Saint licks his lips, just slightly. “It’s a dangerous game.”
"Only kind to play."
I sound more confident than I feel.
"Why do all this?" The playfulness has gone from his face, and his green eyes narrow in on me with intensity.
"What?"
"All this? Revenge? I get that you are angry, trust me, but this seems a little extreme. You could just keep your head down, get pregnant, live your comfortable life as a Marini wife." He leans back, green eyes studying me. "I'm a dick, sure, but I'm not completely heartless. I won't separate you from the child if that’s not what you want, and you'll be well taken care of. Hell, Antonio will probably build a fucking statue in your honor when you deliver a son."
I scowl so hard, I fear my face is going to be stuck that way.
"Maybe, I don’t fucking want to just pop out little gangsters my entire life," I snap. "Have you thought about that? We're stuck in this marriage. We're stuck fucking each other every night trying to make Antonio's heir. I've accepted that. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it, but it is what it is. Antonio is old-guard, cemented, there’s nothing I can do to him. But Adrian is different. He was supposed to protect me, and he didn’t. So now, he can piss his pants for a few months wondering who wants him dead.”
I expect Saint to laugh, instead, he fixes his intense gaze on me.
"A game," he repeats.
"A fun one. We work together. We're partners. And in the process, we both get what we want."
"Which is?"
"You get leverage over Adrian. I get revenge.”
And control. I don’t say this to Saint, but I need to do something. This moping—it’s killing me.
He shakes his head.
"No."
My stomach drops. I honestly didn't expect that. He seemed to be coming around to it. "What?"
"I'm not interested in giving into this silly little whim." He stands, moves to the window. "I want you pregnant and out of my hair. That's the deal. That's what this marriage is for. I can get whatever I want from Adrian myself."
Desperation bubbles up, and it's starting to leak out of me.
"Saint—" I'm seconds away from begging. Hell, I would have gotten on my knees if I thought it would work.
"You think you understand this world because you grew up in it. But you don't. You're a Nero princess who read some books about security systems. That doesn't make you valuable. It makes you a liability." He shakes his head. "If Adrian was smart,he would have made sure that knowledge was useless before he married you off.”
His words are like a slap. They land the way they are intended.
"I agreed to this marriage. I agreed to have your baby. But we can make it more than just a transaction. We can make it something that works for both of us."
He turns back to me. "Not interested. This is a transaction." He folds his arms in dismissal. "Besides, you don't have a choice. You'll have my heir. You'll be a good little wife."
"I'll be a fucking menace if I have to be," I growl. "I'm not going to just lay down and let you happen to me. Not anymore."
His eyes narrow. "Careful, princess. I've been nice so far, but don't push me."
"You want to fuck me," I move closer, not heeding his warning. "I saw it last night. You liked me willing and eager." I run a finger down his shirt. "Because let’s face it, you are just as stuck as I am. Until Antonio dies, you are just his little bitch, doing as he orders.” I expect Saint to react, but he doesn’t. “I give you intel, you help me mess with Adrian, and then, you can fuck me all day long if you want.”
"No."
I'm so frustrated I have to stop myself from stamping my foot like a child.
"Why not?"
