Married Life
Beth woke sometime later bathed in orange. She groaned and rolled onto her back, blinking up at the skylight. The sun was setting. She had slept all day.
With some effort, she sat up. She didn’t hurt as much as she should, considering how damaged she’d been when she came stumbling home. A quick survey of the room revealed it empty. She was wearing another one of her favorite old, oversized t-shirts, this one advertising the Rolling Stones. The smell of bacon wafted through the vent from the kitchen and her stomach lurched hungrily in response. She stood, pulled on a pair of yoga pants and was down the stairs in the next instant.
In the kitchen she found Benji and Ronan sitting across from the twins at the wobbly table she’d once rescued from a dumpster. Sebastian was at the stove.
Her eyes went to Ronan first, who managed to look amazing even amongst the run-down appliances.
His eyes sought her as well, looking her over before he stood to offer her his chair.
She blinked, startled. This chivalry would take some getting used to. She settled down as he moved to lean against the counter, arms folded over his beautiful chest. In better lighting it was evident that his pants were indeed leather, but the Fae kind that laced at the crotch instead of zipped and buttoned. And oh, god, she was looking at his crotch. She turned quickly to stare at the crater-strewn surface of the table. Whoever had owned it before had liked his amateur knife collection way too much.
“Wine or coffee?” asked Sebastian.
“Coffee,” she mumbled.
“I’ll get it,” said Ronan. “How do y--”
“Three sugars,” Benji said, cutting him off. “And a dash of chocolate milk.”
Instead of commenting on her sugar intake Ronan placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, and it smelled downright heavenly.
“Thanks,” she said, looking up at him through her lashes.
Suddenly she was aware that she had not even glanced at a mirror on the way down here. She probably looked terrible. She wasn’t in the habit of cleaning up just to enter the kitchen. As bad as she looked right now, her roommates had seen her look much worse. She’d once woken up with half of her hair chopped off, a black eye and an infected lip piercing after an old roommate’s bachelorette party.
No one had minded, and she wouldn’t have cared if they had. This was her house. She could look like a kraken if she wanted to. But for some reason, entirely against her personal self-confidence philosophy, she cared what Ronan thought. She wasn’t sure why. They were already married, so she wasn’t trying to woo the guy. But insecurity crept over her like a blush and she shoved fingers through her hair, which had a little blood matted in.
Fuck. She should have showered before seeking out the bacon.
“How do you feel?” Ronan asked.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the twins watching Ronan with a calculating intensity. They were probably psyched to be this close to him, she surmised. Especially if they idol worshipped Maeve like she suspected.
“Um,” Beth said, taking a sip of her perfect coffee, “A lot better. Thanks.”
Benji was tense beside her. She wondered what had happened after she’d passed out. Obviously someone had changed her clothing. She hoped it had been Benji but Benji would not have put her in a lacy pair of panties. However she couldn’t picture Ronan making that decision either. It was probably Sebastian, perv that he was.
“It is good to see you alive and well,” Liam said, a small smile not quite reaching those startling eyes.
“It’s good to see you guys too. I wasn’t sure I’d see home again.” Another sip of coffee and Beth closed her eyes, savoring.
“We knew you would,” Sian said. She reached across the table and placed her hand over Beth’s. Her words sounded honest instead of reassuring, which gave Beth chills.
“And you have married the Knight,” Liam said, gesturing toward her left hand currently wrapped around the coffee mug.
Beth blinked at him and then set the cup down, bringing her hand up to examine her finger.
The ring hadn’t been there when she’d fallen asleep. It fit perfectly though, and the elegance of it stole her breath. It was unobtrusive yet sparkly; a thin silver band inlaid with a line of dark blue sapphire that all led up to a bright amethyst gem at the apex. It was his eye color and hers, she realized, staring at it.
Beth glanced up at Ronan and was floored to catch an almost nervous expression on his face. It disappeared the moment he realized she was looking.
“It’s beautiful,” she told him honestly, a little unsure of her voice.
He nodded. Agreeing instead of saying thank you. Pompous ass. He held up his hand to reveal a slightly more masculine version resting on his finger. It was silver too, but a little wider than hers with only one amethyst and only one sapphire gem laid flat beside each other.
