Page 9 of A Queen and HER Bad Boy (Spies and Royals #4)

Why did it feel like he’d never touched a woman before? He’d played the field, more than he should, but this was Bris! Her brilliant hazel eyes closed expectantly. That was immensely helpful—they’d been giving him stage fright.

He brought her close, his lips brushing against hers in a spark that burst into an explosion of uncontrollable fire…

He was in trouble! So much trouble! He was no stranger to kisses, but hers were unlike any he’d ever felt.

He’d suspected as much. She’d always been one step from igniting like a seismic eruption, but now she slammed into him like a lava flow.

His arm tightened around her waist, drawing her flush against him as he captured her mouth more fully.

She responded with a breathless intensity that made his pulse thunder, her hands fisting in his shirt as if anchoring herself to him.

Everything about her touch burned him through from his toes to his ears, and he only wanted more.

A soft noise escaped her lips. His hands gripped her fiercely, even as he tore away, breathing heavily, avoiding her father’s eyes, the priest’s, Deedee’s.

Oh, that stupid camera!

Everyone would know exactly what he thought of his bride now!

“… you love my daughter…”

Curse Chises Mnon’s eyes. Meanwhile Bris caught at her breath, and he felt like an untamed monster, especially since he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her away so he could take his time with his wife, away from this audience.

He’d kiss her the way she should be kissed.

And she was shaking. He felt her body shuddering against his.

Yeah, monster! Every part of him melted with pity. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her into a comforting embrace that had nothing to do with his racing heart. Lowering his mouth to her ear, so that only she could hear, he whispered, “I’ve got your back, Prissy.”

She sniffed. Wait, that hadn’t made her cry, had it? That had the opposite reaction than he wanted. She lifted her eyes to his, and he saw one hateful tear escape, followed by another. “Oh Achilles.” She buried her head into his chest. “Thank you!”

This was a good thing, right? He hadn’t completely overstepped his bounds then? He ran his hands over her back, hating himself for loving the feel of her and wanting this to be more than a cold contract, but a loving, breathing marriage to his fiery, tempestuous girl.

With difficulty, he stopped himself from kissing her cheek, her ear, any part of her that was left exposed to him. He’d never stop! That would have to wait. Already the priest watched them with uncertainty. The man already suspected shady dealings afoot.

Deedee ran up to them with a shriek. “I’ll be the first to say, ‘I knew it!’ Ha!

And you were playing so coy earlier, Bris!

Oh girly, I suspected you liked the guy, but you never had me guessing that you were planning on wrapping this hot mess up in a bow and putting a ring on it tonight!

Congratulations! You absolutely had me shook! ”

Achilles turned to her, doing his best to act natural, which was hard when he had his arm around Bris, who just happened to be his bride. “Are you saying ‘congratulations that we fooled you or congratulations that we got married?’”

“Both!” She hugged them both at the same time.

“Your Royal Highness? Is that what we call you now? You know, Venice’s wedding to Livvy was fantastic, but this!

Yeah, I nearly cried… I mean, I’m crying now because you just boosted my follower count to double.

We’ve got a viral video on my hands.” She swiped at her misty eyes.

“Anyway, be sure to invite me to the next event. I want front row seats again.”

That was a negative.

Deedee took a sudden interest in the priest. “Is this the first midnight wedding that you’ve officiated?”

“I’ve had the pleasure of officiating only one like this before, but since Chises Mnon seemed so desperate to get them out of the country…

I made an exception to my usual rules.” His soft answer only invited more questions from the intrepid reporter as she followed him out the back door with her camera phone.

“Why did we invite her again?” Achilles asked.

Bris waited for the door to close behind her. “My father said that Venice’s life was in danger if we didn’t marry, so I thought that the world should know just in case—just in case, you know. Why? Do you think it was a bad idea?”

Venice’s life was in danger? He didn’t believe it for a second. Achilles was so blinded in fury at the manipulation her father had used against Bris that he couldn’t immediately answer. He glowered at Chises Mnon. “Why would Venice’s life be in danger?” he hissed.

