Page 3 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

“I know what I said!” She fumed, her blue eyes blazing. “I lied. Okay, I lied. I conned you and took you off the market. Finally, a woman’s prerogative for a change.” She tapped over her heart. “What about loyalty to me? Don’t I deserve it?”

“Lani…you know I would die for you.”

“Then choose me. I don’t want your death. I want your heart. I want us to have a life outside of shadows. Be loyal to me.”

I looked down at my feet, totally lost.

“How did you even do all of this? What day is it?”

“I used a cocktail of drugs, flew you here, and got us hitched. Then, we drank a ton, partied really hard, and now, it’s Sunday.”

Shock filled me first, followed by pride at her resourcefulness, and then the anger settled back into place.

“You drugged me for three days?”

“Oh, please, it was really only one and a half. If you want to get technical…less than thirty-six hours, considering I slipped the first round to you Friday at the banquet.”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? You could’ve killed me. Never mind the fact that we’ve been in Vegas for a whole ass day. Anything could’ve happened to you while you were supposed to be under my watch.”

“You’re worrying about things that never happened. Besides, I had a doctor help me create the perfect dose for your weight,” she said, with an impish grin.

“Don’t look so damned pleased with yourself. What kind of psycho doctor is willing to drug someone he doesn’t even know?”

How the fuck was I going to get out of this? Lani and I would never be allowed to stay together. Not only would Dimitri kill me, but she was best friend’s baby sister. That alone would get my fingers chopped off, along with my cock, and then my tongue. After that was done, Nathaniel would skin the blubbering remains of whatever was left of me.

I’d been to the Triangle with Nathaniel. I’d watched him torture and dispose of those who had been sent there. I knew exactly what was waiting for me back home.

My fear for Lani was tenfold. What would Dimitri do when he discovered that she had disobeyed him? How would I protect her from his wrath if I were…gone?

My stomach roiled again, and my eyes snapped up to hers.

“Wait…a marriage isn’t binding unless it was consensual and without the influence of substances. That means our nuptials can be undone.”

“I’m not undoing anything,” Lani scoffed.

“You may not, but I will. Where did we get married?”

Lani cocked a hip and glared at me.

“This is not funny. Where did we get married?”

“I’m not telling you, and even if I do, it won’t matter.”

“Yes, it will, I can⁠—”

“No.”

“Lani, oh my fucking God. Why are you trying to get me killed? Let alone whatever your father chooses to do to you as punishment.”

“I’m not. I’m forcing my father to give me what I want for a change. And what I want is you. But I guess you have decided that I’m not worth fighting for.”

She crossed her arms, her eyes hard.

“It has nothing to do with fighting for you. If I thought that was what it would take for you to be my wife forever, then I’d do it in a heartbeat. Don’t you get it? That is never going to work. It doesn’t matter that we’re married. He will just get rid of me to free you up again. I know your father. I’ve witnessed his brutality firsthand. Buried the bodies for him. Lani…please, we need to fix this.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“I’m not a mistake that needs to be fixed.”