I sighed and continued to lightly sip my champagne. “I don’t want to hate you,” I admitted.
His laughter drifted off and silence descended. “I would prefer for us to get along as well.”
“Because it’ll be easier for you?” I contemplated aloud.
“Yes,” he answered, “because I never imagined I’d be married. Now that I am … I find that I don’t want my wife to hate me.”
“After everything you’ve done to me?” I turned to look at him. “That’s surprising.”
“Act all you want, Angel, but you can’t lie to me and neither can your body,” he replied. “Youlikedwhat I did to you.”
A blush burned through my face, but I pretended I didn’t feel it as I met his gaze and glowered. “Whether I did or not is irrelevant,” I argued.
“It’s very relevant,” he said.
I shook my head. “You’re doing it again,” I muttered, looking away from him.
“Doing what?”
“Confusing me,” I snapped. I tried not to sound bitter, but it was difficult.
“Do I only confuse you because you don’t like letting someone else have control?” he asked after several beats.
I inhaled sharply. “Everyone has tried to control me my entire life,” I said. “I’m tired of it.”
“It’s different with me.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
I found myself sliding my gaze back to him. He was right. It was different with him. Aside from forcing me into this marriage, he hadn’t exactly attempted to control me in any other way but sexually.
I considered my words before I spoke them. “Yes,” I finally said. “It is.” His control was a different beast. It was enticing as much as it was frightening.
Gaven lifted his glass and downed the champagne in one go before grimacing and setting it on the table before us. “Computer science is an interesting subject,” he said, switching topics so fast it left my head reeling. I frowned at him and waited. He didn’t disappoint. “I like that,” he said.
“You … like it?”
He nodded before fixating me with his gaze once more. “I’ve never wanted a dumb bride, Angel. Intelligence turns me on, and I find you to be incredibly intelligent.”
My stomach coiled. “Even though I failed at running away?” I prompted. That hadn’t exactly been my finest moment.
He arched a brow but nodded. “Yes, even then. You followed your gut—even if it was wrong.”
I pressed my lips together. With a rapacious grin, he continued, “Don’t worry, Angel. No matter how far you ran, you would always be a Price. You wouldn’t have been able to escape this life even before me, but you’ll find soon enough that it’s exactly where you’re meant to be.”
It didn’t escape me that those were the exact words my father had said to me before the ceremony. What the hell did they know that I didn’t? Why were they so convinced that this was the life that I belonged in?
My head throbbed at the thought of trying to dissect his words and all the hidden meanings behind them. With the weight of the jeweled metal band on my finger, all I felt as I sat there next to him was confusion and … hope.
In the end, though, even if I didn’t want to admit it—they were both right about one thing. There was always a price to pay for the things we had. For me, it was remaining in this world.
Once a Price, always a Price.
Chapter 20
Angel
The party wound down until the guests eventually filed out, one by one, leaving the mansion empty once more. The only people left were my father, Gaven, myself, and Jackie. The last of whom had gone to bed long before, and now, my father was following.
"Come," Gaven said, holding out a hand as we left the reception area. "You must be tired."