“That is confidential information,” her father said with a dismissive wave.

“The High Consortium,” Bris said. “They said there was a target on his back.”

Was it true? Would these rich bullies resort to murder?

All he knew of the High Consortium was that they were titled nobility and corporate overlords who controlled Tirreoy’s mines, banks, media empires, and shipping routes, treating the nation like their personal chess board “They’d kill your own son? ”

Bris’s fingers found his.

“You are not to worry about them,” Chises Mnon said, his tone suggesting Achilles was a child fretting over shadows.

“You’ll find they’re quite reasonable when properly managed.

After all, they need us as much as we need them—particularly when it comes to legitimizing Briseis’s claim to the throne. ”

Achilles stiffened—this was why Bris would never be his, not truly. Her father would craft any lie or make any deal to be in control. It was bad enough to be his puppets, but who was this shadow organization they were working with?

Again, he remembered that he wore the ring his mother had given him. Would he actually have to use it?

The doors flew open, and Venice rushed through in all his wedding finery—his linen shirt creased and his usually immaculate appearance showing signs of whatever desperate journey had brought him here.

But there was something in the steely confidence that he held himself, that made him look more like a future king than the puppets who’d replaced him. “I object!”

His father laughed to the side of them. “You’re a little late, Venice.

You’ve been ousted from your kingdom for your rebellion.

Congratulations! Your sister will rule in your stead.

” And then ignoring his son like he was nothing but a gaping fish, he tilted his head at his daughter and new son-in-law.

“Be ready to leave here in a half hour. Your plane is leaving promptly for Tirreoy.” He made a swift exit without another word to his son.

Venice glared after him, but surprisingly his wrath was mostly reserved for Achilles. He stepped in front of him, so that he couldn’t leave him as fast as his father did. “What have you done?”

Achilles knew how this would look like a betrayal, and he hated himself for it. He stepped away from Bris and tried to lead Venice away from her. “Admit it, Venice,” he lowered his voice, “You’re happy that you’re free of Tirreoy.”

Venice’s face reddened, but he didn’t disagree either. “I never took you for someone who wanted to take on the responsibility for yourself.”

“Because I don’t.”

Venice sputtered out in anger. “I knew it! What does he have on you?”

His mother’s life, for one. Achilles was sure that the prince would have no patience for pardoning the traitors that had tried to murder him. “He tied my hands,” he answered simply.

“And Bris?” Venice hissed. “How did my father convince her to go through with it?”

“Venice!” Bris refused to be left out, and just like when they were kids, she scrambled forward. “If you’re going to blame anyone, blame me! What girl doesn’t want to be the queen she was meant to be?”

Lies. Bris was trying to spare her brother the truth, but it wouldn’t be fair. “Your father used you to make her do it,” Achilles said bluntly. “He said you’d be assassinated.”

Venice’s reddened face immediately turned a chalky white. “I can’t believe…”

“If he’s telling the truth…” Achilles began… then they were all in trouble.

Bris threw her arms around her brother. “Venice, please! At least you’re free now. Don’t be mad.”

“I can’t… I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at our father!

I’m mad at myself. I should’ve seen…” Venice closed his eyes while Bris tried to comfort him with a tighter embrace.

He sagged against it, though when his startling hazel eyes snapped back open, they caught Achilles in its watering gaze.

“All I ask is you protect my baby sister. Do you hear me, Achilles?”

“Yes!” Achilles said, and the admission cracked something open inside his chest. If he was being truly honest, Venice’s broken plea had been the driving force behind everything—the real reason he’d thrown himself into this nightmare.

The thought of Bris hurt, unprotected, lost —it would have destroyed him in ways he couldn’t even name. “I’ll protect her with my life.”

Even if that meant going against his baser nature. His lips still burned from their kiss earlier, his whole body begged for him to take Bris back in his arms and go right back to sealing their vows.

He let out a ragged breath. Yeah, that was hardly chivalrous, was it? He was really glad Venice couldn’t read his mind. After how electrifying becoming her husband had been, becoming Bris’s unwavering knight errant would be more difficult than he could’ve ever imagined.