“I’m waiting.”
“You’re my favorite brother, you filthy prick.”
“Apparently Roman hasn’t given up on marrying Fiona, because a friend of a friend says a judge is on hisway here to perform the ceremony and pick up the license.” Ellison grins.
“How the hell did you find that out?” I ask.
“Believe it or not, even judges don’t like rich pricks paying them exorbitant fees to perform a marriage on demand. Disgruntled people talk. They talk to other disgruntled people in the legal profession. People like me. I only needed to roll some stones in the area to find this worm.”
“Can we intercept this guy?” I scratch the healing wound on my chest.
“I think so,” Ellison says. “I know what he looks like, and there’s only one road in. Do you think you can hold an illusion strong enough if we find a way to… detain him?”
“As long as I need to,” I say, though impersonating a human is more difficult than regular camouflage for a number of reasons. Voice, mannerisms—those are things that take time and practice to imitate. “How well does he know this guy though?”
Ellison frowns. “Let’s hope not very well. If he’s wearing a ring, we’re in trouble.”
I scowl. The Aries dragon in me isn’t accustomed to thinking first and acting later. Aries are known for being daring, courageous, and dynamic. We’re the ones who solve a problem before the other signs have met to discuss a plan of action. But for me, under stress like this, daring often turned to recklessness, courage turned to impulsivity, and being action-oriented turned to impatience. Everything is different now because of Fiona. Ihadto wait for her. I had to work for her. Even now, whenmy anger and bloodlust burn in my veins, I know I am capable of calculated action because of her, and if there’s ever a time to use the control she’s taught me, it’s now.
“Fine. It’s the best idea we’ve got. Let’s find this guy.”
As we setup the roadblock and transform ourselves to look like police officers, I try to remember the last time the Zodiac Brotherhood had to go on the offensive like this. We’ve trained. Some of us have performed rescue missions, like the day I helped Mason recover his mate, Reagan. But we’ve relied on the peace accord for a long time. We’ve trusted the sanctity of it.
And now that trust is gone. All communication between us and the Order is finished. They came onto my land and stole my mate. War is here. It is with some sadness that I wait for the black Mercedes and the judge driving it, knowing that we stand on the brink of dark days. Thinking back, I’d hoped I was wrong about Lucy. A small part of me wanted the Order to apologize and admit to a rogue incident. I would have rather we patched a rift than shred the accord. And now we’re in unnamed territory. Fighting an undeclared war. A pit forms in my gut as I consider my mate will now have to live in a world at war, that we won’t go home to the life of peace we’ve enjoyed so far.
“There,” Ellison says, adjusting the brim of his cap and stepping out into the road to block the car. I take a good look at the man as Ellison pulls him from the carand pushes him up against the back doors, getting in his face so he can slip into his mind.
“Do you know who I am?” the judge says with a tip up of his chin. That defiance lasts only as long as it takes Ellison to invade his mind. The man’s arms fall limp against his sides. Ellison really is a damned pain in the ass, but I’m glad the guy is on my side. Everyone needs at least one friend who challenges them, and he’s mine. Not to mention his fucking mind is a weapon of its own. The judge slumps in his arms, asleep.
We check his hand. No ring.
I take one more look and transform myself into Judge Adam Burk. My chest aches as I do it, but when I’m done, Seb confirms it’s a good likeness. I slide behind the wheel and peel out of there, back toward the house, watching my brothers and the real Judge Burk blink out of existence in the rearview mirror.
I’m coming for you, Fi. Hold on, baby.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
FIONA
Ahand runs down my spine and over my ass, dragging me from sleep. I turn my head, the events of yesterday coming back to me in a series of images and memories when I see Roman watching me from the pillow beside mine. I yawn to hide the way my body bristles at his touch.
“I’m going to enjoy taking you apart and putting you back together,” he says, those soulless eyes drifting over my bare shoulder before his fingers follow the trail over my skin.
“Wh-what does that mean?” My voice shakes, and the corner of his mouth curls.
“I’ve waited for you.” His finger traces down the side of my silky nightgown. “Waited to sample the pleasures of your body. It’s right to be married first. You’re not a toy. I’ve had toys before, but they’re so easy to break. You, on the other hand, you’re indestructible. That mind ofyours won’t shatter like the others. All the ways you’ve written characters being tortured, we’ll play out those scenes and so many more. Together we’ll find your limits.”
“Limits?”
He slides his hand to the hem of the nightgown, then drags the edge of his ring across the skin of my thigh. It hurts, and I gasp and jerk away from him. I glance down to see he’s drawn blood.
He wipes the cut, then sucks the bead of blood from his finger. The way he watches me, it’s like he’s reveling in the small reaction he’s elicited. “I can’t wait to see what you look like when I make you scream.” He doesn’t mean in pleasure.
“And how long will I have to wait for that?” I scissor my legs and force myself to sound enthusiastic, but I’m trembling now, unable to hide my reaction as I did yesterday.
His gaze turns molten. He loves that I’m shaking. The sadist takes pleasure in my fear. He scoots closer on the bed. “I swear, Fiona, it’s like God made you just for me.” He kisses my shoulder. “The judge is on his way right now. You’ll sign the license, he’ll perform the ceremony, and he’ll file the papers for us when it’s finished. We’ll be legally married by the end of the day.” His hand smooths over my ass again. “Which means this will all be mine by tonight.”
I flutter my lashes and press two fingers to his lips. “He’s on his way now? I should get ready.” I use the excuse to slide away from his touch and hop out of bed. “What would you like me to wear?”