Beth turned back to her coffee, staring into its muddy depths. Before her stomach could even growl, Sebastian set a plate in front of her.
“Here you are, pet,” he said.
“Thank you. Where’s Tri?” Beth glanced around again in case she’d missed her. Trina had the talent of blending into the woodwork if she stood too still.
“Out,” Benji answered. “I think Ronan makes her uncomfortable.”
Beth looked at her husband. “Why’s that?”
“We can discuss it later,” answered Ronan solemnly. “Eat.”
Bossy.
Beth dug in and ate like her life depended on it. Sebastian had made her a bacon cheddar omelet and letting it get cold before she devoured it would be a travesty.
“So, tell us how you know one another,” Sian said, eyes falling upon Ronan and Sebastian who leaned side by side against the counter while another omelet sizzled happily in the frying pan.
Ronan eyed her with a suspicious look, but answered anyway. “Sebastian and I both grew up at the palace. He was the winemaker’s apprentice.”
Well that explained a lot. Beth shot Sebastian an accusatory look.
He grinned. “What? I never said I didn’t have formal training, just that I liked to brew wine.”
“So you were a servant?” Benji asked, disbelief coloring his tone.
“No. I was a noble. But the nobles are assholes. So I stayed out of the drama circle and made wine. Only noble I hung out with was this asshole.” He pointed at Ronan with his thumb.
Ronan snorted. “Please. I too stayed away from that poisonous crowd as much as possible.”
“Well, then you got oath’d and became scarce around the glacial hell hole so I took off. That was fifty years ago though, at least. I haven’t been back to the Court since.” Sebastian didn’t look sad at all about that. Instead he strolled over with the pot and filled up Beth’s coffee.
“Have you been in contact with him? Is that how he found Beth?” asked Benji, a warning in his tone.
“No,” Sebastian answered without hesitation. “We hadn’t talked in years. Him showing up on our doorstep was as much of a surprise to me as it was to you.”
“Doubtful,” Benji said petulantly.
“When did you find out that we were going to get married?” Beth asked, directing her question to Ronan.
“A week or so prior,” he answered.
So he’d had a little more time to come to terms with it than she had. Figures. She finished her eggs and took a long sip of her coffee.
“So what happens now?” Liam asked, looking mostly at Ronan. “Do you move in?” He sounded a little too excited about that for Beth’s comfort.
“Now, I take a bath,” Beth said, “and then I’ll talk to what’s-his-face alone. And then I’ll have a press conference or something.” She pushed back from the table and stood. “C’mon Benji.”
If Beth hadn’t been breathing, her bath would have looked like a crime scene. The water was a dark, murky red from all the dried blood and grime that she had accrued in the Hedge. It was so dark, in fact, that her body wasn’t visible beneath the surface. She felt like a floating head.
Benji sat on the toilet seat as usual but for the first time that she could remember he didn’t have a joint in his mouth.
“Are you okay?” Beth asked him, bringing her arms out of the water and resting them on the edges of the tub.
His eyes settled on her hand, which sported the shiny wedding ring. “I’m just pissed off,” he replied. “You shouldn’t have been forced to marry anybody Fae rules are such bullshit.”
“Agreed,” she said, closing her eyes and reveling in the heat of the water.
“And they’re both acting like it’s normal. Like this isn’t a complete and total upheaval of your life. Of our lives.”
“Ronan and Sebastian?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I suppose it is normal for them.”
“Whatever. And fuck Sebastian. He could have mentioned that he was at least fifty. And that he grew up in the same place we did. It wouldn’t have killed him.”
“It might have,” Beth pointed out. “If we’d blabbed. He’s a noble, so I’m sure he was missed.”
“You’re a noble. And who the hell would we blab to? We ran away too!”
“I could’ve told Rose and been overheard by any of the shady-ass dark Fae at the glen. And I wasn’t missed because my mother didn’t care.” Just thinking about her mother caused Beth’s hands to form into fists.
“I guess,” he grumbled. “This is still all very much fucked up.”
“Tell me about it. This is my honeymoon right now. And the Queen said she has work for me when we get back.” Beth shuttered at the thought, somehow managing to avoid a full-on flashback of sucking the soul out of that poor, poor servant. And turning him into a revenant.
