At my accusing stare, Nathan held up a placating hand. “I didn’t lie. By the time we arrived, you had already placed your bet. From there, it was really just a matter of going with the flow.”
“In case you were wondering, we didn’t leave your side out. Your wolf and companion stood up as your bridesmaids,” Anton informed me.
My gaze swung to Liam. “You planned this.”
He remained unruffled in the face of my anger, quirking one eyebrow. “How could I when you weren’t supposed to be here?”
That was the sticking point, wasn’t it? Liam’s surprise at my presence had been genuine. Nothing he’d done since made me think otherwise. Except the rock currently on my finger. Unless Liam had been carrying it around in his pocket for months. There was no way he just picked it up on a last-minute whim.
I wasn’t an expert on jewelry, but this looked like a custom piece. Someone had planned every stage of its creation. From locating the perfect stone to designing its delicate setting. All with my tastes in mind.
The closest explanation I could think of was that Liam had had the ring made for some point in the future when I was ready to discuss taking things to the next level. Only an opportunity presented itself much sooner than he’d planned and he’d jumped on it.
Uncomfortable with that line of thinking, I rose from my seat and headed toward the stairs.
Liam’s gaze followed me. “Where are you going?”
“To find Connor. We have things to discuss.”
If anyone was going to help me untangle and understand the mess I’d landed myself in, it was going to be him.
I set one foot on the bottom stair and paused. “And just so we’re clear, this doesn’t count.”
No matter what that silly bet or some piece of paper said, I wasn’t married.
“If the manner of our marriage is what’s bothering you, we can always plan another one for when we return home,” Liam murmured.
I pretended I didn’t hear him, continuing up the stairs.
“Oh, Aileen,” Thomas called before I’d reached the top. “There’s a gathering tonight. I trust you will be in attendance.”
I took a deep breath, calming myself before giving him a firm nod. Hopefully, this evening was a little tamer than last night’s.
Sienna was waiting for me when I reached the top of the stairs. An unobtrusive presence dressed in a maroon jumpsuit that complemented her skin tone. Gold glinted from her ears and neck as she gave me a regal nod.
It was always hard not to feel inadequate in her presence when she looked like a perfectly dressed goddess, and I was something of a dumpster fire in my lounge wear, with my hair thrown into a messy knot at the back of my head and my face bare of any makeup.
“I took the liberty of setting your outfit for the night on your bed,” she informed me.
“Oh joy. Playing dress up for a bunch of vampires who’ll probably try to kill me before the trip is through.”
Sienna sailed past me. “Then you will go to the grave as the best dressed version of yourself.”
“As long as I look as good as you when I do.”
Sienna’s deep red lips turned up in a feline smile. “Don’t ask for the impossible. No one will ever look as good as I do.”
That surprised a chortle out of me.
Sienna winked before descending the stairs with the grace of a ballerina. Shaking my head, I made my way toward the room adjacent to mine.
I knocked on the door and waited. “Connor? You up?”
When there was no sign of movement from the other side, I frowned and knocked again.
“Connor, it’s Aileen.” I reached for the doorknob. “I’m coming in. Last warning unless you say something.”
Please, please, please, don’t let me walk into something I shouldn’t.
