Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Cian leans against the wall as though he’s completely unconcerned with his guilt in the matter. “I might have been hiding a bit of coin from you. I bought Meggie a dress, and the village women liked her so much they sewed her a few pieces. You couldn’t expect her to wear the same thing every day. Where are you getting this from? She meets with those same women every other day for sewing lessons. They adore her. Everyone loves her. She’s fitting in beautifully. Even the bloody goblins respect her. As for the stall she set up in the market, those kids are taking a cut. Meg does the baking, and the Shaw kids handle the selling. They take half the damn profits.”
“What the hell is she doing selling stuff at market?” I’m confused by the entire situation.
“Making money,” Meg says quietly from the doorway.
I turn quickly, taking in her frown. She’s straightened her clothes and put on an apron. Her auburn hair is pulled back in a neat bun. She looks every bit the proper Fae wife about to cook her husbands’ dinner. I miss the naughty schoolgirl.
Perhaps she’s been trying to help. Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear enough. It’s no wonder she’s not happy with me. She thinks I can’t take care of us, and she’s scared.
“I took care of it,” I explain. “We should have enough coin to see us through the winter.”
Meg’s eyes dull. She shrugs as though it doesn’t mean anything to her. “I’ll keep it for myself if you don’t want it.” She moves toward the kitchen. “And I’ll make sure to pay the women for their clothes. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
And I’ve somehow stepped into it again. “Meg…”
She holds up a hand to stop me. “Just leave me a list of what I’m supposed to do and I’ll get it done, Beck. I’ll shut down the bakery stall, or I’ll work it myself from now on.”
“I didn’t say that.” Damn it. I don’t want to argue with her. “You’re deliberately misunderstanding me.”
“No, I’m being realistic,” she says, her back stiffening with pride. “I’m not going to win with you. I could try to be this proper lady you want, but you’ll always remember that you bought me in a marketplace. I’ll always be a reminder that you didn’t get to be with the bondmate you were promised.”
I turn to my brother, shocked at her words and looking to the only possible explanation for them. “Does she think we’re pining for Maris? Where did she get that?”
“Not from me.” Cian shudders at the thought. “She knows how I felt about Maris. The best thing about having our kingdom ripped from us was not having to bed her. She damn near froze off my willy every time I stood next to her. I can’t imagine having to put it in her.”
“She wasn’t your type, baby,” Meg says with an intimate smile that doesn’t include me. “She was Beck’s. Look, I’ve thought a lot about this while you were gone. I realize that you married me to save Ci. That doesn’t mean you have to pay for it the rest of your life. I haven’t talked about this with Ci yet, so I hope I’m not being too forward, but I think we get along well. I love him, I really do.”
“I love you, too, darlin’,” Cian replies sweetly with a wink.
“So I think that Ci and I should find our own place to live,” Meg continues, sounding very sensible. She sounds like she’s explaining her plans to redecorate, not ripping my heart out. “Cian built this house. He can build a new place for us, and I’ll help him. We wouldn’t ask anything of you. I’m making money now, and Cian knows how to farm. All we need is some land. I think it’s best if we make it a clean break. I’ll be close so I can still do the bridge thing, but you can find someone more suitable.”
“Are you asking me for a divorce?” The question comes out as a low growl.
Meg puts her hands on her hips. Her eyes are suspiciously bright. “It hasn’t been much of a marriage, has it? I embarrass you at every turn. You don’t enjoy sleeping with me. It’s for the best. I promise, though, that I will try to fix whatever I did wrong in the village. I thought they liked me. I thought I was fitting in. Do you mind telling me who said those things about me? Maybe if I talked to them, I could figure out how to make it better.”
My mind is still on the fact that my wife is trying to leave. I speak without thinking. “It was Liadan.”
“Oh, fuck,” Cian mutters under his breath.
Meg’s hazel eyes become dangerously narrow slits. “Liadan?”