Page 93 of Married to the Devil

“Glad you’re coming around.” She keeps her eyes on me as Kellan exits. I hesitate a moment, seething. “Come on, say what you really want to say.”

“I don’t feel confident I can win that vote.”

The words deflate me slightly. I didn’t want Kellan to hear my uncertainty, but now that he’s gone, I can be honest with her. June nods like that’s what she expected.

“When politicians go vote on a new law or whatever, they don’t go into that room unless there’s zero doubt about which way everyone’s headed. So you do what they do.”

“Which is bicker endlessly and waste time and money?”

“No, you whip the fucking vote.” She shows me teeth. “Come on, big man, I thought you were smart.”

“Careful.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re scary. Rafe, this is how you root them out. Make them realize the tides are turning. Make them reckless. Put everyone in a room and force their hand.”

I approach her slowly, heart thudding. “I don’t hate it.”

“That’s because you’re much brighter than you let on.”

“But you shouldn’t say these sorts of things in front of my brothers.” I close the distance between us. “You’re going to make them talk.”

“I bet they already do.”

“About me. About you. They’ll think I’m weak.”

“Rafe,” she says, sounding exasperated. “You don’t have to be perfect for them all the time.”

I know she’s right. All my life I’ve tried to set an example. But my brothers are men now, adults in their own right, grown past my influence.

I stop in front of her. She leans back against the car, staring at me with a small, wicked smile. I put my hands on her hips. She doesn’t fight it.

“Say we do this.” My voice is soft as I dip down to kiss her ear.

She wraps her arms around my neck. “Yeah?”

“You stay away.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re a liability.”

“Rafe—“

I bite her earlobe. “Listen to me for once, damn you.”

“Ouch!”

I nibble her neck to make up for it. “I’m serious. No more risks.”

“I can plan it. I don’t have to be there.”

“Famous last words.”

She tugs back and looks into my face. “Hey. Listen. You want to be partners, don’t you?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Then being partners means letting each other in.”