“Liar.” There was the heat again, just as quickly smothered. “But that’s not what I’m offering at the moment.”
Of course it wasn’t. She refused to feel disappointed. Keira crossed her arms over her chest and waited. “Fine. Give it to me.”
He pulled a box out of his jacket pocket and opened it. Despite everything, she gasped. It was a huge diamond set in a platinum band with smaller pink diamonds framing it. It looked like something a duchess would wear. Or what she imagined a duchess would wear. “I thought this would suit you.”
It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
It actually made her heart lurch to turn her face away. “I don’t want it.”
“That’s the second time you’ve lied to me during this conversation.” Dmitri took her hand, the heat of his skin against hers sparking things low in her stomach. “Truth between us—that’s all I demand of you.” He chuckled at the arch look she sent him. “You’re right. That wasn’t the full truth. We can come to terms later, but in the meantime—truth.”
Terms.
Such a cold word to encompass all that marriage should be. Then again, what did she know? Her parents seemed to like each other just fine, but her mother had essentially beensold to her father in a political marriage the same way Keira was being sold to Dmitri. She knew it was for peace. That was the only thing that would keep her here when all she wanted to do was follow in Sloan’s footsteps and flee to a far corner of the world.
Liar.The voice in her head sounded so much like Dmitri that she blinked.
Okay, there are a few reasons I’m staying.
She watched him slide the massive ring onto her finger, half-surprised the weight of it didn’t drag her off the counter. “I suppose after I pop out the requisite heir and a spare, you’ll let me come back to Boston.” It was the same deal he had offered Carrigan.She wasn’t sure what she thought about that.
“Hardly. Once we exchange those vows,moya koroleva, you’remine.” He waited for her to meet his gaze, and then he dropped the mask. There was no ice, no pleasant gentleman-murderer there. No, there was only the monster beneath.
And that monster wantedher.
Chapter Ten
Aiden kept his hand on the small of Charlie’s back while he guided her through the crowd to where the Eldridge women had staked out the northern corner of the room, directly opposite the Romanov men. Romanov had been certain they would show, but Aiden still breathed a slight sigh of relief to see the matriarch of the Eldridge clan, Alethea, sitting surrounded by her men. Her daughters were nowhere to be seen, with the exception of her heir, Mae, who sat poised at her mother’s right elbow.
Alethea didn’t rise as he came to a stop in front of her, but she inclined her head slightly. “Aiden O’Malley.”
“I hope you’re enjoying your evening.” He nodded to Mae. “Both of you.” Neither woman was beautiful in the traditionally accepted way, their features too strong, their bodies built for strength rather than model-thin, but they were striking. He’d caught several of his men giving Mae long looks earlier, and he had made a point to tell Liam to keep them the hell away from her.
Alethea had made her fortune in the world dealing with the people even he avoided, and her daughter was no damsel in distress. When he’d asked Cillian to get him information on the family, it had come out that sadistic didn’t begin to cover Mae’s proclivities.
Mae was staring at Charlie like a lioness considering its next meal. “Who’s your date?”
“Mae, Alethea…I’d like you to meet my fiancée, Charlie Moreaux.” He was every inch the welcoming host, even as he mentally cursed at the situation he’d created. In all his careful planning, he’d never once stopped and considered what would happen if Alethea’s daughter looked at Charlie and saw competition.I just put a fucking target on her chest.He’d known it was a possibility, going into this, but the reality of it had changed the second he got her into his bed. It made him want her safe and as far away from the Eldridges as humanly possible.
It was his fault she was in danger to begin with.
Charlie didn’t seem to be suffering from the same distraction he was. She moved forward with a smile. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Mae glared at her outstretched hand, but Alethea beamed. “We hadn’t realized you were engaged, Aiden, but I can see why you’ve hidden her away. Look at you, girl, you’re so tiny and breakable. A woman like you doesn’t have to try hard to twist a man around her little finger.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Charlie’s smile didn’t waver as she extracted her hand. “I had to play dirty to get his attention in the first place.”
Tension rose, which was the exact opposite of what he’d wanted to accomplish. It was vital to his and their plan that the Eldridges see Aiden as a potential ally and actaccordingly. If they were checking out the O’Malleys, they wouldn’t be looking over their shoulder at Romanov. If Aiden and Charlie didn’t play this initial interaction correctly, all his plans would go up in smoke. Antagonizing Alethea Eldridge wasnoton the agenda.
But he underestimated Charlie.
She laughed. “You know how these things are, though—easy come, easy go.”
Did she just…He shot her a look, but now wasn’t the time to haul her ass somewhere private to talk about how he felt about her changing the story without talking to him. “I wouldn’t have proposed if I wasn’t serious, Charlie.”
“I know.” She waved it away like he was an annoying gnat and winked at Mae. “I bet you know a thing or two about getting what you want. You don’t seem the type who takes no as a final answer.” She injected admiration into her tone, and the other woman relaxed, just a bit.
Mae examined her maroon nails. “I can be very convincing when provoked.”
