his back.
“If I thought that, I wouldn’t be bullying you now. Christ, man, she wanted to get on a plane to Texas after I returned with your refusal. She wanted to plead her case to you.”
Devlin raked his hands through his hair again.
“I’m stuck between two rocks here, both of them unappetizing. Do I tear her professional life apart? Or do I tear her personal one?”
“If you’re that torn, then why the hell did you just agree to marry her?”
“To buy some time,” Devlin snarled. “You saw her in there. She was nothing short of a she-bear defending her cubs. The word ‘no’ was not an option.”
“You should’ve put your foot down more forcibly, right from the start. And why the hell did you buy her company, when, one, you don’t need it, and two, you’ve already torn her life apart once. Do you have some kind of perverted revenge wish against her?”
Devlin fired up, his fists clenching.
“You’re lucky I like you, Tommy. Otherwise, you’d be flat on the ground by now.”
Tommy fired up as well.
“Screw you! I call a spade a spade when I see it. And this spade reeks of deceit.”
A fierce scowl returned to Devlin’s face.
“You’re really pushing it, Tommy.”
“Of course I am!” His tone changed and Devlin knew what was coming. “Now, I’m warning you. Unless you can prove to me that getting married and going into a damaged circle will positively save this commune, I will do everything in my power to stop you and Brianna from attempting it.”
Devlin felt his anger rising again.
“That sounded a lot like an ultimatum.”
“I don’t care if it did.” He began scuffing his shoe tip across a clump of grass.
“As Brianna’s business partner, I’m advising you to think long and carefully about putting her in harm’s way.”
Devlin’s tone hardened.
“You needn’t worry. Neither of us is going into the circle. And for your information, there is a way out of this farce.”
Tommy’s face split into a grin.
“I’m listening.”
“There can be no marriage if a credible witness objects to the marriage. You need to speak up and offer an objection.”
Tommy’s voice rose in surprise.
“Are you saying you aren’t going to marry Brianna?”
Devlin ripped out his words, impatiently.
“I don’t intend to marry and divorce, all in a space of a few days. If I can’t have Brianna’s love for a lifetime, I don’t want to have it at all. If you help me by objecting to this marriage, the Council will have to delay the wedding ceremony—until the objection can be sorted out. Brianna will have no option then, but to let me enter the circle alone.”
Devlin saw the jerk of Tommy’s shoulders. His penetrating gaze bespoke a raw anger.
“You’re in love with her—probably always have been,” he remarked.
“And always will be,” Devlin answered. “So what’s your point?”
“I might have to marry Brianna to spite you.”
Devlin’s growl was ear-splitting.
“You do, and you’ll regret it before the vows are even concluded. Brianna needs a husband who can withstand her strong will and viperous tongue. You don’t fit that bill.”
“Well, she’ll certainly get a bastard if she marries you,” Tommy scoffed.
“Right, so there’s no use in staying silent, is there? Object to the marriage.”
Tommy shook his head.
“I won’t do it. Suddenly, I like the marriage.” He stepped off the grass onto the curbing and away from Devlin, who followed with a vehement growl.
“Dammit, Tommy! The longer you stay here, the sooner Brianna will figure out that we’ve met before.”
“And how is that my problem?” he asked, striding down the sidewalk.
Devlin ground his teeth. It was clear he would have to marry Brianna and hope they didn’t kill each other before the sun rose in the morning. He pulled alongside Tommy as they approached the front entrance of the Healing Center. Climbing the steps, he issued a stern warning.
“You have to play by coven rules
“If I thought that, I wouldn’t be bullying you now. Christ, man, she wanted to get on a plane to Texas after I returned with your refusal. She wanted to plead her case to you.”
Devlin raked his hands through his hair again.
“I’m stuck between two rocks here, both of them unappetizing. Do I tear her professional life apart? Or do I tear her personal one?”
“If you’re that torn, then why the hell did you just agree to marry her?”
“To buy some time,” Devlin snarled. “You saw her in there. She was nothing short of a she-bear defending her cubs. The word ‘no’ was not an option.”
“You should’ve put your foot down more forcibly, right from the start. And why the hell did you buy her company, when, one, you don’t need it, and two, you’ve already torn her life apart once. Do you have some kind of perverted revenge wish against her?”
Devlin fired up, his fists clenching.
“You’re lucky I like you, Tommy. Otherwise, you’d be flat on the ground by now.”
Tommy fired up as well.
“Screw you! I call a spade a spade when I see it. And this spade reeks of deceit.”
A fierce scowl returned to Devlin’s face.
“You’re really pushing it, Tommy.”
“Of course I am!” His tone changed and Devlin knew what was coming. “Now, I’m warning you. Unless you can prove to me that getting married and going into a damaged circle will positively save this commune, I will do everything in my power to stop you and Brianna from attempting it.”
Devlin felt his anger rising again.
“That sounded a lot like an ultimatum.”
“I don’t care if it did.” He began scuffing his shoe tip across a clump of grass.
“As Brianna’s business partner, I’m advising you to think long and carefully about putting her in harm’s way.”
Devlin’s tone hardened.
“You needn’t worry. Neither of us is going into the circle. And for your information, there is a way out of this farce.”
Tommy’s face split into a grin.
“I’m listening.”
“There can be no marriage if a credible witness objects to the marriage. You need to speak up and offer an objection.”
Tommy’s voice rose in surprise.
“Are you saying you aren’t going to marry Brianna?”
Devlin ripped out his words, impatiently.
“I don’t intend to marry and divorce, all in a space of a few days. If I can’t have Brianna’s love for a lifetime, I don’t want to have it at all. If you help me by objecting to this marriage, the Council will have to delay the wedding ceremony—until the objection can be sorted out. Brianna will have no option then, but to let me enter the circle alone.”
Devlin saw the jerk of Tommy’s shoulders. His penetrating gaze bespoke a raw anger.
“You’re in love with her—probably always have been,” he remarked.
“And always will be,” Devlin answered. “So what’s your point?”
“I might have to marry Brianna to spite you.”
Devlin’s growl was ear-splitting.
“You do, and you’ll regret it before the vows are even concluded. Brianna needs a husband who can withstand her strong will and viperous tongue. You don’t fit that bill.”
“Well, she’ll certainly get a bastard if she marries you,” Tommy scoffed.
“Right, so there’s no use in staying silent, is there? Object to the marriage.”
Tommy shook his head.
“I won’t do it. Suddenly, I like the marriage.” He stepped off the grass onto the curbing and away from Devlin, who followed with a vehement growl.
“Dammit, Tommy! The longer you stay here, the sooner Brianna will figure out that we’ve met before.”
“And how is that my problem?” he asked, striding down the sidewalk.
Devlin ground his teeth. It was clear he would have to marry Brianna and hope they didn’t kill each other before the sun rose in the morning. He pulled alongside Tommy as they approached the front entrance of the Healing Center. Climbing the steps, he issued a stern warning.
“You have to play by coven rules
Similar Books
