of me stuck in a loveless marriage is not what I would have envisioned for myself, but now that I’m here, perhaps I can try to fix whatever my grandmother and my father broke.
Confusion settles like a heavy weight in my gut. I don’t trust Dad, not after he signed my life away, but I also can’t trust Lycan. Maybe I should talk to my grandmother. Perhaps she can offer some form of truth in the swirl of bullshit I’ve been told over the past few days.
Tomorrow is the Bardot ball, the gala where my grandmother and Lycan’s dad used to meet. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time for me to expose the ugly truths of our families.
24
Lycan
Shrugging on the jacket of my charcoal tux, I fasten the two buttons before straightening my tie. Usually, I’d forgo the outfit, but tonight is special. Grace will be there, and I wonder if she’s going to try and stop me from marrying Scarlett. Needless to say, it won’t go down well, but then again, I don’t give a shit.
My fiancée needs to speak with her grandmother, which I’ll allow. But once that’s over and done with, she will be coming home with me. For the moment, I’ll allow her to believe the story of revenge against her father, but once she bears my name, I’ll gift her with the truth.
I’m the monster in our story.
Never once have I denied it. But watching Scarlett come apart for me has made me feel like a man for the first time in a long while. She’s made me feel something other than the need to dominate. Granted, I would devour her whole if she were to submit. And that’s something I will be working on over the years we will spend together, but for now, I’m happy to play the gentleman just as long as it gets her to wear the ring, carry my name, and end her father.
With that thought in mind, I head out into the hallway, finding it silent and empty. I’ve become accustomed to the quiet, but I do prefer my apartment in New York, where I can keep a closer eye on Scarlett. Once this sham of a gala is over, I’ll fly her out there and make sure she’s under my watchful eye twenty-four seven.
When I reach Scarlett’s bedroom, I push open the door without knocking. Her gasp echoes through the room, as I step into the space, taking in her slender frame in a bright red dress.
“You do realize knocking is considered polite,” my feisty girl spits in frustration as she pins me with a glare so fierce it causes me to chuckle.
“This is my house, as you’ve learned. I make the rules.” Ignoring her pursed lips, I close the distance between us. My thirsty gaze drinks her in from her perfectly painted toes to the top of her long, red hair. She doesn’t flinch when I reach for her, my fingers tangling in the silky strands, and I gently tug her closer. The scent of her perfume invades my senses, and I can’t stop myself from inhaling deeply, taking her fragrance in as if she were a drug, and I need to get high.
“This might be your house, and yes, you have your rules, but I still retain my privacy, as well as my need to have space from your overbearing nature,” Scarlett hisses when I tighten my hold in her hair, causing glistening emotion to sparkle in her pretty eyes.
“Put your coat on. We’re going to be late,” I inform her, ignoring the rather arousing, yet petulant behavior of my little red. Perhaps after the gala, I’ll show her exactly what my rules and her space entails. “I don’t like to show tardiness when I’m the guest of honor.”
“What?” Shock paints her pretty face, but I don’t respond. Instead, I make my way to the door, leaning against the frame as I wait for her to pull on the crimson coat that matches her dress. There’s a hood, which will come in handy since it’s chilly outside.
She joins me with no more questions. Side by side, we look like a couple, and I know most of the guests tonight will want to know how the wedding plans are going. I’m almost certain her grandmother has warned the guests not to attend, but I have more pull around here, and I will make sure it’s the event is the talk of the town.
The moment we reach the landing,