Page 211 of Conquered

CHAPTER NINETEEN

LILLY

The rest of dinner—orchestrated bullshit more like—flies by, but I don’t taste a thing of the delicious-looking meal, too busy trapped in my own head. It’s not that I don’t want to marry Ash, in fact, the idea fills me with an intense feeling of satisfaction. And there’s something almost relieving about belonging to someone officially, body and soul.

But what about the other three pieces of my soul? The other three men that own my body? How can I be happy being the wife of one, and not the others? We are all entwined until there is no separating us, will this change things?

“Ash,” Julian says, his voice finally breaking through my turbulent thoughts. “Why don’t you take your lovely fiancée back to Highgate? Jax and Kai can go with you.” Why not Loki too? I briefly glance at the cuntwaffle but decide not to raise a ruckus since the guys don’t seem to be too worried about it.

I hate the way he orders everyone around, tells us all what to do, and expects us to jump and do it. I can see that Ash feels the same, his hands clenched into fists under the table, his eyes fullof silver fire. Even so, he gets up, placing his napkin beside our dessert plates, his chocolate brownie untouched like mine.

“Shall we?” he asks in a low voice, holding his hand out for me to take.

I give him a brief smile, hating that I should be ecstatically happy, but am not. Most women are, I believe, when an impossibly beautiful man, who they love, proposes. Taking his hand, I, too, get out of my seat, feeling a gentle touch on my left hand. Turning to look down, I meet piercing blue eyes in a soft, round face.

“Congratulations, Lilly dear,” Jannet says softly, giving me a smile full of warmth. “It was wonderful to meet you.”

“You too,” I whisper, a lump in my throat, squeezing her fingers back briefly before letting them go and turning to face Ash once more.

I hear the others scrape back their chairs, Loki, Kai, and Jax getting to their feet as we walk past, Ash’s hand on my bare back a soothing warmth.

“Not you, Loki,” Julian’s voice cuts across the noise of our departure. “There’s something we need to discuss.”

Ash tenses up next to me, the hand on my lower back going completely still as we pause and I look back at Julian, then Loki who’s jaw clenches.

“Just Loki?” Ash asks his father, whose face darkens.

“I’m not in the habit of repeating myself, boy,” Julian replies through gritted teeth, all sense of joviality gone.

Ash simply turns back and urges me to carry on walking, even though I can feel waves of anger radiating off his taut body.

The mansion is a blur as we hurriedly walk through it, my heels clacking on the marble floors. I can’t help the sigh of relief that leaves my lips as we step outside, pausing to breathe in the frosty Colorado air, a sigh of relief leaving my lips even though the freezing night air has my teeth chattering within moments.

“Here,” I hear Kai say from behind me, and I’m suddenly engulfed in his woods after the rain scent as his suit jacket falls over my shoulders, still deliciously warm from his body.

“Thanks,” I reply gratefully, a shiver of a different kind skittering over my skin as he places a gentle kiss on my cheek.

“Let’s go,” Ash commands, his tone hard. I know, like the rest of us, he just wants to get out of here as much as I do, plus is more than likely worried about leaving Loki behind. “Jax, I’m driving. Lilly’s up front.”

“You staking your claim already,brother?” Jax snarls, stepping up into Ash’s face, glaring down at him. Ash grinds his teeth together so hard I’m surprised that they don’t crack.

“That wasn’t a request,” he growls out. “Give me your damn keys, and get in the fucking truck.”

They stare at each other for several moments, huge chests heaving, and a spark of guilt flashes in my chest. I don’t want to come between them, to disrupt their bond.

“Hey,” I say, stepping closer, placing a hand on Jax’s forearm which is vibrating with tension. “Not here. Let’s just get back, okay? Then you can go all caveman and throw me over your shoulder.” The last part earns a small twitch from Jax’s lips, a relieved smile falling from mine.

With a final growl, he tosses the keys at Ash, who deftly catches them, as he walks towards his truck, parked where we left it on the drive. Kai follows, jogging to catch up.

“Come on then, Princess,” Ash says with a sigh, taking hold of my hand and leading us towards the vehicle.

A chilly breeze slips through Kai’s jacket, and looking up into a starless sky, I can’t help the feeling that this is just the start of something that will change us all irrevocably.

LOKI

I sit there, surrounded by these people, monstrous shadows dancing around them in the candlelight, half drunk champagne glasses littering the table. I’m glad the others have left, especially Lilly.

God, how am I going to tell her?