Page 27 of Ruined Kingdom

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“You like Italian?” He pauses as if he’s expecting an answer.

“You’ll get to meet our uncle,” Bastian adds, then turns to me. “Is his cunt wife going to be there?”

“What is this about?” I ask.

“We will arrive arm in arm, a couple in love for all the world to see, including your brother,” Amadeo says as Bastian drinks his whiskey.

My mouth falls open.

“We’ll announce our engagement then,” Amadeo continues.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask, my throat dry because I’m sure I didn’t hear correctly.

“We’re going to get married, Vittoria.”

“Married?”

I nod.

“I’m not marrying you, Amadeo.”

“You are.”

“I’m… Why?”

“Because I said so.”

“No. Why would you want that? You hate me.”

“It’s not a love match I seek, Dandelion.”

“I don’t understand. Why would you want this?”

“You sound like a broken record.”

“Then answer my question.”

“That’s my business.”

“But—”

“We can make you, of course, but my brother is willing to give you something in exchange for your cooperation,” Bastian kindly adds, and I note that he specifies it’s Amadeo who is making a trade. Not him. “That’s the point of our meeting. It’s why you’re here now and not in your prison as you mentioned earlier. My brother is too kind.”

My hands unclench, my muscles relax. “You need me,” I say, finally understanding. Neither of them answers. They just watch me, barely even blinking. “And you’ll use my sister to make me give you what you want. That’s what this is.”

Amadeo nods, not bothered by how wrong this is.

“She’s five!”

“You were five, weren’t you?” Bastian asks, drawing my attention. He sounds different. An edge to his tone. “Carrying in all those dandelions. When you’re born into this life, age doesn’t really matter.”

“It has to.” I shake my head. “Why? Why give me anything at all? Like you said, you can make me.”

“Because my brother is a nice guy,” Bastian says.

I look between them, trying to figure out if my gut is right. They’re not quite in agreement on this. If there’s a rift between them, I can exploit it. Divide and conquer, right?

“How would you get her out of the penthouse anyway?” I ask, changing tack. “I’m sure Lucien has it locked down tight.”


Tags: Natasha Knight Romance