altar, she wondered whet

t feel real in a way signing it never had. In a quiet stone hall, she and Damon exchanged p

nts in a smaller office. Ava watched as the clerk s

ling and A

strangely inti

small of her back and guided her

d. "No. I'm just.

venly. "You'll have the rest o

e living room with the marriage c

Victor's betrayal. The contract. Th

optive father-the Alpha King of th

va

is sleeves rolled to his forearms. Without his formal clothes, he appea

ll right?"

e. Just

down across from her. "About th

ted on marrying me. There are countless women who w

moment. Then he asked

ned around the glass

do

at him in

Damon's eyes, replaced by

ed restrained hostility. "For years, he has been working to secure the Council's support and challenge my position.

a?" Av

powerful relatives." Damon's mouth curved without

d y

ition himself above me while

settled

arried

ght. "You marrie

emove that advantage before he had the chance." Damon leaned back, his express

ere deliber

Damon spoke as if she were merely a piece on a political board, but he had

atching her b

ter-after they had lived together long enough for her to se

his sound like r

ars trying to prove that he was more worthy of my throne. Now he

eyes to the wi

ld, arrogant, and

her back. He had shown her the terms of the contract, given her the freedo

do something reckless-not for revenge, not for money, but

. "Is that the whole r

r-blue eyes d

nt a strange tremo

more, Ava leaned for

second. Then his hand c

va

her fingers beneath his collar. "A

arched hers

se I w

rce flashed a

ithout forcing her. The difference between him and Victor became impossible to ignore. Damon's

ved to her throa

o stop," h

is gaze.

nto his arms and c

"Once you enter, this won't be

und his neck. "Then don'

burned

ever

closed be

her to the bed. Ava tilted her head back, wa

whispered, her voic

rushed the line

u would keep

d close to her ear. His

f my word, A

her with careful possession. Whenever her body tensed, he

embling,"

m f

ave to prete

ers and drew him close

rched hers o

ople to decide what she wanted, what

he chose f

't s

xpression

circles on her inner thigh, close to her cen