He sighed, nuzzling his face into the crook of me neck and breathing me in. “I want you, Sage. You say you’re my consolation prize, and I said cruel things out of anger, but they aren’t true. I… I don’t want you resigned. I don’t want to fuck an empty mannequin, a shell of a woman who’d rather dissociate than be with me.”
I burst into uncontrollable sobs, and Victor’s grip on me tightened as I rode out the worst of it.
“Then just let me go!” I cried. “I’ll give you my blood if you need it, but please let me live my life away from you. This has never worked between us, and it never will. Don’t you see that?”
“But I can’t,” he hissed, his hand on my abdomen digging into my skin. “You think I haven’t tried? Tried to imagine a future without you by my side?”
He inhaled deeply. “I need you, Sage. My heart, body, my very soul, has already decided that you’re my mate. And Vorthain will help you feel it, too. He’ll help us be happy.”
Happy, he said. Like that was something that could ever have been possible between us. Even if Vorthain could go back in time to when Victor first scented me at that stupid charity event, before he’d kidnapped me, killed Kaleb and Nellie, forced my parents into hiding, cut my own eggs from my body while I slept and implanted them in another woman’s womb…
It would have been over the moment I’d met Ronan, anyway. Because even in the short time we’d had together, even as I’d tried to hate him for making a deal to bring me back, and even though he couldn’t name the connection between us, I’d finally felt what it was to have a mate. I’d been happier and felt safer sitting in his car than I’d ever been with Victor.
Victor held me until I’d cried every last tear my body could produce, and then picked me up and helped me into the shower, cleaning us together with gentle hands.
He kissed every scar on my body, washing between my legs without any sexual touching, the absence of aches and pains confirming he’d told the truth about not fucking me while I’d blacked out.
Considering he was an alpha who regularly gave in to his baser instincts, I supposed I should have been impressed by his tremendous show of restraint. And yet I only felt numb, despite the tingle of his fingers working shampoo through my hair. Cold, despite the heat of the water sluicing down my body.
Bruised, despite the lack of coloring on my skin.
He took care of himself afterwards, and then helped me out, drying me off with a large, fluffy towel.
“I’ll have a dress waiting for you once you’re done in here. Just be ready for the meeting in three hours.”
“Meeting?” I asked, my hair dripping on the marble floor.
He gave me a wan smile. “Our first test.”
* * *
My hair was pulled back in a loose bun with a few, curly tendrils left out to frame my face, and I stood in front of the mirror to check the final look.
Victor had chosen a mock neck, long-sleeved, sheer green dress with a slip underneath, the skirt stopping a few inchesabove my knee. It was tasteful, and did a decent job of hiding my scars, while also showing just enough skin to be alluring.
Gold, diamond-encrusted hoops hung from my ears, and my makeup was light with minimal eyeliner and a pink lip.
Lastly were the ivory shoes I’d found that looked good with the dress—sling-backs with a low heel so I wouldn’t trip. Walking in shoes still felt strange, and the last thing I wanted to do was embarrass myself.
Even before Victor had taken me, I’d never had much skill in getting dressed up and had often asked Nellie to help me accessorize and do my makeup.
I hoped I looked okay.
The door clicked open, my pulse skyrocketing as Victor entered, looking sharp as usual in his dark wool suit. His eyes softened as he saw me, and he approached me slowly, standing behind me so he could see the both of us together in the mirror.
“You look beautiful,” he nearly whispered, kissing my neck.
I shivered, his touch still doing more to sicken me than excite me, but Victor didn’t know the difference.
“What exactly are we doing, and do I have to say anything? And what… what about Accalia?”
He sighed. “Yes, I think it’s time for us all to get on the same page. Come,” he said, taking my hand and leading me through the door.
We walked into his bedroom, the space double the size of mine and unapologetically palatial, all gold trim and soaring ceilings. Crystal sconces threw cool light over carved moldings and velvet-draped windows. It was expensive in the way only someone desperate to be seen as powerful could manage—maximalist, indulgent, and just shy of garish.
Vorthain sat at a table, drinking his tea, while Accalia sat across from him, her back straight and expression strained.
Our eyes met, and the silent look she gave me said what words couldn’t.
