She crosses her arms. “In case you don’t know, I’m the other half of the marriage treaty. I’m being forced to marry a Breckenridge.”
“Kieran told me, and he says that you aren’t happy about it.”
“Fuck no, I’m not happy. I’m mad as hell. Aren’t you?”
“I was.”
She looks bewildered by my answer. “How can you not still be pissed off?”
“Our circumstances are different. I had no prospects for a husband from within my brotherhood. I never had the intention to marry a Fellowship man. Of course, I wasn’t happy about being kidnapped and threatened and told who I was going to marry, but it turns out that I think Kieran and I are compatible.”
“I’ve been raising hell for a week, but I don’t think I’m going to get out of marrying Jamie or Mitch.”
I hope she doesn’t prefer Jamie over Mitch. “You won’t marry my brother. Jamie is already in love with someone. He will not give her up even for the good of the brotherhood.”
“Then that leaves me with Mitch. I need to know everything about him. Good or bad, I want to hear it all. Because I’m losing my mind thinking about marrying a man whom I’ve never met.”
Kieran says that Shaw has been irrational, but I see only a scared girl. “Mitch is kind and considerate and respectful. He’s slow to anger, but once he gets there, you better look out because he’s a beast. He may be the second-born son, but he is strong and loyal and dutiful to the brotherhood.”
“How old is he?”
“Just turned twenty-four.”
“Is he hideous-looking? Please don’t lie or sugarcoat it.”
I can’t control my laughter. “No. Mitch is a handsome man. Tall, muscular, fit. Dark hair. Deep brown eyes, but not nearly as dark as Kieran’s. Mitch’s are a rich shade of brown, like warm chocolate. All of the Fellowship women think he’s very good-looking. They’d all love to be claimed by him, but he’s never found one to interest him.”
“He’s not gay?”
“No. Mitch is definitely not gay.”
“I don’t think I’d mind him being gay. At least then he wouldn’t want to have sex with me.” She frowns and shakes her head. “I just can’t imagine doing it for the first time, or any time, with a man I don’t know.”
“It sounds crazy, and I don’t know how to explain it, but being intimate with Kieran doesn’t feel like being with a stranger.”
“I don’t understand how that’s possible. He is a stranger. You’ve just met.”
“We have this crazy, intense sexual chemistry. It’s out of this world. I guess it fuels the relationship.” I’m not sure what will happen between us after it plateaus.
“Don’t be fooled by my brother. He can be sweet when he wants to be, but he’s an asshole when it comes to women.” She doesn’t know the half of it. “They fall all over him like he’s some kind of king, and he doesn’t care whose heart he breaks as long as he gets what he wants.”
“Your brother has already clearly demonstrated what an asshole he can be. And I showed him what a bitch I can be, but we’ve talked and come to an understanding.”
“What kind of understanding?”
“If we must be married for the good of our brotherhoods, we’re going to make the best of it. Our marriage is going to be real.”
“Kieran has already claimed you?”
“Yes.”
“You were a virgin?”
“I was.”
“Was it horrible?” This poor girl looks terrified.
“No. I liked it.” I can’t stop my grin from spreading. “I liked it a lot.”
“I hate asking because it was with my brother, but what was it like?”
“Have your friends not told you about being claimed?”
“None of my friends have been claimed, and I’m not allowed to associate with girls who would allow men to bed them. My parents have sheltered me.”
Wow. This girl really has been guarded by Lennox and Arabella.
“I know the feeling all too well. My father threatened every brother within The Fellowship with severe mangling or death if they so much as looked my way.”
“Same. The men of The Syndicate acted as though I didn’t exist. I don’t know if it’s because they found me revolting or because they feared the wrath of my father and brothers.”
The only daughter with four very large older brothers. I can see where that would be intimidating for a boy who was interested in Shaw.
“You’re a beautiful girl. Surely you must know that no man could possibly find you revolting.”
She shrugs. “I have no way of really knowing when they avoid me like the plague.”
“I can promise you that Mitch will not find you revolting. He’ll think you are the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen.” They’ll make a very cute couple.
“You haven’t told me what the claiming was like. Please… I need someone besides my mother to tell me what’s going to happen.”
