Page 149 of Madness Behind the Mask
“Come on,” he says. “Show us you’re serious about this whole peace thing, or would you kill me over a smile?”
I bare my teeth at him.
“Mmm. That doesn’t seem like the one Caden got.”
“Fuck you.”
“You’ve already done that, love.Twice.”
Caden goes to swing at him, but I signal to Molly, and she wraps her body around him in an instant. To strike another on the ground blessed by the Peaceful Goddess Eirine would, ironically, kill you. Antonio was pushing the line. Caden would’ve barreled right over it.
For me.
I smile at that, letting my eyes lose focus as I look in Aleric’s direction.
He steps right up to me, then leans in to whisper in my ear. “Seeing you like this reminds me of how you came around my cock. That’s better than any smile.”
I jerk back, wanting to strike him myself, but I don’t. “Do me a favor and don’t sign the damn treaty,” I hiss.
He laughs as he plucks the quill from my hand and signs his signature above Caden’s. Then he offers it to the wolf. “Let’s end this already. I have a whore pleasuring my men while she waits for my return, and I don’t want her dead by the time I get back.”
His jaw ticks as he yanks the quill to him. He signs a name that hurts my heart:Siome.And then he signs his under hers.
Straightening, he passes it to me. I start to put it back in my bag, but he grabs my wrist. “Sign it.”
“I’m not a Boss.”
“He’s right,” Aleric says. “You’re forcing this treaty. It’s only right that you sign it.”
I glance at Caden. “But he’s –”
“Do it, Sau.”
Swallowing, I place the quill under his name. Changing my mind, I move it beside his and sign.
A sharp prick of pain emits from my right index finger as my blood is transferred to the page.
When I look up, Antonio is already gone. Aleric phases soon after, though not before blowing me a kiss, and then it’s just Caden and me.
“Come home with me,” I say, wanting to fix things with my husband.
He shakes his head. “I can’t. Whenever I look at you, all I see is him inside you.”
He turns and walks away, taking my heart with him. I press a hand to my lips, biting back the pain that wants toescape.
I might have lost everything I ever wanted, but at least St. Augustine will finally know peace.
That is enough.
It has to be.
PARTFive:
A MASKEDLover
Fifty-Two
HER
