Page 28 of On Edge

“This again?” His jaw tightens. “This isn’t a negotiation.”

“You’re right, it’s not. There is no negation. We are getting married. ”

What am I saying?Why am I trying to convince him to let me stay?

Because I can’t kill him tonight.

I need more time.

“Marriage?” He laughs, a harsh sound without humor. “We are not getting married. Whatever your father told you?—”

And because you don’t want to run back to Daddy a failure,Nell titters over him.

Better the devil you don’t know.

Shaking, I breathe hard, my mind racing, as I force my voice to stay even. “Have you even read the marriage contract?”

“Of course I’ve read it.”

“And you signed it.”

He pauses, pretty green eyes boring into me. “A formality. It was part of a suite of contracts, but it’s not finalised until weactuallyget married, which we’re not.”

My heart feels like it’s being squeezed as I stare right back. “Right. But the…you know…the morality clause.”

Severon’s eyes narrow. “What about it?”

He doesn’t know, and why would he? He doesn’t know my family, unlike me. Father’s a crook at the best of times and loves to gloat about how he never plays fair. And now he’s screwed Severin over (and me), and the supposed demon in the boardroom, sitting across from me, doesn’t even know it.

“Well, I’m staying here, unchaperoned and…I slept in your bed. I’m not sure what that implies in legal terms, but my Father has a very strict view of propriety if certain lines are crossed. He always sends the family doctor for this sort of thing.” My mouth feels bone dry. ‘If you were to say, take my…my innocence, for example, then the contract stands as if we were married.”

For a moment, Severin just glowers at me. Then something dark clicks into place behind his eyes. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

I wish I were.

He pulls out his phone, scrolling quickly, searching for something. Then he curses under his breath and stands abruptly, making a call, probably to his lawyers.

“Stay thefuckhere.”

He storms from the room, the floorboards creaking underfoot. As he passes behind me, phone pressed to his ear, I flinch so hard I knock the knife off my lap,again. It clatters to the ground with a sharp clang. His voice, low and furious, echoes from the hallway as I reach down to pick it up.

I hate myself.

I’m a horrible person.

But I almost sigh with relief. He’s no longer razing me with those cut-glass green eyes.

But then I feel just as nauseated as when I was told about the archaic clause the first time. Even though it’s all a bluff, and nothing has happened, and Severin and I both know it.

The only proof would be if Dr Fogg did come…

I swallow hard. If it comes to that, I’ll fix it. I could ride a horse or something.

When Severin returns, his face is a rigid mask of control. I barely have enough time to steel myself for another confrontation. He glares from the doorway, gaze flicking to mine. “Katherine, can you come in here, I want you to witness this.”

Mrs. Oakley steps into the room from the kitchen, drying her hands on her apron. She looks confused.

Severin stalks over to me and looks down. The disdain on his face is very clear. I don’t want to look at him, but I force myself to, keeping my chin up.