Page 22 of Vicious Kingdom

This was either a good start, something I could work with….

Or a bad omen. A change that would lead straight to disaster.

“Annaliese?” David’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“Hi, yeah, sorry!” I rushed. “The twenty-fifth is perfect.”

That gave me plenty of time to assess this new situation, make a few counter moves, and hopefully connect with Leo on a deep enough level that I could end the farce with David before he got on a plane.

David sighed. “You’re distracted.”

“I’m not!” I lied.

“Never mind, it’s okay,” he said sympathetically. “You’ve got a lot on your plate, I’m sure.”

Why would he think I had a lot on my plate? “No, really, things are good here. Nice and breezy!”

“Annaliese, you don’t have to be brave for me. We’re going to be married.” His words made my stomach knot. “You don’t have to pretend that packing and making plans to move to California is easy. I know it’s not.”

My eyes popped open.Excuse me?!

But then it came back in a rush. His plan to bring me out west. To mold me into his world. The software engineer was well-to-do; he had a great job. So in his mind, it was only logical that we relocate me.

Chicago was my home.

I had been banished. Sent away to be kept under the watchful thumb of my German grandmother by her own son. Now I was back, and I defied the gods above and the devils below to take me away from my beloved Windy City.

And if the immortals couldn’t, then a software engineer was at a sore disadvantage.

The roar of a bike caught my attention.

My arm lowered as I turned. The figure, clad in a black leather jacket with a helmet pulled over his face, revved once, and then he took off, pulling into traffic.

He’s gone.

“I’ll see you soon?” David’s voice sounded hopeful from where it lingered in my hand.

I lifted the phone back to my ear. “Yep, so soon!”

“I…love you, Annaliese.”

Three little words. We’d been engaged for a few weeks now, and this was the first time he’d said them. He hadn’t even used them during his unromantic proposal.

“Thanks,” I croaked.

David sighed again. “I didn’t expect you to say it back. You shouldn’t feel pressure to, and I know it’s patriarchal to say it first, but I can’t help it. I wanted you to know.”

The knot in my stomach turned sour. Crap. He was trying so hard to be a modern man, gentle and sensitive.

He would have had better luck if he tapped into his masculinity. Dominat and powerful, making me feel safe. Something he never would be able to do.

I didn’t need a husband who was my mathematical equal. I needed a partner who filled the gaps and missing pieces of my soul—while I returned the favor to him!

Someone strong enough to support me in the bad times, and passionate enough to make the good times unforgettable.

I knew what that felt like. I’d tasted it once.

And I wasn’t going to stop until I had it again.