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“No,” Theon answered dismissively, still not looking at his father. “I have been busy.” He fed another piece of pie to Tessa before taking a bite of his own.

Tessa was so flustered she didn’t know what to do with herself. After the gardens, he had taken care of her. Then she’d woken up, and he’d given her the cold shoulder. Now he was feeding her dessert? He was going from hot to cold to hot again so quickly, she didn’t know what to expect from one moment to the next.

“Then I suggest taking a break and looking them over before you leave for Rockmoor,” Valter replied tightly. “Unless you wish for me to simply make the decision for you?”

“Of course not,” Theon snapped. “If someone is going to be required to be by my side for the rest of my life, I will damn well be deciding who that someone will be.”

“Just make sure the contract is contingent upon production of an acceptable heir,” Valter went on. “I want a clause in there stating if she cannot produce a sufficient heir within a certain timeframe, the contract is null and void, and you are free to pursue another Match.”

“There will be far more contingencies than that in my Match Contract.”

“And there should be,” Valter agreed with an arrogant smirk. “No one gets to simply join the Arius ruling family without proving their worth.”

“Agreed,” Theon answered, bringing another bite to Tessa’s mouth. She couldn’t help the soft hum that escaped her at the decadence hitting her tastebuds again, and Theon’s eyes went even brighter, some of that darkness leaving them. He set the fork down and brought his thumb to the corner of her lips, swiping up a drop of caramel that had landed there before pushing it into her mouth. He held her gaze as she swiped her tongue along the pad of his thumb, then he was suddenly pushing her to her feet.

“Anything else this evening, Father?”

“Make sure you review those files, Theon,” Valter answered pointedly before waving them off in dismissal. Theon didn’t reach for her. He simply left her to follow him as he moved to the door. Luka and Axel got to their feet as well. A Fae opened the double doors, but before Theon exited the dining room, he paused and looked over his shoulder.

“Just so we are clear, Father, if anyone lays a hand on what is mine without my permission again, they will beg for Arius to come for them before I am through, whether or not we have an alliance with them.” Theon’s voice was low and dangerous and full of dark promises. Valter narrowed his eyes at his son. “They will wish for the Pits over what I will do to them.”

Tessa expected Valter to become angry at being told such a thing, but instead, a cruel grin curled at the corner of his lips. “I would expect nothing else from the Arius heir, Theon.”

20

TESSA

Tessa followed Theon out of the dining room, Luka and Axel brushing past her without a word or glance. Seriously, why was she getting the cold shoulder from all three of them? Luka was a broody ass, so he didn’t particularly surprise her, but Axel?

“I thought you were going to lose it in there,” Axel said when they reached the stairwell.

“I nearly did, but it wouldn’t have done any good. Not yet anyway,” Theon answered. His entire body was tense. She could see his muscles coiled and tight beneath his suit jacket while she followed behind him. He was back to cold again, and she didn’t know if she should speak or not. She hated feeling so godsdamn unsettled.

“I think he got the message,” Luka said grimly.

Axel huffed a laugh. “You think? The look on his face when Theon pulled Tessa into his lap was priceless. He knows Theon will be just as powerful as he is soon, if not more so. That is why he is so concerned about her element. You know it. I know it. The fucking Fates know it.”

There was a spring in Axel’s step, as if this was the most exciting news of the evening. But that was why Theon had pulled her into his lap? To make a subtle jab at his father that he would soon be more powerful as soon as he could draw power from her?

“What are you doing, Tessa?”

She looked up to find the three of them standing in front of the suite door. Theon’s eyes were narrowed on her. She had stopped moving when they’d turned down their hallway. All she would ever be to him was a pawn in a game among the Legacy. A piece of property to be used however her Master saw fit. The documents Theon had shown her days ago flashed through her mind, and she was suddenly crushed under the weight of missing Dex and Lange and her friends. People who wanted her for her, not what she could give them.

“Tessalyn,” Theon snapped again.

She drew in a deep breath, pushing it out as she forced her feet to move. They stepped aside to let her enter first, none of them saying a word.

“Cards tonight?” Axel asked, immediately stripping off his suit jacket and loosening his tie.

“I can’t do cards. I need to look at those fucking files and figure out who this female is I am to meet in a couple days,” Theon groused, going straight to the kitchen and pouring himself another glass of whiskey.

“Pool or darts then?” Axel asked, grabbing a bag by the door and moving towards the bathroom.

“Either is fine,” Theon replied. “Tessa, come change.”

She followed him through the bedroom and into the closet. He pulled out leggings and a thermal before turning to face her. Crooking a finger in her direction, he beckoned her closer. She pursed her lips, her hands going to her hips as she glared back at him. When she didn’t move, he said in a low tone, “Come here.”

“I don’t need your assistance to change,” she retorted.