The Darkest Craving (Lords of the Underworld #10)(68)
Author: Gena Showalter

The softness vanished in a blink, and his eyes narrowed. “All right. Yeah. I slept with her. I also slept with a boatload of women before I even reached Séduire. But you know what? Synda was the best I’ve ever had.”

It was like a punch to the gut, a blow so low she wasn’t sure she would ever recover. Humiliation burned in her cheeks, and maybe it was fused with disappointment and fury. How could he! How could he go from Josephina’s kisses to Synda’s bed, and then brag about it?

The fury suddenly overshadowed every other emotion.

“Congratulations,” she said as drily as she was able. “You’re officially like every other man in this realm.” She had saved his life, and he had saved hers. Circumstances hadn’t allowed them to be lovers, but they could have been friends. She’d always wanted to be his friend. Yet he’d just ruined any hope for such an outcome. “I wish you’d stayed away from me. I wish I’d never met you.”

His features didn’t change, not this time, but his voice went low and quiet, dripping with disdain. “Too bad. I didn’t, and you did, and you have no one but yourself to blame. You should have left me in hell.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m about to do just that.” She tried to step around him.

He moved with her, blocking her. “You’re not going anywhere. Synda got into trouble last night and she’s earned another punishment.”

Josephina froze. “What did she do?”

“Does it matter?”

It had to do with him, didn’t it?

“You’re to be whipped.”

“No, no, no.” That would mean the king was searching for Josephina. She knew him. Knew he would actually postpone the wedding ceremony to find her, wanting the situation dealt with before placing Synda—and thereby Josephina—into another man’s care. And if he discovered she’d planned an escape… How could Kane be so cavalier about it? Shaking her head, she backed away from him. “How could you do this to me?”

“I didn’t want any of this to happen, Tink.”

“Don’t call me that! You don’t get to call me by a cutesy nickname when you just ruined my only chance for freedom.”

“You want freedom?” His volume increased with every word. “Well, then, I’ll get your freedom. Right now. Then, I’ll be leaving the realm, and so will you. But don’t worry. I won’t be with you, so you won’t have to fear my inability to protect you.” He extended his arm, intending to grab her.

She jolted out of reach. “I believe you can protect me, idiot, I just don’t want you hurt doing it. And if you do this, you’ll be hurt. They’ll hunt you. Forever.”

The sharpest edge of his intensity dulled. “Being hunted was something you were willing to risk, obviously. Do me a favor and allow me the same choice.”

She…had no response to that.

“I’ve thought about this, and thought about this, and I’ve nearly given myself a brain aneurism from thinking some more, and this morning I finally picked a plan and decided to stick with it. You’re not going to like it, but honestly? I don’t really care. I don’t like you within these walls, and I can’t deal with the demon any longer. I have to get out of here, and I have to kill him or I’m going to start hurting people, maybe even you. Again.”

He was rambling, without giving her any useful information. “You can’t just—”

“I can.” He lunged for her, latching onto her before she could get away, and draping her over his shoulder. A favorite position of his. At the moment of contact, breath exploded from her lungs. She kicked and hit at him, but he sped into motion without missing a beat. “Every woman I come across throws herself at me, but not you. You keep fighting me.”

“I’ll never stop!”

“That’s probably wise.” He took her through secret passages he shouldn’t have known about, up several flights of stairs, and into the daylight. “Why are you still wearing gloves? You know you can control your ability now.”

“Because my hands are ugly.” People had begun staring.

“Listen to me. Believe me. They’re not.”

She caught the scent of freshly cut grass and flowers, and the sound of murmuring voices…voices tapering to a quiet. Shock bombarded her, and she stilled. He wasn’t sneaking out. He was walking through the crowd of wedding guests. How could he…the courage such an act required…the utter stupidity!

“I told you I’d marry your daughter, and I will,” Kane called to the king. “That’s not going to change. But I want this one.”

What! Marry…Josephina? Despite their discord? No, that couldn’t be right.

“There’s two ways this can go down. You’ll either gain a connection to my family by giving Josephina to me—in marriage—or I’ll kill you here and now. Pick.”

Yes. Her. But…but…

I won’t let him. I’ll put a stop to it.

“No,” Leopold, standing behind the sputtering king, snarled. “You can’t—”

“Go with option two,” a male said with a laugh, interrupting him. “I’ll finally get to put my pimp hand to good use.”

She turned her head and watched as William, Red, Black, White and Green stepped into the gazebo where the royal family awaited the bride and groom. All five warriors were armed for war. Swords peeked over their shoulders. Guns were sheathed at their waists. And there were more men behind them! Men she recognized from the picture books the scribes had commissioned.

Oh, sweet lightning. The Lords of the Underworld were here. The frightful males were loaded with even more weapons than William and his crew. There was the scarred Lucien, the dark Reyes, the scary Sabin and the irreverent Strider.

Her heart sped into a faster rhythm. “Hi,” she called, and waved at Lucien. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’ve dreamed of this day all my life.”

His scarred features were pale, and there were bruises under his eyes. He looked as if he’d been without sleep for several centuries. “Your wedding?” he asked her.

“No, I’m not getting married. I’ve been waiting to meet you,” she said, her voice fluttering.

“All right, calm yourself,” Kane muttered. “And yes, you’re getting married.”

“Kane—”

He continued. “I didn’t want help, but I realized I needed it. There was no other way. But don’t you ever trust the Rainbow Rejects. They’re only aiding me now so they’ll have an easier shot at you later.”