Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Xavier gets up, buttoning his suit jacket as he stands. His eyes meet mine and some of the anxiety starts to go away.
“That was incredible!” Victoria rushes out, speeding around me to get to Xavier. I suddenly pick up on a new feeling from her, one that I hadn’t noticed before. She thinks I’m just a lowly human and Xavier should be with someone better matched for him. Someone—shockingly—like her. She’s not the first person to be jealous of me solely because I’m married to Xavier, and honestly, I don’t blame her.
I would be jealous, too.
Xavier is a force of a man and if we’re going just on what you can see on the outside, he’s a solid ten out of ten. Good looking, rich, powerful, and respected by humans and vampires alike—that’s enough to make anyone jealous, right? But then when you get to know him, really know him, there’s so much more to love about Xavier Malus.
“Now when you leave,” Victoria goes on. “You’re going to go through the front so the cameras are on you. I need you looking weak and scared, Wren.”
“Why?” I ask, making a face. “I’m weak or scared.”
Theo, who’s standing off to the side but can hear everything said thanks to vampire hearing, narrows his eyes ever so slightly.
“You’re a human and—” she starts but I interrupt her.
“That doesn’t make me weak or scared and you know I’m a witch.”
Victoria presses her lips together and her feelings of not liking me get stronger. I exhale and try to close off that part of my mind before I start acting bitchy, too. “Unless you’re ready to come out to the general public about that, we need you to be as relatable as possible for our human viewers.”
“Right,” I chide, just loving being reminded that my marriage to Xavier was purely a political move. What we have now is real, but the rest of the world might not be convinced and I don’t care what anyone in the VC thinks. “I don’t know how to look weak or scared.”
“Just be yourself,” Xavier says, stepping closer. “Having the public see you confident and assured is the better option.” He looks from me to Victoria, and there’s something about his expression that makes me think they’ve had this discussion before.
“I agree,” I quickly say. “Looking scared makes it seem like I don’t have faith in my husband.”
“She’s right,” Theo agrees, zooming over. “What would it say about our family if one of our own is worried about her safety? That’s not reassuring the public they have nothing to fear.”
Victoria recovers with a smile. “Right. So, just, uh, look human. Breath and like cough or something.”
“Got it,” I say. “I’ll sound like a smoker with bronchitis.”
“That might be a little dramatic, but okay.” She smiles and then reaches into her pocket, pulling out her phone to take a call.
“Governor Richards has invited us for drinks,” Theo tells Xavier.
“It’s weird how normal it is to invite you over for dinner or drinks when you don’t eat dinner or drink, isn’t it?” I muse out loud and Xavier gives me a half smile as he takes my hand, linking my fingers through his.
“Apparently, the Reapers are not happy with your new hero complex the media is giving you,” Theo goes on. The Reapers are a gang and part of the Malus coalition. “It might also have something to do with you stabbing a fork through their leader’s hand.”
“The ground rules are very simple,” Xavier replies calmly. “Don’t disrespect anyone in the family.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you, brother,” Theo goes on and I can tell his patience is wearing thin. “But I will remind you of a previous issue.” He raises his eyebrows, not wanting to say it out loud. Right. There’s a mole in the coalition. Someone tipped off the Church of the New Dawn about our last meeting, and people died because of it. “And the invitation was extended to just you and I.”
Xavier’s grip on my hand tightens and looks up into his pretty blue eyes before he has a chance to tell Theo I’m his wife and no one can tell me not to come.
“I’m fine with sitting this one out,” I say. “I’m tired. Like a weak human, I suppose.”
Understanding my sarcasm, Xavier just gives my right hand a little squeeze. “Then let’s get you home.” He looks into my eyes and my heart swells in my chest. Things are bad. Like the worst they’ve even been. But really and truly, standing here with Xavier’s large hand holding mine, I feel like everything will be okay.
“What the hell, Wren?” Antonio exclaims as soon as step into the house, closing the garage door behind me. Devon and I just got home after being dropped off so Theo and Xavier can meet with the Governor at his house.