Page 123 of A Vicious Love

“You should all be relieved,” I said. “Nobody has to babysit Sienna anymore.”

Emmie flinched.

“Enough,” Marcel’s eyes turned furious.

I ignored the warning because I was already bleeding internally and apparently decided the rest of the room should join me.

“Sienna is twenty. She’ll survive St. Cross. She’ll find new friends. Smile at Weston until he thinks it means something and spend his money on art gallery memberships and ballet shoes. She’ll be fine.”

“I hope you remember that this weekend.” Harrison looked at me for a long second. “When you see Weston sitting beside her. He gives her his hand without making her beg for it.” Harrison lifted his glass. “I hope you remember how relieved you are.”

My palm twitched.

I imagined Sienna reaching toward Weston.

Hand, please.

The thought turned something violent inside me.

I smiled coldly. “Hopefully you get a merger too, Harry. Then Emmie can make friends with your wife and stop acting like Sienna is the only woman in Harlan.”

The second the sentence left my mouth, I knew it was wrong.

Emmie went completely still. Marcel’s fingers stopped against her collar.

I had meant to cut Harrison.

Instead, I cut her.

Emmie stood from Marcel’s lap.

Marcel’s arm loosened immediately, letting her move even though every part of him wanted to pull her back.

She looked at all three of us.

“I have no one because of you.” Emmie pointed toward Marcel. “You terrified every person who tried to get close to me after the merger.”

Marcel’s jaw tightened. “They were using you.”

She laughed once, shaking her head. Looked at Harrison. Then turned to me. I held her gaze. That was harder than dealing with most armed men.

“People see me as a source to reach Marcel. A way to find out what the Crows are doing. You all made sure the rest stayed away because you scare half of Harlan by standing in a room.” Her voice cracked, “I had friends.”

Marcel stood slowly.

“Emmie.”

“I had a fiancé. I had a whole life before I got pulled into a merger with you.”

Marcel looked like she had put a blade directly between his ribs. Emmie’s hand lifted to the collar at her throat.

His obsession.

Her choice, maybe. But it was her cage too, on days when love and dynasty tangled too tightly to separate.

Marcel took one step toward her.

“Baby.”