his cheek and leaned in to kiss him.

Grayson’s lips were stiff at first, unyielding. But I persisted, drawing him out, pushing my tongue past his lips. It was a dangerous play, but he took the bait. He focused on me, his hands coming up, running across my rib cage. He cupped my breasts, pinching my nipples under the fabric of my too-tight dress until I winced, my cry muffled by his lips. I pulled back, panting to catch my breath.

“You’re perfect in that,” he said. “So sexy. Thank you for changing.”

“Your mother would have hated it,” I said and instantly regretted it. Grayson’s eyes clouded over even as his focus went to some distant memory. I needed him present. I put a hand on his knee. “Baby?”

He shook his head. “I say it’s perfect. You’re perfect, Brynna, and you’re mine. I want everyone to see how hot you are. Everyone will be in there and they’ll see. Say it.”

I smiled. “Grayson ...”

“Say it.” His tone became more urgent.

“I’m yours,” I said. “You know that.”

“I just can’t believe this!” Grayson shouted, his mood shifting on the dime as his wolf won out. He tore through his hair with his fist.

“I know,” I said, putting my hands back in my lap. “It was so sudden. Have you talked to the coven elders again? Did they tell you anything else?” I hoped I hit the right tone. If Grayson got any angrier, I would have to ask the driver to take another once around.

“No,” Grayson said. “You know everything I do. We left her house around eight that night, her housekeeper said she went to bed around nine. She missed her alarm and was dead when the housekeeper went back in to check on her. Some kind of seizure and she stopped breathing. She was too far gone for any spells to save her. They tried. The coven won’t talk to me. They said they don’t know anything and there’s nothing they can do. They’re scared. They’re cowards. They said it was lucky it happened while she slept.”

“I’m still so sorry, baby,” I said. The limo had pulled up to the curb in front of the funeral home. Grayson was staring off into space and didn’t seem to be aware of it. “Do you still need a minute? We’re here.”

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