holiday.
She was going to be the Lady Cardinal.
Her.
A slave.
The two of them were in another planning meeting for the wedding itself. Decorations, food choices, music, and so on. She never figured it would be so much work. But a Cardinal had a lot more to consider than an ordinary citizen.
Nero was lounging in her lap. They had barely spent a moment apart all week. They hadn’t shared a moment like they had the night he had wreaked holy hell on her, which was probably for the best for her physical health. The first time they made love after that, he had been tentative and gentle, worshipping her. He still felt guilty for what he had done, no matter how many times she assured him it was more than fine.
Even if he was still adorably dense on some things, his heart was in the right place. Nero was flipping through papers. “What color do you want the flowers to be?”
She waited. One…two…three…four…
“Fuck!”
She laughed hard and kissed his temple. “I’m giving you a hard time. I think red.”
“Huh? Why red?”
“It’s your color, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“Red, then.”
“The future Lady Cardinal has spoken.” He chuckled. “Red roses.” He kissed her cheek sweetly.
“Done,” Kema said from the other side of the room.
“I still don’t understand how it is that I can be a slave and the Lady Cardinal at the same time.”
“It’s a loophole. Nobody ever expected it would happen.” Nero shrugged. “So, they never outlawed it. Marrying a slave is legal. And a Cardinal can marry whomever they want, whether they like it or not.”
Hope paused. “Wait. What?”
“Huh?” He played dumb.
She slapped his chest. “Nero. You heard me. What do you mean, ‘whether they like it or not?’”
“Oh. Um. Well, a Cardinal can forcibly marry. They can declare someone their wife or husband and just…make it so.” Nero finished in a mumble. “Slave or not.”
“You mean you could have just made me marry you at any point?”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn’t?”
“How the fuck was that supposed to work out? Bad enough I bought you and dragged you here. It’s another thing if I forced a ring on your finger.” He leaned back into her lap, now fully using her legs as a pillow. She stroked his hair. “I’ve been bad enough to you as it is.”
She smiled in his direction. “It’s been all right, all things considered.”
“If you say so.”
“Are you two done?” Kema sighed. “I hope you cool off after a year. I don’t know if I can take you making moony eyes at her all the damn time. I thought you had a stupid smile on your face before. Now it’s insufferable.”
“Careful, Kema, or else you won’t be invited to the wedding,” Nero grumbled at her. “And I like happy me. Happy me doesn’t want to set shit on fire all the time. You should like happy me, too.”
Kema snickered. “Fine, fine. It’s been quieter. And ever since the marriage announcement, we haven’t had a single attempt on your life.”
“How wonderful. They’re being polite.”
“I think they’re hoping you might be less of an ass once you’re consistently getting laid.” Hope poked him in the forehead.
Nero snickered. “Sweetheart, consistency was never the problem.”
“Quality over quantity, then,” Hope retorted.
He laughed. He kissed her. “Why can’t I have both?”
“Ugh. I’m going to be sick.” Kema chuckled, and Hope heard her stand and start to walk across the room. “You two lovebirds enjoy yourselves. I’ll check in with you later.”
Once they were alone, Nero bent his head to her leg and bit her thigh. Just hard enough. “About that quantity.”
She let out a small, contented sigh and rested her head back, instantly surrendering to him. He was a bad influence on her. When he wanted a response from her, he always got it. He swiveled her around on the lounge and laid her down underneath him, nestled in between her legs. He kissed his way down her body, rolling up her dress around her waist as he moved.
He still felt bad for what had happened a week ago. And ever since then, all he’d wanted to do was to worship her as though she were still bruised or injured. It was as wonderful as it was frustrating.
He pulled aside her underwear and lowered his head to her, lavishing her. She moaned and lifted her hips to him. When she was on the brink of release after a few minutes, she pulled his head off her. “I want you, Nero.”
“You have me.”
“I want all of you. I want everything