Their Reign (The Rite Trilogy 3)

19

MERCEDES

“Soooo?” Solana’s stare burns a hole into the side of my face as we sit on the sofa watching a trashy reality TV show. I think the entire premise is that everyone just gets drunk every night and makes bad decisions, but I’m not entirely certain.

“So what?” I toss a piece of popcorn into my mouth and chew on it.

“Nothing to report today?”

I turn to her, arching an eyebrow in question. She’s been acting strange since she got here. Almost like she’s expecting something, but I don’t know what.

“Will you just tell me what’s on your mind?” I groan. “Clearly, there’s something.”

“It’s nothing.” She shrugs a shoulder innocently. Too innocent if you ask me.

“It’s something,” I mutter.

Pestilence settles into my side, laying his head over my lap while he eyes the popcorn bowl.

“You’re in a mood.” Solana plucks a piece of popcorn from the bowl and feeds it to the dog. “Did something happen with Judge today?”

“You mean other than him trying to lure me back to his house with a puppy?” I remark dryly.

“I think it’s kind of cute.” Solana scratches Pestilence’s head and wiggles her brows. “I wouldn’t mind a hot guy trying to lure me back to his place with a puppy.”

I toss her a glare. “Did you just call Judge hot?”

Another innocent smile. “Why, does that bother you? He is hot. I have eyeballs. Can’t I just make that casual observation?”

I drag my annoyed gaze back to the TV and pretend to watch the cast fight about who slept with who last night. Solana knows she’s getting under my skin, and she’s doing it intentionally. But the question is why.

“It must be something in that Montgomery blood,” she adds thoughtfully. “Theron might be an asshole, but he’s got that dark, brooding thing going for him too.”

“Solana.” I start to protest, irritated that I haven’t squashed this fascination of hers like I thought I did. But before I can even get into it, a thunderous knock rattles my door.

“Whoa.” Solana’s eyes widen as she looks from me to the door. “Who could that be?”

“I have a feeling…” I drag myself up off the couch and walk over to the entryway, staring through the peephole to find the last two people on earth I expected to see on my doorstep tonight.

I fling open the door, wondering if I’m losing my mind as my eyes roam over a bloodied Clifton. Standing beside him, holding him up by the collar is Judge, and he’s sporting a blood-spattered shirt himself.

“What in the fresh hell—”

“Tell her,” Judge demands, practically shaking Clifton like a rag doll in his grasp.

Clifton’s gaze moves to mine, terror swallowing the light from his eyes. “I retract my offer!”

I hear Solana’s snort from behind me, and suddenly, everything starts to fall into place. She must have told Judge about this. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

“Clifton—” I start, but he cuts me off, shaking his head vigorously.

“I retract my offer! I won’t marry you. I don’t want you!”

“Gee, thanks.” I roll my eyes before turning my attention to Judge. “Are you satisfied now?”

He releases Clifton with a grunt and shoves him away. “I’ll be satisfied when I cut out his fucking eyeballs if he ever looks at you again.”

Clifton heeds his warning by scurrying across the lawn, running as fast as his legs can carry him before he trips and falls face-first into the grass. It doesn’t escape my notice as he drags himself back up that his clothes are torn. Judge has really done a number on him. He’ll probably take weeks to recover. Judge, on the other hand, only has some bruising around his knuckles to show for it.

“Was that really necessary?” I ask him.

“Obviously, he didn’t get the fucking message the first time. So yeah, it was.”

Judge is still fuming, his eyes burning as they roam over me possessively. I feel that look right between my thighs, and I’m sure he sees it.

“What are you doing here, Judge?” I choke out. “I—”

He grabs me by the waist and pulls me into the house with him. “What I should have done a long fucking time ago.”

Solana clears her throat behind us, alerting him to her presence, and Judge shoots her a glare as if this is all her fault somehow.

“I think I’ll just…” Solana gestures to the door as she heads for it in a hurry.

“Yeah, you do that,” Judge growls at her.

The moment she’s gone, he turns his fiery gaze on me, wraps his fingers around the nape of my neck, and tugs me against the hard plane of his chest.

“Over my dead body.” His lips brush against mine, the heat of his words singeing me. “Will I ever fucking let you marry him.”

Before I can tell him I wasn’t planning on it, his mouth covers mine, and a fire ignites in my belly as his rough hands lay claim to my body. He grabs my ass, squeezes, and groans before he yanks down my leggings, forcing them off me. At the same time, I’m tugging his shirt free from his trousers, pulling buttons free from holes, then reaching for his zipper. He hoists me up into his arms, my belly bumping against his as he carries me up the stairs. As we go, clothing follows in our wake. I don’t even know how we’re managing it, but our hands are everywhere. Tugging hair, touching skin, branding heat into our bodies.

“Judge,” I whimper as he releases my mouth from his only to drag his teeth down my neck.