I grin. “Challenge accepted.”
She lets out a frustrated huff. I letout a low chuckle. I fucking love her fire, her sass. And I’m gonna love it even more once I break her and she’s begging for my cock in every orifice of her body.
Because that’s gonna happen. She just needs to accept it.
And then she can enjoy it.
Through the back window, I can see my family waiting on the courthouse steps. Kingston stands at the top of the stairs in a dark gray suit, looking every inch the Don incumbent. His arm is looped around his wife Livvie’s waist.
Reign is positioned next to them, his eyes scouring the length of the street even though there are guards at every corner and flanking the doorway to City Hall.
My parents are here too, Dad intimidating as hell and Ma, picture perfect in Chanel and a new pair of those red soled shoes she loves so much.
“Showtime,” I tell Tierney as the car comes to a stop next to the curb. “Ready to meet your new family?”
“I have my own family,” she mutters under her breath.
The driver opens my door, and I step out first. After I adjust my jacket, I turn to Tierney and hold out my hand. She pretends she doesn’t see it and climbs out on her own with as much dignity as she can find in that tight little body. My cock twitches. Good. That fight is alive and well.
I place my hand on her lower back, feeling her stiffen under my palm.
“Family,” I say as we approach the group, “meet my bride. Tierney, meet the people who run this city.”
Kingston's dark inky eyes meet her with a hint of suspicion. “Welcome to New York.”
Tierney nods without a word. She acknowledges the rest of my family the same way, barely a smile, barely a word.Her eyes land on Livvie’s for a long second and Livvie flashes a warm smile. Kindred spirits, I guess. Maybe Tierney senses an ally.
Not that Livvie would ever betray her husband. They started out all fire and ice but they combusted pretty damn fast.
“Let's get this over with,” Dad says, checking his watch. “I have a meeting at two.”
Nobody is treating this like what it definitely is not, and that’s the union of two willing parties who have chosen to love and honor each other for eternity. It’s the exact opposite, in fact.
Ma steps forward, her assessing gaze never leaving Tierney's face. “Welcome to the family. I know the circumstances aren’t ideal, but we hope that you'll last longer than Bronx's usual... interests.”
The insult is delivered with such polite venom that even I'm impressed. Tierney's spine goes stiff.
“I'm sure I'll exceed everyone's expectations,” she replies, matching Ma's ice-cold tone perfectly.
“We'll see,” Ma says with a thin smile.
Inside the courthouse, we join the line of couples waiting for their turn to be announced as husband and wife. The atmosphere is surreal. Some people are genuinely happy, others look nervous, and then there's us. The other end of the spectrum.
“Look around,” I mutter to Tierney. “See all these people actually choosing this?”
I follow her gaze as she glances at the other couples, the young lovers holding hands, older couples with quiet smiles, a pair who can barely keep theirhands off each other.
“Your point?” she hisses.
“My point is they're here because they want to be. While you're here under duress.” I lean closer, my voice dropping. “Makes it so much more interesting, don’t you think? Like, what else am I gonna make you do that you’re gonna hate?”
“You're sick.”
“And you like that, don’t you.” I phrase it as a statement, not a question since we both know the answer. I watch her face, noting the quick rise and fall of her chest, the way she keeps licking her lips. “I can tell by your breathing.”
A pink flush of color warms her cheeks. “I am not?—"
“Those pretty cheeks don't lie, princess.” My gaze drops to her mouth. “Neither does that little vein in your throat that's about to explode out of your skin.”
