Page 58 of Karma

I pull away enough to see the barely concealed fury on his face as he continues to glare down at Hilary.

“I already warned you what would happen if you touch her. Hear this: if you say one more word about my wife, I’ll have you thrown out of the Order.”

Holy shit.

I’ve never heard him sound so cold.

The Used is spitting mad. “I hope she’s worth it. Because, I promise you, none of us will ever welcome you again after the way you let her treat me on our turf.”

He goes from cold to fiery in a heartbeat as he uses his full-strength to whirl me around with him. I wasn’t expecting it. Between one step and another, I’m flying, my back slamming into Sebastien’s chest again as he holds me to him, forcing me to look at the woman rising shakily from the floor.

No. He’s forcing her to look atme.

“Annalise Reynolds is my wife. She’s fucking gorgeous, and that’s only on the outside. You think I’ll come crawling back to the Court when I get to call this woman mine? For a beer maybe with my brothers, or to take my wife out dancing. But I will never call on one of the Used again. Do you understand me?”

She thins her lips, glaring at him.

“Hilary. I said, do you understand me?”

This is a side of Sebastien I’ve never seen before. He took my jealousy and my rage and maxed it. No. Hebeatit.

And I… Iloveit.

Possibly as much as I love him.

Uh-oh.

Where the hell did that thought come from? I’m not sure, but when Sebastien dares anyone to stop him from leaving the dance floor… when he daresmeto stop him from taking me with him… all I do is let him whisk me away, hoping I can escape the sudden realization that slammed into me.

Maybe I escaped that.

I sure didn’t escape the need to suddenly claim me that’s come over my fake husband.

EIGHTEEN

MINE

SEBASTIEN

One thing I just discovered about myself?

There is nothing that revs my engine more than seeing my wife lose control. Really, she only had herself to blame for setting me off like this…

Okay. So Hilary touched my arm. I barely noticed, except for a twinge of annoyance that she wasn’t Annaliese. It meant nothing to me, and I thought for old times’ sake I should let her down gently, showing her my wedding ring, letting her know that I was taken.

Her flirty-ness meant nothing to me.

It obviously meant everything to my wife.

I saw the way Annaliese’s delicate jaw went hard, her cheeks hollowing as she sucked in a furious breath. Ajealousbreath.

Then Hilary fucked up. She giggled, putting on an act, dragging her fingers up to my shoulder as though my wedding band was the same as any other decoration. Dallas’s spade tattoo. Adrian’s earrings. Connor’s scar.

No, sweetheart. It was a sign that I’m taken, and I’m not like other Owed. The moment I said ‘I do’ to Annaliese, I followed in Adrian’s footsteps, declaring the Used off-limits.

Too bad Hilary didn’t get the memo.

Before I could peel her possessive hand off my shoulder, Annaliese moved. I saw the moment her usual ice shattered, revealing a heated fury that made her radiant a split second before she reared back her hand and swung.