Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
“Was it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
“You can understand my reticence,” he said, leaning almost casually against a pillar. “After what happened with the crowned prince, I wanted to ensure that your intentions were true.”
“Ah, is that what you’re calling it? Not that you wanted to check up on your investment?”
“I admit that you almost had me fooled.” His dark gaze was intent and focused. “I thought after Lethbridge, you’d come around. I knew it wouldn’t be immediate, but the more time together, the more you seemed to be leaning on me. The more you seemed to want what I was offering. And why shouldn’t you?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you threatened to bring war upon my house and my people.”
“Which I apologized for. I had no intention of doing so.”
She snorted. “Yes, you did.”
“It only came to that because of you fucking the crowned prince.”
“That should have been enough to let me go,” she spat. “But no, you think I am the way to your crown.”
“Our crown,” he corrected. “You’ve proven time and time again to be the sort of person who wants a crown.”
“I have never wanted one.”
“Yet your ambition outweighs mine,” he said with an arched eyebrow. “You joined the Society despite being ineligible in almost every way. You’re nominated for the Society council. And now—now,” he growled, “you’re the head of the House of Cruse.”
“Here it is,” she said softly.
“Why wouldn’t I think someone like that wants a crown? Especially as you’re already throwing yourself at a prince.”
“These are things that happened to me. I didn’t go after them, but I’m not going to back down from helping people where I can.”
“Ah yes, because sleeping with a prince at the winter holiday is really just a way to help others,” he said with no mirth in his voice.
“Fordham has nothing to do with this.”
“Because he left you?” March asked with bite in his voice. “Good riddance.”
“I don’t need to have this conversation with you.” She took a step toward the exit, but he moved swiftly into her way. She was close enough that he could touch her now, and it was the last thing she wanted. “Let me pass.”
“We’re not finished,” he snapped.
“I am finished.”
“You really had me fooled.” His eyes crawled her face.
“It is not I who made you a fool.”
He shook his head. “This is who you truly are. I thought last night was lovely. You on my arm. The two of us dancing the night away. A power couple for everyone to envy. But that wasn’t you at all, was it?”
“No,” she ground out. “I never wanted this.”
His nostrils flared in anger at her easy admission. “That is the game you have been playing. Keeping me on a string while you have your own aims.”
“Are you mad that I played the same game you were playing or that I was better at it than you?”
“Is that why you were slumming it? Can’t get your prince, so you’d rather tempt my anger with a lowly street thug.”
Kerrigan laughed, high and hoarse. “Dozan Rook is the king of the Wastes. He’s far from a street thug.”
March shot her an imperious look. “A lowly human than.”
“Oh,” she said, understanding dawning on her. “You’re upset that I would prefer a human to you.”
“A criminal at that,” he snarled.
She couldn’t help it. She laughed. “Oh, March. Your poor ego.”
His hands shot out and grasped her shoulders. “You dare!”
But she had none of the demure, frightened little girl left in her. She had only the street fighter and dragon rider and warrior in her blood. She wouldn’t let him touch her ever again.
She brought her hands up and broke his grip. Then, she whirled, chopping down on his arm as it came up, and swept his legs out from under him. He landed unceremoniously in a heap on the ground.
“Don’t touch me,” she spat down at him.
March glared at her before coming to his feet and dusting his suit off. “That was unnecessary.”
“So was you putting your hands on me.”
March’s blue eyes were dark when they finally landed on her face. “So, this is what is truly between us. You betraying me with other men,” he said, the fury he’d tightly controlled leeching into his voice. “And just when I thought we were on the same page, you prove that you are duplicitous. When were you going to tell me about head of household?”
“Shouldn’t you be happy about that?” Kerrigan teased. She was riling him on purpose, but she had waited so long to do it that she couldn’t stop.
Her father had told her all the reasons that March would not want her to be head of household when she accepted her position. If anything, it had solidified her resolve to do it. As head of the House of Cruse, she outranked March. Which meant that she could never give up the house without having someone to give it to. That meant March could never own her. She could never change her allegiance. She knew exactly how mad he’d be about that once he realized.