The Wolf Box Set by Penelope Sky
Arwen
I layin bed with Dante beside me.
Sex used to be good, used to be hot and sweaty. But now that everything had changed, the fire that used to burn our skin had gone out. I was stressed about the future, so my libido had faded. Dante must have felt the same way, because his desire wasn’t as potent.
With my face on his chest, I lay beside him, thinking about how much my life would change. I tried to convince myself it wouldn’t be that different. I would live with Maverick, but I wouldn’t be in a relationship with him. I could still work, still sleep with Dante. It was just a change of scenery.
That’s all.
At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
I watched Dante stare at the wall, his thoughts a million miles away. He was naked in this bed with me, but his thoughts weren’t on sex. They weren’t even on me. “What are you thinking about?” I propped my head on my hand and ran my fingers down his frame.
He didn’t shift his gaze to me. “I don’t see how this is going to work.”
“What?”
“Us.”
My heart stopped beating. “Why wouldn’t it?”
“You know why.” Bitterness was heavy in his tone.
“Nothing will change. It’s just a display.”
“Maverick DeVille is still a powerful guy. I don’t want to cross him.”
“He said I could sleep with whoever I want—and he could do the same. It’s just a show, Dante.”
“Still…you’re another man’s wife.”
“Maybe…but I don’t belong to him.” I continued to run my fingers down his chest, feeling the grooves of his abs. “Nothing has to change, so I don’t know why you have a problem with it. Our relationship can be the same as it was before.”
He finally turned his gaze to me. “But I can never marry you.”
My fingers stopped moving when I finally understood. He didn’t have a problem with my marriage. He didn’t have a problem with Maverick. But he had a problem not making me his.
“It’ll always be a secret. It’ll be an affair. We’ll have to keep our relationship private, which means no public dinners, no family gatherings…just sex. That’s fine for the meantime, but it won’t last forever.”
I hadn’t thought that far down the road. I just assumed I could have everything I wanted—on the side. But now I realized how unfair it would be to the other person. They would always be second best. The gravity of what I was giving up really hit me. I would never truly fall in love because a man would never love a married woman.
It hit me hard.
A knock sounded on the door.
My eyes turned to the open bedroom door through which I could see the entryway. It was almost nine in the evening, far too late for a random visitor. I slipped out of the sheets and pulled on my robe.
Before I could even leave the bedroom, Maverick walked inside my apartment.
“Do you mind?” I stepped out of the bedroom and shut the door behind me, hiding Dante’s naked body from view.
Maverick’s eyes glanced at the door, catching a glimpse of my lover before he turned back to me. With no apology, he pulled an envelope from his back pocket and tossed it on the kitchen table. In a t-shirt and jeans, he once again looked fit, having the kind of body that seemed bulletproof. “No. You can finish when I’m done.”
Was this how our lives would be? He would barge into my room whenever he felt like it? “Knock. I’m warning you.”
“Or what?” He challenged me, not the least bit afraid of my ferocity.
“This.” I slapped my palm across his face.
He barely turned with the hit, and even when my hand collided with his face, he didn’t seem angry. If anything, he seemed amused.
“Don’t barge into my apartment again.”
“Otherwise, you’ll slap me again? Fine. I don’t mind it.”
Jesus, he was infuriating.
Maverick behaved like nothing was odd, like it wasn’t awkward that I had a man in my bed at that very moment, behind a closed door. He acted like I hadn’t just slapped him, like he had every right to step on my property as if he owned it. “Talk to your father. You’ve dragged it out long enough.”
This man hardly knew me, but he spoke to me like my family affairs were his concern. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Believe it or not, I’m helping you.”
“I find that hard to believe…”
He cast his cold gaze on me then gestured to the envelope he’d dropped on the table. “We’re getting married on Saturday. Buy a dress—something nice. There will be lots of people there.”
“What people?” I asked, as if that was the most important sentence he said.
“My people.” He dismissed the conversation by turning away.
I grabbed the envelope and spotted all the cash stuffed inside, tens of thousands of euros. “What the hell is this?” I threw it at his back. “I don’t need your money.”
He turned back around, annoyance spreading into his hard gaze. “Now isn’t the time to be proud.”
“I’m not being proud. I just don’t need your money.”
“You need a nice dress.”
“And I will get myself something.”