It’s awkward telling my young sister-in-law about being claimed. And it’s more awkward to tell her that I was really into it because her brother made me so horny. Definitely need to tone that part down. “Kieran wanted to make it good for me. He went slow and was gentle. I won’t lie to you. It still hurt… but not for long. A minute at most. The pleasure made me forget about the brief moment of pain.”
“I know his duty was to seal your bond. Do you think he did?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure about the timing because I haven’t been keeping up with my cycles.” If it didn’t happen, I suspect it will soon.
“It’ll be Mitch’s duty to seal our bond as soon as possible, but I don’t want to have a baby right now. Do you?”
“I’d prefer to wait, but I’m okay with it if it happens.” Actually, after being around Sin and Bleu’s babies, I might be more than okay with it.
“I’m not okay with it. Not even a little.”
“Your feelings might change if things go well between you and Mitch.”
“Do you really think things could go well between us?”
“If you’d asked me before tonight, I’d have said no. But after being claimed by Kieran, I know it could go very well.”
Shaw is younger, but her circumstances are different than mine. Better in a lot of ways. She’s been told by her family what’s going to happen. She’ll be delivered to Mitch, not stolen by him. Or threatened. Her family is encouraging this union. Her marriage to Mitch has real potential. “If anyone understands your uneasiness, it’s me. I truly believe that you could be happy with Mitch. Especially if you’re inclined to make it work, even a small bit.”
The door opens, and Kieran stills when he sees Shaw. “What the fuck are you doing in here?” His voice is a roar. A growl. So loud it’s nearly deafening. “I ordered you to not have contact with Westlyn until I said it was permitted.”
Shaw stands in place, saying nothing. I think terrified. Or pissed off. I can’t decide which, but I feel the need to shield her from Kieran’s wrath. “Don’t be angry. She just wanted to meet her new sister-in-law.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to protect me from this asshole.”
“Watch your mouth, Shaw. Despite what you may think, you’re not too big or old for me to belt.”
“You’re not my father.”
“And you’d better be damn glad of that because I wouldn’t overlook your bullshit as he does.”
Shaw bats her lashes and grins. “I have Dad wrapped around my little finger, don’t I?”
“Not for much longer. Your arse is getting carted off to The Fellowship in four days.”
“In four days?” The color leaves Shaw’s face. “You’re lying. Trying to piss me off for disobeying your order to keep away from your fiancée. And all because I have a brain and an opinion about what I want for my life.”
“You were born into the wrong family if you want to call the shots in your life. And I’m not lying. You’re going to The Fellowship in four days.”
/> “We’ll fucking see about that.” Shaw marches toward the door and yanks it open, slamming it closed on her way out.
“That’s the reason that I forbid her from seeing you. I knew she would behave like a brat.”
“She’s upset, and she has every right to be. No one wants to be told what they must do, and even more so when it involves marriage and sex. I bet you didn’t react well to being told you must marry me.”
“I damn sure wasn’t happy, but I didn’t throw a temper tantrum.”
“She’s an eighteen-year-old girl who has been with her mother her whole life. You’re a twenty-eight-year-old man who was taken from your mother and reared by your father and grandfather to become a powerful leader. Big difference.”
“True, and Mum has coddled her. I love Shaw, but she can be a brat when she doesn’t get her way.”
“She’s the baby and the only daughter with four older brothers. I’d be shocked if she weren’t spoiled and bratty.”
“Enough about Shaw. There are more pressing things to discuss.” Kieran takes my hand in his and tugs. “Come. We need to talk.”
We need to talk. Nothing good has ever followed those words.
I sit next to Kieran on the bed, and he cups his hands around mine. “Two Order women were killed and dumped on the steps of our compound tonight. Some of the brothers have come forth and placed blame on The Fellowship. They demand blood.”
“The Fellowship didn’t do that. You have to make them understand that it had to have been another brotherhood; neither Thane nor Sin would have ordered that.” It’s not our way.
“It wasn’t another brotherhood. It was The Order.”
“Are you sure?” I know The Order is ruthless, but that would mean that they killed two of their own women to frame The Fellowship. That takes a special kind of evil.