Unease tracks across the nape of my neck like the spindly legs of a daddy longlegs.
The swift change from infuriated to congenial is disturbing as fuck.
“If there aren’t any questions, you’re free to go.” When no one speaks up, Asad nods, and everyone shoves their chairs back and stands, talking among themselves as they head for the door. Me included. I take a step in the same direction, but Asad’s hand, still clamped around my hip, tightens.
“Stay,” he murmurs before dipping his chin at two people, a man and woman, who approach him. “Everything good?” he cryptically asks. They nod, and he turns to me. “Ember, I want to formally introduce you to Eli and Makeda.”
“Hi, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say.
“You, too,” Makeda replies, her intense gaze staring into mine almost to the point of discomfort.
“Same.” Eli smiles.
The three of them start engaging in a low conversation, and I tune them out.
My heart makes a jailbreak for my throat, and my mind howls an objection. I’m not ready to be alone with him. Not after last night. I haven’t even had time to fully process how I feel about giving my biggest enemy something no one has ever had—my body, my virginity. I don’t trust him. Damn sure don’t like him. He and his mother made my childhood a living hell while I was still suffering through the most traumatizing experience of my life—my mother’s death. Heismy trauma.
And yet…
I shake my head, try to take another step, but again, his hold on me tightens. Harder.
Yet, I allowed him inside me. Was more exposed with him than I have been with anyone else. No, I don’t trust Asad with my well-being, my safety, hell, my life, but I did my body… my pleasure. I trusted him not to hurt me. Not to take advantage of me in my vulnerability.
No, I don’t want to “stay.”
I want to get as far from him as possible.
Except for Michelle and Kareem, almost all of the street bosses pour out of the room, but Sam heads in our direction, his dark, penetrating stare fixed on me. I brace myself, already knowing what he’s about to hit me with.
I sigh. “Sam—”
“Congratulations are in order,” he interrupts, the resonant, deep voice that intimidates in the courtroom directed at me. I’m immune to that fear tactic, but not to the disappointment in his eyes. Regret swims in my stomach. “Let me speak to you. Privately.”
Asad breaks off his conversation with Eli, his new enforcer he called Makeda, and a petite woman with lovely ebony skin and beautiful lemonade braids, and turns to us, his silver gaze skimming over me and focusing on Sam.
“This isn’t your business, Sam,” he warns.
My godfather frowns, not cowering in the face of Asad’s threatening tone.
“Anything having to do with Ember is my business, Prince. That’s not going to change, whether she’s your fiancée or not.”
The two men stare at each other, and the tension crackles on the air.
“Hello, still standing here.” I wave between them, fighting not to roll my eyes. “I’m not some bone to be fought over. I can make my own decisions about who I can and cannot speak to. I don’t need his”—I jab a finger in Asad’s direction—“permission, Sam.” Asad fucked this pussy; he didn’t shoot my mother’s up. So he doesn’t get to dictate my actions like he’s my parent.
Makeda snorts, but Asad bows his head over mine.
“Don’t get fucked-up in here. You know I don’t care about audiences,” he threatens.
And I hate the ripple of heat that courses down my spine.
Ignoring the warning, I curl my hand around Sam’s arm. “We can talk over here.”Herebeing across the room and in the far corner. “Be right back,” I say to Asad with an arch of my eyebrow.
Maybe he sees the “I will cut the fuck up” in my face, because after a moment, he nods and turns back to his people. Michelle and Makeda join him as we depart.
As soon as Sam and I are a safe distance where ears can’t pick up on our conversation, he lights into me.
“What the hell is going on here, Ember? Why am I just finding out that you’re engaged? And to Asad Prince of all people? Last we talked, you hated him and planned on leaving House of Cross, and now you’remarrying him? Is he forcing you? Is that it?” he cross-examines me. “Because if that’s what’s going on here, I’m putting a stop to it right fucking now.”