Page 89 of Bite Me

“Yours.” Daniel’s eyes soften.

My blood runs cold. My brother gives up his seat next to me for her. Across the table, Emma coughs on her coffee cake, and white casts over her skin in shock.

“Dacre. Meet Valeria Esteria.”

A woman with dark green hair smiles brightly at me and extends her hand. She’s dressed for a cocktail party, with a structured, tight dress and lavish jewelry adorning her neck and wrists.

The Esteria family is a Were legacy family. I can’t meet her gaze or feel her hand as my body moves to greet her with a handshake.

My grandfather set me up with a contractual marriage and didn’t tell me.

Emma is on her feet, making her way across the room. Before I can process what’s happening, I mumble a quick apology to Valeria so I can dip out the door. I’m hot on her trail. I can’t let her get away. The further the distance between us, the harder my heart pounds. I’m not losing her.

Emma doesn’t stop moving as she passes through the front doors and leads us into the estate garden. Cool, salty air hits my face. The trickling fountain glimmers in the light of the moons in the sky, and a faint sprinkle of rain speckles my coat.

I manage to catch her hand, and we halt in front of the rose hedge.

“Would you stop running, please?”

“You’re engaged, and you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t know. I promise. This is as much news to me as it is to you.”

“Are you going to accept?”

“No. I . . . don’t know. I have to come up with a plan. I need time—”

She goes to bolt again, and I block her path.

“You just had to pull me into all of this. All I wanted to do was cook, and every time I try to enjoy being a little closer to my dream, something happens with you, and I can’t. This is all your fault.”

“I didn’t want this.”

“I don’t need a lecture on how much you don’t want me,” she huffs.

I close the distance between us till I’m staring down at her. “Who said I didn’t want you?”

“You . . . over and over.”

Emma points her chin toward me. Close enough to touch . . . to lean in . . . to kiss.

“How was I supposed to predict my grandfather would arrange a marriage for me? He’s never done something like this before. He always tells me.”

She sighs. “Yeah, well. That’s convenient for you to say after you convinced me to do things with you earlier today.”

“You think I’m lying to get you into bed with me or something?”

“I don’t know! How am I supposed to believe anything you say?”

“Because you’re the only person I’ve ever told the truth to. I’m not lying to you. I want you, and I’m not letting it end like this because my grandfather decided he wanted to fuck up my life.”

None of it budges the anger in her eyes. I test a hand at her waist, then in her hair. She rolls her eyes but leans with her hips till our chests are touching.

“Why are you so stubborn?” I ask.

“I guess if you can’t handle it—”

I pull at the hair at her neck and seize her mouth with mine. Her hot breath fills my mouth, and all my control slips away.