take next?
I sat next to him.
“Just tell me they aren’t hurt.” I stared at him.
“Depends on how you define hurt.” He smiled.
I knew he was only trying to provoke me, to make me react, and to make me growl loud enough to turn him on again. I pressed my hands in my lap.
“You might be a narcissistic prick, but you aren’t vicious.”
He stretched an arm behind me, rubbing my shoulder in the process. “Let’s make this whole thing easier. Say you’ll marry me. I’ll let the girls go and they can be your bridesmaids. Instant wedding party and it cuts down on some of the planning. The solution is easier than you think. It’s all up to you, babe.”
“There isn’t going to be a wedding. I don’t want to marry you.”
He squeezed my shoulder, his nails digging into the skin. “Here’s the thing, little kitty. You will marry me. And if I have to take everyone in your life until you say yes, I will. I’m feeling less generous each day you postpone the festivities.”
He let my shoulder go, but I didn’t rub it. I moved toward his face, hissing in his ear.
“The Nox are not mail-order brides. So tell your Tribe none of us is getting married. Let them go or there will be consequences, Case.” I stood from the bench. “You don’t want to know what we’re capable of.”
He laughed. “See, I’m glad we can meet like this. It reminds me how feisty you are. I like this side of you.”
I whipped around. “You don’t know what a bitch I can be.”
“How about that nerdy history guy? Does he know?”
“What are you talking about?” I stared at him.
“Your date tonight. You know the tall guy. Tuxedo. Works at the museum.”
“He’s just a friend.” I scrambled to say something. A sour pit twisted in my stomach.
“Is that why I saw him leave your place, his shirt half unbuttoned? The lights never turned on. Funny way for someone to act who’s another man’s future wife.”
“Are you spying on me?” I wished I had my claws out. I wanted to scratch the smug look off his face.
“I’m always spying on you. That’s how this works. You make mistakes. I have to tell you what they are. Back and forth. Back and forth, little kitty.”
“Stay out of my life. Stay away from my friends. Get out of Sullen’s Grove.”
“I can’t, babe. You know that. We have less than a month to get this ceremony over with. I can’t leave until then. It works out kind of perfectly. We can graduate together. Have the ceremony, probably near the waterfront, I think. Take a honeymoon and then I’ll be on my way.”
I gritted my teeth. “Just go now. Go find your next wife. I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to be Mrs. Case Maddox number one.”
“Doesn’t work that way. There is an order to this. I have my instructions from the council. You are wife number one. I wouldn’t have enrolled at The Grove for any other reason. I need to claim this territory before I can take the next. And you—” He grabbed my shoulders roughly. “Are keeping me from my destiny. You’re being selfish, Dare.”
My pulse thickened in my blood. God, how I wanted to flatten him. Sullen’s Grove was my home. My territory. I wasn’t going to sign it over to Case or anyone. The council was wrong. The old magic that gave us our power was completely outdated and misogynistic.
He stood to face me, his breath close enough I could feel it across my neck. “You know, darlin’, we could skip the whole wedding part and just go straight to the bonding. That would be enough for me. All you have to do is say yes.”
I shoved him in the chest, knocking him back on the bench. “I’m not bonding with you. You’ll never hear those words from me. Never.”
It always came back to that. Stupid sex.
“Lose the guy. You belong to me.”
“Feeling threatened, Case?”
“By a human?” He laughed.
“Yeah, by a strong, thoughtful, intelligent man, who doesn’t have to force me into liking him. Because you should be. He’s
I sat next to him.
“Just tell me they aren’t hurt.” I stared at him.
“Depends on how you define hurt.” He smiled.
I knew he was only trying to provoke me, to make me react, and to make me growl loud enough to turn him on again. I pressed my hands in my lap.
“You might be a narcissistic prick, but you aren’t vicious.”
He stretched an arm behind me, rubbing my shoulder in the process. “Let’s make this whole thing easier. Say you’ll marry me. I’ll let the girls go and they can be your bridesmaids. Instant wedding party and it cuts down on some of the planning. The solution is easier than you think. It’s all up to you, babe.”
“There isn’t going to be a wedding. I don’t want to marry you.”
He squeezed my shoulder, his nails digging into the skin. “Here’s the thing, little kitty. You will marry me. And if I have to take everyone in your life until you say yes, I will. I’m feeling less generous each day you postpone the festivities.”
He let my shoulder go, but I didn’t rub it. I moved toward his face, hissing in his ear.
“The Nox are not mail-order brides. So tell your Tribe none of us is getting married. Let them go or there will be consequences, Case.” I stood from the bench. “You don’t want to know what we’re capable of.”
He laughed. “See, I’m glad we can meet like this. It reminds me how feisty you are. I like this side of you.”
I whipped around. “You don’t know what a bitch I can be.”
“How about that nerdy history guy? Does he know?”
“What are you talking about?” I stared at him.
“Your date tonight. You know the tall guy. Tuxedo. Works at the museum.”
“He’s just a friend.” I scrambled to say something. A sour pit twisted in my stomach.
“Is that why I saw him leave your place, his shirt half unbuttoned? The lights never turned on. Funny way for someone to act who’s another man’s future wife.”
“Are you spying on me?” I wished I had my claws out. I wanted to scratch the smug look off his face.
“I’m always spying on you. That’s how this works. You make mistakes. I have to tell you what they are. Back and forth. Back and forth, little kitty.”
“Stay out of my life. Stay away from my friends. Get out of Sullen’s Grove.”
“I can’t, babe. You know that. We have less than a month to get this ceremony over with. I can’t leave until then. It works out kind of perfectly. We can graduate together. Have the ceremony, probably near the waterfront, I think. Take a honeymoon and then I’ll be on my way.”
I gritted my teeth. “Just go now. Go find your next wife. I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to be Mrs. Case Maddox number one.”
“Doesn’t work that way. There is an order to this. I have my instructions from the council. You are wife number one. I wouldn’t have enrolled at The Grove for any other reason. I need to claim this territory before I can take the next. And you—” He grabbed my shoulders roughly. “Are keeping me from my destiny. You’re being selfish, Dare.”
My pulse thickened in my blood. God, how I wanted to flatten him. Sullen’s Grove was my home. My territory. I wasn’t going to sign it over to Case or anyone. The council was wrong. The old magic that gave us our power was completely outdated and misogynistic.
He stood to face me, his breath close enough I could feel it across my neck. “You know, darlin’, we could skip the whole wedding part and just go straight to the bonding. That would be enough for me. All you have to do is say yes.”
I shoved him in the chest, knocking him back on the bench. “I’m not bonding with you. You’ll never hear those words from me. Never.”
It always came back to that. Stupid sex.
“Lose the guy. You belong to me.”
“Feeling threatened, Case?”
“By a human?” He laughed.
“Yeah, by a strong, thoughtful, intelligent man, who doesn’t have to force me into liking him. Because you should be. He’s
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