“What part of don’t open the door for anyone but me was unclear?” Ronan asked, his voice a deep rumble.
Dominique didn’t flinch, but she wanted to. “Are you saying you don’t trust your sister?”
She saw Aisling smile and nod out of the corner of her eye.
“We’ll discuss your mistake later. My sister is right. You do need to be fitted for your wedding dress, and I trust her to keep you safe while I’m busy. Keep her in your line of sight at all times.”
“Ronan—”
“We’ll discuss your punishment for disobeying me after dinner.”
“Now, wait a godsdamned minute—” Dominique began, any pretense of detachment abandoned.
The line went dead.
Her face felt scorching hot, as did her scalp, as Dominique handed Aisling’s phone back to her.
“When I no longer want to strangle your brother, you’ll have to explain to me how you both have working cell phones in the fae realm.”
Aisling grinned at her. “And, when you’re calmer, I’ll tell you. Though I have to say, that I love how you handle my brother. He needs a female who won’t let his pretty face or title affect how she handles him.”
Dominique took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. “Let’s get this done.”
Dominique thoughtthe process would be exceedingly painful, and in some ways, it was.
But Aisling Byrne made a situation that should be uncomfortable into something fun.
Dominique realized that Ronan’s younger sister possessed something he didn’t, something that would make her the excellent leader he thought she would be. Aisling knew how to put people at ease. Not only that, but she also knew how to navigate delicate situations with aplomb.
Dominique sensed Aisling’s attention on her the entire time she worked with the dressmaker to design her dress. Though Dominique had never considered getting married, she did love clothes and had a deeply ingrained sense of what complemented her coloring and body shape. She also remembered attending her aunt’s wedding as a small child and thinking that her aunt had looked like a goddess rather than a fae woman. Decades later, Dominique still remembered the dress.
Two hours later, Dominique was satisfied with the design and had selected the fabric and the iridescent material to be used as the overlay. Lydon, the dressmaker, assured her that he would have the dress ready to be fitted just before dinner and would bring it to her room.
When Aisling suggested a walk around the castle grounds before returning to her room, Dominique accepted, eager to continue to avoid her thoughts and feelings toward Ronan. It had been a mistake to have sex with him, but she knew that she would do it again. She wouldn’t be able to resist.
The sun was high in the sky and the air was warm as Aisling led her through the castle gardens. The four guards that trailed Aisling everywhere kept their distance, enough to give them a bit more privacy. Dominique sensed that Aisling wanted to speak to her, and it wasn’t long before the young woman got right to the point.
“I know what my brother is up to,” Aisling said.
“What do you mean?” Dominique asked, unsure exactly what the princess was talking about.
“I’m not sure why he approached you, but I know he’s trying to ascend to the throne to keep Mama and Papa from marrying me off to King Heron. I also know that he talked you into going along with this crazy plan. While I appreciate what he’s trying to do, I don’t approve of his methods.”
Dominique stopped, turning toward Aisling. “What do you mean?”
“I see the tension between the two of you. It’s faint, and I doubt anyone else notices it, but it’s there.” The princess stepped closer. “If you don’t want to go through with this wedding, just say the word, and you won’t have to. I can handle it.”
If Aisling had said the last sentence to her yesterday, Dominique would have thought her too young and idealistic to know what she was talking about. But, today, after watching and listening to Aisling interact with those around her and being on the receiving end of that attention herself, Dominique didn’t doubt at all that the young fae would have the grit to do whatever was necessary to succeed as the queen.
Dominique reached out, laying a gentle hand on Aisling’s arm. “You have my gratitude for the offer, Your Highness, but I’m afraid it’s too late.”
“It’s not. The wedding tomorrow can be canceled.”
Dominique shook her head. “Unfortunately, that’s not the only issue. My family is another. My mother hoped that oneof my older sisters would catch Ronan’s eye when they were younger. Now that I’m engaged to him, she will force me to marry him. By whatever means necessary. And if you put yourself in the position to become queen, her attention will turn to you.”
Aisling’s face changed as Dominique explained the situation. A harsh look crossed her features. “I see.”
In that moment, Dominique saw the kind of queen Aisling would be—fair, honest, and generous, but the gods help anyone who crossed her or harmed someone she cared about. If that happened, she wouldn’t hesitate to act and protect those she loved.
