King of Masters by Brynn Ford
CHAPTER 23
Murphy
I WATCH MY beautiful wife drink and laugh with her best friend at our wedding reception.
My wife.
My cheeks ache from smiling because she’s finally mine. We said our vows and made our promises without incident. She was convincing enough that I nearly believed she still loved me when she promised to honor me.
I understand logically that for her it all felt like lies, but my soul and hers have been connected from our first meeting, and I could still feel her pulsing hope for everything she thought we were. Despite her arguments, what we were is what we still are.
The truth of it is that she simply wasn’t born and bred into this world, and she’s struggling to accept the reality of it.
I have faith that she’ll come around in time.
It’s not as if she has a choice.
Watching her from afar, she could almost have me fooled that she’s truly happy on the day of our wedding. Cora’s presence alone has given her a reason to pretend her world wasn’t shattered when I stole her away, a reason to be joyful on a day she may have otherwise mourned. I just hope she’s careful in what she tells Cora. If she reveals too much, Cora won’t be leaving Ireland alive.
But I’ll only worry about that if we come to it. Stella’s smart enough to understand what my family is capable of; she knows the consequences. And for now, she’s smiling, dancing, and laughing with her friend, and that’s worth all the risk.
I down the last of my beer with two large gulps, stealing some liquid courage because I can no longer put off telling her what happens next. I’ve been dreading this because I know she’ll hate me all the more for it, but family traditions are family traditions and there is no breaking them.
I stride across the ballroom to meet her and she’s so engrossed in whatever story Cora’s telling that she doesn’t see me approach from behind. I slip my arm around her back as I step up beside her. She jumps, surprised at my touch, and turns her head to look at me.
“Can I steal a dance?”
Her expression goes hard for a beat, but then she looks at Cora, realizing she’s meant to play the role of the happy bride. She smiles softly at me and nods.
I intentionally lead her to the center of the ballroom, wanting to ensure eyes are on us so she doesn’t react unfavorably. I take one of her hands in mine, lacing our fingers together, and drop my other hand to her waist. I tug her close, pressing my cheek to hers as I lead her in a slow sway.
“Did I tell you how stunning you look?” I whisper against her ear.
“Several times.” Her voice is steady, without a hint of emotion.
“I need to tell you something that will upset you.”
“And you feel the need to share this now?”
“I want you to be prepared for what happens when the reception is over.”
She pulls her head away to look at me, plastering a fake smile to her face. She speaks softly so she can’t be heard by anyone else. “When the reception is over, dear husband, I’m going to sleep. If you have other expectations of me, I’ll encourage you to rethink those.”
I smile at her and take her by surprise with a soft kiss before dragging her close again, cheek to cheek.
“They’re not my expectations. They’re the expectations of the family.”
“The family you lead?”
“Yes.”
“Then lead your family in another direction.”
“Believe me, Stella, I’ve tried. But family traditions are important to maintain. No one has ever had issue with this tradition before. Even Cormac and Tally had to do it after their wedding.”
“Issue with what, Murphy? What’s the tradition?” Her hand squeezes mine and I feel her body tense against me.
“There will be a ritual with the immediate family.”
“Murphy…”
“The consummation of marriage.”
She snaps back, jerking out of my hold, but I manage to keep hold of her hand.
“Eyes are on you. Cora’s watching,” I remind her.
I see her struggle as she works to twist her expression from anger and fear to a tight smile. I pull at her hand, encourage her to twirl to cover the way she pulled away so harshly, then I tug her against me again.
She’s the one to lean in close this time, her furious voice forced to a hush beside my ear. “I swear you did not just say consummation of marriage to me with an expectation that I would participate in such a thing.”
“You will participate because it’s required of you.”
“You can’t convince me you’re okay with this.”
“It’s fine. It’s ritual, tradition.”
“How honorable of you that you would allow your family to watch me get fucked against my will.”
“People who are married fuck each other, sweetheart. Sex is a basic human function. We’re all aware of it. We all do it.”
“Well, when you put it that way. Sweep me off my fucking feet with your romance.”
I don’t have to see her face to know she’s rolling her eyes.
“You don’t have to agree with it. You don’t even have to enjoy it. It just has to be done.”
