“Not going to happen. After the wedding I might allow it.”
“Allow it?” How can he be both sweet and an asshole all at the same time? Each time I start to soften for him he does something to jerk me back to reality. “Is this what our marriage will be like? I’ll be a toy that you order around?” My nose starts to burn at the thought. I see a tick in his jaw at my words, but he doesn’t deny them.
“Do not cry,” he orders me. I roll my eyes at him. Mom’s eyes bounce between the two of us.
“Then let me be alone with my mom!” I shout. Aidon’s eyebrows lift, and a smirk pulls at his lips. “I’ll give you a couple minutes. The priest is waiting.” He steps out, closing the door behind him.
“You got him to fall in love with you.”
I shake my head no, even though I want it to be true. I don’t know what it is about Aidon, but there is this undeniable pull to him. I feel safe when he’s around too. The craziest thing is I don’t fear him.
“He’s not in love with me.” I drop my head to try and hide my blush.
“He’s demanding you marry him.”
I lick my lips. “It’s not a terrible idea. There could be a truce. Have you found anything out about the Poppy guy?”
“No.” She looks pained as she admits that. “I can’t let you marry this man. You weren’t meant for this life.” She reaches up, cupping my cheek. I lean into her touch, enjoying the comfort she brings me.
“But if it means saving you, I’ll do it. You sent me here to seduce him. I’m not very good at it.” A half smile pulls at her lips.
“Aidon is an honorable man. I knew he wouldn’t touch you, but I thought you could torture him some. Actually, I think you are way better at seducing him than you think. So good that now he wants to keep you. You’ve caused him to come up with a bullshit plan of why the two of you should marry.”
“Bullshit?”
“Yes, bullshit.”
I don’t understand. “We can’t stop this. We are outnumbered and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” Especially Aidon or Kailler. “They will kill you.”
No fear shows on my mom’s face. She doesn't fear death. She’s told me many times there are things scarier than death. I’m guessing one of those things would be something happening to me.
Mom reaches into her shirt and pulls out a pen. She uncaps it to expose a needle. “You could do the wedding. Then tonight when he tries to take you to bed you use this on him. It will work within seconds, but you must be quick to strike.”
“I can’t kill anyone.” I take a step back.
“And I can’t let you marry that man without an out. I will kill him now or you can kill him later. Those are the only options, amoureux.”
“You’d die!” I hiss.
“Not before he does.” This is nuts. “I’ll come for you tonight. Take it.” She steps closer to me. I hold my hand out and take the poison pen. I know I won’t be able to use it, but I can’t let my mom walk out of here on a suicide mission. I slip it into my dress for safe keeping.
A knock sounds at the door before it swings open. “It’s time.” Aidon holds his hand out for me to take, motioning for my mother to go first. He keeps a tight hold on me as we make our way back to his office.
When the doors open, I see Kailler and a few of Aidon’s men standing around with the priest. The door falls closed behind us.
“You’re shaking.” Aidon looks down at me.
“Can you blame her?” It happens so fast. My mom pulls out a gun, aiming it at Aidon. Everyone else does the same, but their guns are trained on my mom.
“Please don’t hurt her,” I beg Aidon, stepping in front of him. He tries to pull me behind him.
“Do you really want your daughter to watch you die?”
“I got her into this mess. I won’t ruin her life to save my own.” They’re both fighting over me. A tug of war game that is going to rip me in half. Without thinking, I reach into the top of my dress and pull out the pen.
“What are you doing, Cora?”
I pull the top of it off, letting it fall to the floor as I bring it up to my own neck.
“What the fuck is that? Did you give her that?” Rage like I’ve never seen fills Aidon’s eyes. “Give it to me, Cora.”
I step back out of Aidon’s reach.
“Tell them to put their guns down.”
“Cora.” Mom snaps my name.
“Everyone, guns down,” Aidon barks. Everyone follows Aidon’s order, including my mom. “You’re shaking. You’re going to accidentally poke yourself.”