I wrench myself around to face Kaiser. I’m panting, leaning on him. I cling to him like he’s the only thing keeping me from drowning.
“No, you promised. You promised me.” I make the mistake of gazing into his ocean eyes. Suddenly, I’m drowning.
“Bella, shh.” He cups the side of my face, so tender. He’s so gentle with me. He doesn’t let anyone see this side of him, only me. “This is how I know you will be safe. Dominus won’t come after you. However the fight ends. Especially if he feels like he’s won.”
“But… the fight is to the death. You can’t lose. You’ll die. You have to win.”
“No, I don’t. I can do this for you. You won’t have to marry me. You’ll have upheld your end of the contract.” He searches my eyes, making sure I understand what he’s telling me.
And I do. It settles on me like a giant weight. The magnitude of what he’s offering takes my breath away.
He’s giving me a way out. He’s fighting for me and making sure I’m safe. From everyone, even him.
“You won’t have to marry me,” he says. “You’ll have everything you wanted. You will be free.”
He’s right. This is everything I once wanted. A way out. Kaiser knows his brothers will respect his claim. None of them will touch me, but they’ll protect me as someone precious to him. They would consider me his widow. They wouldn’t make me marry anyone else.
I won’t have to marry anyone. Everything I’ve fought for will be mine.
Because of him. His sacrifice.
But now, I don’t want freedom, not without Kaiser.
“You said you wouldn’t leave me,” I say. “You promised. You promised me years together! All the things we’re going to do together. You promised me, and I want them. I want those years, Kaiser. I want a lifetime.”
“You will have them,” he says.
I thump his chest. “I want them with you, damn you.”
“Bella, look at me.”
“I can’t,” I say, sniffling. “You’re too pretty. You’ll convince me to do anything with that big, dumb, beautiful face.”
“Hey. Come here, beautiful.” He tries to lift my face, but I set my jaw and close my eyes.
“You’re a butthead. I hate you. I hate you, and I want to marry you. I am going to marry you, dammit.”
“No,” he says. “This is your way out. I want you to be happy. And if I’m alive, you can’t be happy. So I’ll go.”
I lean into him and cry.
He holds me.
Then someone is standing over me. Jaeger.
“Keep her safe,” Kaiser says to his brother.
“What?” I wipe my eyes.
“No!” I scream. He wants a fight, I’ll give him one.
But they’re both too strong. Jaeger clamps his arms around me. I fight, screaming Kaiser’s name, but Jaeger carries me into the bedroom.
Elodie hovers by the bed, her hand over her mouth.
As soon as Jaeger puts me down, I race for the door. He beats me to it, holding it closed as I claw and pound on it. Then I turn on him. “You fucker,” I hiss. “I’ll poison you, don’t think I won’t.”
“Kaiser won’t like it.”