“I’m glad we both recognize that sex with you is a chore.” I feel her pulse in her palm, quickening with her lie.
“We both know you don’t believe that.”
“This is sick, Murphy. It’s disgusting.”
“It’s necessary. It finalizes the marriage.”
“The ceremony and the certificate aren’t enough?”
“The consummation makes annulment impossible.”
“I’m not Catholic.”
“Neither am I. It’s not religious, it’s symbolic.”
“Oh, so your family just makes this shit up?”
“Tradition, Stella. It’s important.”
Her fingers curve around the back of my neck, digging nails into my flesh to pull me closer, and it sends a shiver of desire down my spine. My dick twitches at her rough touch.
Her lips graze my ear as she whispers, “Are you going to rape me if I say no? Is that how you want this sham of a marriage to start?”
“You won’t say no.” I turn us sideways and turn my head to look at Cora and Josh having a drink across the room. Stella’s head turns to follow my gaze. “You’ll say yes and do what you have to because their lives depend on your cooperation.”
Her head snaps back to me. “What if I just told them? What if I told them everything?”
“Then my father will have them killed.”
“Your father?”
“I never wanted it to be this way with us.”
“Then why couldn’t you just leave me alone?”
“Because I fucking need you.” My heart hammers and my chest aches, indignation and fear rising with my truth.
Her eyebrows dip toward her nose as she scrutinizes me with her gaze.
“I need you. There is nothing I wouldn’t have done to make you mine.”
Her throat bobs as she swallows, her eyes drawing a quick line across my face.
“I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you,” I tell her truthfully. “But I have a lifetime to make up for it now. If you would just let your guard down and let me in, I could make you happy in this life.”
“I could never be happy knowing what you do…what your family does. It’s vile.”
“It’s business.”
“It’s human lives, Murphy. Women like me, like Cora, like your cousins. You’re selling women just like us.”
“I do it to protect you all. I do it to keep our family’s power and wealth; I do it to ensure your safety.”
“Our safety from whom? Traffickers? Like you?”
I sigh. “This isn’t the time and place for this conversation.”
“Then name the time and place because I have words for you. So many fucking words.”
I pause, mesmerized by the intensity in her brown eyes. Her passion is what draws me to her, and though I have no intention of doing anything differently for the business, I somehow know I want to hear her words. I want to hear her fight me, stand up to me, tell me what she really thinks.
“Tomorrow morning. We’ll have breakfast in our room, and you will have my undivided attention. You can scream at me, chastise me, tell me how much you hate me and what I do, and I’ll listen to every goddamn word.” I’m aware of the way her body molds to mine so subtly as I speak. “You’ll talk and I’ll listen.”
“Nothing I say will change your mind.” Her voice is quiet, but hopeful.
“You’re probably right, but still, I’ll listen.” I squeeze her hand, leaning into her sway as she unconsciously arches and molds to me, her breath quickening. “Have faith in me.” I bend and my lips brush hers. “We’ll consummate our marriage tonight and cement our future. Then, you’ll have the power and privilege of being my wife, my partner. I promise you will have a voice with me.”
Her guard slips as she softens to me. I bend and her forehead touches mine as she takes a slow breath. “Then I’ll make sure you hear it.”
“I know you will.”
“I wish it could be like this between us.”
“It is like this between us. You just don’t know how to stop fighting.”
“My heart is broken, Murphy.”
I have the misfortune of seeing the silent tear that slips from the corner of her eye and slides sadly down her smooth cheek.
“Then mine is broken, too.”
“You’re the one who broke us.”
“Then I have a lot of fucking mending to do. But I can’t fix your heart if you won’t let me have it.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“I know.”
“I hate you.”
“I know that, too.”
Her eyes flutter shut. “Sometimes I don’t.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I don’t say anything at all.
“Sometimes I mourn you,” she continues. “Sometimes I loathe you. Sometimes it hurts to look at you.” She pauses. “Sometimes I love you.”
“Stella—”
“I’ll do what I have to do tonight, but I want you to know I’m doing it because you’ve made me fearful for my friends’ lives. I’m not doing it because it’s tradition or because you want me to.” She lifts her head and looks at me squarely. “You’ve made me afraid of you. I just hope you can live with that.”