Doubt finally smudged his eyes. “Fine.Fine, I’llwait.”
“Good.”
“But I’ll only take you on as a Second on onecondition.”
“No conditions. You either take me on or you don’t. But if you don’t, you’lllose.”
“Maybe I won’tlose.”
I growled with annoyance. “Liam. Come on. This isn’t some joke. This is your life! Don’t you care about seeing another night? Anotheryear?”
“My condition is simple. All I’m askingis—”
“I said I wasn’t negotiating withyou.”
“—that you don’t date August until after theduel.”
“What?”
“I want you focused onme. If you’re consolidating a mating link, your mind and body will be too preoccupied with him to worry aboutme.”
“Liam . . . ” I breathed. “That’sridiculous.”
“If I’m going to put my life in your hands, I need your hands not to be busy rubbing down some other man’sbody.”
Heat smacked my cheeks. “Liam!”
“I don’t see the problem with what I’m asking. The guy’s so infatuated with you, he’ll wait. It’s not like I’m asking you to stay unmated until the Winter Solstice. Just until myduel.”
I blinked at him in disbelief. “Which we haven’t even set a date for. It could takemonths.”
“Better find out quick how she cheatedthen.”
This was ridiculous.Hewas beingridiculous.
“Look, my condition isn’t a way to win you back. It’s just a ground rule to avoid distractions that could cost me mylife.”
“A life you were willing to sacrifice a momentago.”
He stared long and hard at me. “Do youaccept?”
He was being completely unfair. Dating August wouldn’t impair my focus. Sure we were mates, but I’d be able to concentrate on other things . . . on otherpeople.
My nostrils flared with annoyed breaths. “What if somethinghappens?”
“Ifsomething happens, thenI’llpick the dueldate.”
“You do realize how stupid that is, right? You’re blackmailing me with your ownfate.”
“By accepting you as my Second, I’m putting my fate in your hands. I’m choosing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Truthfully, I still think I should go fight her right this second.” His gaze shifted to Cassandra’s before settling back on me. “So? Do youaccept?”
I hated what he was asking of me. “I’ll still work for him and hisdad.”
“No. I’ll pay you from nowon.”
I opened my mouth toobject.
“Prepping me for the duel will become yourjob.”
