Page 93 of Captive Audience

He didn’t speak right away. His eyes dropped to my hand and the oversize emerald ring he thought marked me as his.

When his gaze lifted, something inside it had shifted. Less steel, more sorrow. “When this is over, I promise I’ll let you go.”

“Forever?” I whispered. “No jail time? No manipulating me into coming back?”

“Aye.” His voice was quiet. “But I won’t stop watching over you, Asha. I’ll never promise that.”

He stepped around me, walked into the bathroom, and shut the door.

I stood there staring at the blank space Rook had left behind, my heart aching in an uncomfortable way.

And in the stillness, one truth cut through me more painfully than any forced vow. No matter how things ended, I wouldn’t make it out of this marriage unscathed.

37

ASHA

Sitting at my computer, I heard voices in the living room. One was Finn’s. The other, feminine and confident, floated closer with the staccato rhythm of heels on marble.

A statuesque woman appeared in the doorway. She wore a strapless red maxi dress that clung to her curves, and had a spiked black clutch tucked under her arm. Long dark waves, scarlet lips, stunning blue eyes. Colorful tattoos adorned her décolletage and toned arms.

“Hi.” She smiled warmly and waved with a wiggle of her fingers. “You must be Asha. I’m Orla. Rook’s cousin.”

I guessed Rook’s family was finally coming to check out his surprise bride.

She crossed the room and extended her hand. I shook it, momentarily distracted by the melodic Irish lilt in her voice. It was softer than Rook’s but just as distinctive and disarming.

“Nice to meet you,” I said.

Orla winced. “Is it? You have every right to hate our family.”

“So you know why I’m here?”

“Aye. Aidan, Tor, and I are the only ones. For what it’s worth, I’m really sorry about all of this.”

I leaned back in the chair and propped my elbows on the armrests. “I appreciate you saying that.” I doubted I’d ever get an apology from Rook.

Orla folded her arms. “Aidan told me about the shotgun wedding, but he never mentioned how pretty you are.”

“Thanks. So are you. And there was no shotgun involved. Just Xanax.”

“Christ almighty.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “These men are something else.”

“Tell me about it.”

Her gaze dropped to my left hand. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. That’s the biggest bloody protection ring I’ve ever seen.”

She reached for my hand when I held it out.

“You mean my ball and chain?”

Orla chuckled and released me. “Just so you know, they usually look like this.”

She showed me hers. It was a gorgeous ring, but the stone was half the size of mine. Since it was on her right hand, I figured she wore it because she was family, not because she’d married a Beast.

“This might be a strange question,” I said. “Is yours…stuck?”

She blinked. “No. Why?”