Page 19 of Empress of Ruin
Disappoints?Thefuck?
“You’ve been a relatively good girl for me today,” he comments. “All things considered, I expected much more of a battle. I’m impressed.” He leans down to brush his lips against mine. I try to turn my head away from him, but he grips my chin to hold me still. “We’ll go out tomorrow to have breakfast, I think.”
I do not like the ominous tone he uses, as if going out is a bad thing. I also don’t like the idea of showing face in public. “Don’t you have work?”
“I’ve arranged my schedule to work from home for at least the rest of the week to help you acclimate. Beyond that, I guess we’ll see.”
A tear tracks a path down my cheek. I know Killian well enough to know thathelping me acclimatewill be far from helpful. It’ll be degrading, suffocating, and humiliating. It’ll be a complete subversion of my free will and my constitutional rights.
I could rail against him right now. I want to very badly. But what would that actually achieve? He’ll punish me, and Istillwon’t get my way.
“Why are you doing this to me?” I whisper. “I never asked for anything of you. Up until you forced my hand, I didn’t make any moves against you. I never tried to gain your time or attention—”
“You just listed many of my reasons.” He rubs his nose against mine, and a shudder works its way down my spine. I choose to believe it’s revulsion. “But above all, Lyra, you’re mine. It’s that simple.”
Simple.Simple?Maybe to him. To me, it’s a mystery I have no hope of solving. Maybe Killian likes the fight, maybe he likes my lack of ambition in high society, but whatever it is, hemustunderstand that a match between us isn’t advantageous to him in any way, shape, or form. People from his tax bracket don’t marry for love or obsession; they marry for business strategy.There is no part of being with me that’ll be strategic to himwhatsoever. I bring no status, wealth, or material enrichment to his life, and Killian is not an emotion-driven man.
“You’ll settle,” he murmurs, and it sounds like more of an assurance to him than to me. “In the interim, I’ll enjoy every fight you decide to pick—andlose.”
Chapter Eight
Killian
Lyra sleeps like the dead. My poor Little Bird is so tired, she doesn’t even protest when I pull her into my side.
In stark contrast, I lie awake, staring at her. My mind works at a million miles per second as I consider every variable of my predicament. I have to protect her, knock her up, and find a way to get back in The Eyes’ good graces. There are many paths set before me, and almost all of them lead to certain destruction, but there could be a narrow—verynarrow—way through.
Having Lyra beside me as I plot has a remarkable effect on me. The fog of fear and anger that’s served as a dark damper on my mind the last several months dissipates entirely, and I get to see clearly again. More, I get to seewith coloragain.
Her chest rises and falls at an even, steady rhythm. Her eyes occasionally flutter, dark eyelashes fanning her cheekbones. Icould watch her like this, calm and restful, forever—but I need to start making movesnowif I want to survive the coming storms.
After a couple hours, I slip out of bed and go into my office. Lyra’s not getting out of the apartment without my say-so, so I don’t worry that she’ll get away. If she tries, it’ll only give me an excuse to show her what happens when she decides to be naughty.
I recline in my office seat, pull out my phone, and place a call. Six rings pass before the line goes live, and Carter’s irritated voice fills the room.
“I’m busy. What the fuck do you want?” he snarls.
I gaze at my lit-up computer monitor. “Clear your schedule. We need to talk.”
“No.”
“You can stalk Annalise later,” I say, rolling my eyes.
A long pause ensues. “Are you fuckingtailing me?”
“No, I’m making an educated guess. Good to know I’m right.” I run a hand through my hair. “Five minutes of your time. That’s all I need.”
“Fuck,” he sighs. “What’s next, a blowjob? I’ll have you know, my taste runs toward the fairer sex—”
“Why haven’t you joined The Eyes?” I ask. “Are you holding them at bay until they’re willing to negotiate and give you more?”
Carter sighs. “I refused because they’ll try to tell me what to do, and I don’t play nice with others. Historically, people who try to command me end up dead.”
How very appropriate. “I see. And the benefits they’ll bring—money, connections, prestige—”
“Are worthless to me. I have more money than I can spend in the next several lifetimes, my prestige is that people would rather die than face me, and I have all the connections I need. Any other stupid fucking questions?”
“Yes,” I nod. “What would it take to incentivize you to join The Eyes?”