“With what money?” he demanded. “You literally own nothing now. Everything in this apartment will be seized in weeks. You’ll be my wife, which means I don’t want you to look like a slob. Make yourself look decent so our wedding day will be a little less terrible—and a little more believable.”
“Wow…I despise you.” Every conversation we had was worse than the last. Soon, he would be just down the hall and a million times more annoying. I would have to spend whatever money he gave me because I didn’t have any other choice.
He opened the door and turned back to look at me like I was nothing to him. The room could have been completely empty given the indifference written on his face. “A wolf doesn’t care if the sheep likes him. All he cares about is eating the sheep—and you’re my sheep.”
* * *
Once I accepted my fate,I showed up at my father’s house.
I’d been bitter about everything and everyone. I was disappointed in my father for destroying our wealth. I was angry that a bastard like Maverick would be my husband. I was hurt that Dante didn’t want to be with me for the long term.
Every single cornerstone of my foundation had been ripped from underneath me.
I wouldn’t be surprised if I lost my job at the opera for no reason at all.
That was the kind of luck I’d been having.
My father was quiet as he sat across from me, but he wore a small smile like he was happy to see me.
We hadn’t said a word to each other. I let myself into the house because there were no servants to do it anymore. Now I sat across from him at the table, hardly able to look him in the eye because I was so upset with him.
How could he do this to us?
My father gave me the floor, providing me the opportunity to speak first.
But I had nothing to say. I was only here because I couldn’t avoid him forever. On Saturday, I would marry a man I hated…and I didn’t want to do that alone. My father was all I had. It would be strange if he weren’t there…even if it wasn’t the happiest day of my life. “The wedding is on Saturday.” I finally forced the words out, accepted the terrible truth. “I bought a dress…” I’d always thought shopping for my wedding dress would be a beautiful affair. My friends and I would drink champagne and eat chocolate-covered strawberries as I tried on every beautiful designer dress. But instead, I walked to the closest shop to my apartment and picked the dress I liked the best.
I didn’t even try it on.
To make it worse, I handed over the cash Maverick gave me.
And signed my soul over to the wolf.
“That’s nice,” Father said. “I’m sure it’ll look stunning on you. But you could wear jeans and a t-shirt, and you’d still be the most beautiful bride.”
Flattery wouldn’t work on me—even if he meant it. “I’m still so angry all of this is happening. The only reason I’m marrying Maverick is because he foretold my fate if I rejected him. He’s a cold and irritating man, but I’ll admit he’s better than the alternative…” At least the man wouldn’t rape me. At least he wouldn’t hurt me…I think. I tried to stab him and he didn’t retaliate, so I was probably safe. “But I’m losing Dante…I’m losing my freedom…I’m losing everything.” My hands rested on the table, and I finally lifted my gaze to meet my father’s eyes. “I’m so angry with you for all of this. This is entirely your fault.” It was a cruel thing to say, but I didn’t care. “I’ll never marry a man I love because of you. I’ll never have the family I want because of you. You’ve given me to Maverick to protect me, but if you really wanted to protect me, you should have made different choices.” It pained me to speak to my father this way, but the situation was crushing my chest.
My father looked at the table as he gathered his bearings. After a deep sigh, his shoulders sagged, and he looked at me again. “You’re absolutely right, princess. It is my fault. I shouldn’t have been so arrogant. I should have been more cautious. Now I’m leaving you with nothing… It’s terrible.”
Hearing his admission didn’t make me feel better. It didn’t give me any satisfaction to be validated. The pain was exactly the same.
“I’d do anything to take it all back…”
I knew he would. My father had made a mistake, but he wasn’t evil. “I know…”
“I wish this wasn’t happening. I wish you weren’t marrying a man you don’t love. I wish for a lot of things…but wishing doesn’t get you anywhere.”
No, it doesn’t.
“But Maverick is a powerful and honorable man. He’ll keep you safe.”
I wasn’t looking for a man for security. I was looking for a man for love.
He saw the disappointment in my eyes. “I understand if you hate me.”
His actions were enough to garner that reaction, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel that way. “I don’t. I never could.”
His hand moved on top of mine, like that meant the world to him. “Princess, there’s something I have to tell you…”
My eyes lifted to meet his. So much terrible news had been dumped on my plate already. Could there possibly be more? Why couldn’t the universe give me a break? Why couldn’t life be fair…the way it used to be.
He squeezed my hand as he took a deep breath, wincing like his words were painful before they even came out of his mouth. “I have cancer…and I don’t have much time.”