She hadn’t mentioned that part to Benji, that soulless Fae she created were now wandering around the Hedge. She wasn’t sure how he’d take it. She was going to put it off as long as possible. Letting him know she’d run into a still very mobile Redmond in the Hedge would only make him feel worse than he already did.
Benji brought his knees up and rested his arms atop them. “It looks like Mr. Taciturn doesn’t plan on parting ways with you any time soon. Were you conscious enough to catch his ‘I am Alpha Husband, hear me roar’ speech last night?”
It was true. Ronan was taking the marriage more seriously than she was. She hadn’t mentioned that Benji would be in the bathroom with her during her bath, but she was sure she’d hear about it later. Beth didn’t care though, she needed quiet time with her best friend, married woman or not.
“I heard, yeah.” She lathered up her hair with lavender shampoo.
“Have you slept with him?”
“What? No!”
“Are you going to sleep with him?” The question was asked slowly, deliberately.
Beth blinked at Benji. His amber eyes were wide with concern for her.
“I don’t know,” she answered, honestly. “It’s not as if he’s swept me off my feet with romance. Though,” she admitted, “the ring is nice. Besides. He’s the Queen’s personal booty call hotline. Sloppy seconds, much?”
Benji cracked a smile at that, so genuine that she couldn’t help but smile back.
“I mean you did tell me I needed to get laid though,” she said, unable to help teasing him slightly. “Right before I was abducted, remember?”
He rolled his eyes. “Well I hear he’s speedy in bed.”
Beth snorted, or tried to. She was too close to the surface of the water and inhaled a large nose full of bubble bath. She coughed and spewed and laughed more, and Benji joined in, the two of them in stitches. It felt good to laugh, even if it made her ribs ache a little bit.
When they finally quieted down, Beth rinsed her hair and climbed out. Benji wrapped her in a towel and handed her a hairbrush. She finally looked in the mirror as she brushed out monstrous mass of tangles in her hair.
Even cleaned up she looked under par. Her cheeks were pale, her bruise a mottled purple. The black nail polish from her wedding had chipped horribly. Was it weird to be less beautiful than your husband?
Benji pulled the plug on the drain and the crossed behind her to open the door. There stood Ronan, silent and tall, causing them both to jump.
“Do you always attend Elizabeth’s bathing sessions?” Ronan asked, his head cocked to the side. He sounded curious, but he was scowling that deep V scowl that made him look like a raven.
“Pretty much exclusively,” Sebastian said, appearing behind him.
Beth set down the brush and pushed past all three of them, heading for her stairs.
Ronan followed. She waited for him to come inside before shutting the door.
He strolled to the window sill and sat upon it, obviously already used to her scant decor. Beth was slightly worried about him seeing her naked, even though she’d never had that fear with anyone else before. Her general philosophy was that if anyone didn’t like what they saw they could fuck off. But if Ronan saw it and didn’t like it he was stuck with it forever. And that would suck for him.
Beth wasn’t sure why she cared. Regardless, she decided to quickly rip the band-aid off and dropped the towel, moving to stand in front of her small closet all in one swift motion.
She heard him suck in a breath and smiled to herself, feeling accomplished for one-upping him in the surprising people department. She pulled on a pair of thin black panties and a matching bra, then wiggled her way into a pair of hip-huggers that had hugged her a little tighter a few days before. She picked out a pretty silver and black empire style blouse that, admittedly, made her boobs look amazing. Maybe she was playing up her assets slightly.
“So talk. You said we would talk.”
“I did,” he said, his voice gruff. “You start. I’ll answer any questions you have as honestly as I can.”
She pulled her hair up into a clip and turned to her bed, which looked like someone small had been murdered there.
“Why doesn’t Trina like you?” She picked up her now dead phone from where she’d left it the night before the wedding and plugged it in, then set to stripping the sheets off and tossing them into her hamper. Thankfully there wasn’t too much blood on the mattress itself. If only she currently owned any stain remover. Sian might have some. She’d have to ask.
“Because she owes the Queen a debt. And I am the debt collector.” His tone was even, not an ounce of pity made it into his timbre.
That explained why Trina was living her at all. Nymph’s liked to stick together, live with their kind. The tree doesn’t fall too far from the other trees, or something.
“What does she owe?”
“Her heart,” he said, deadpan.
Beth dropped the pillow she had just picked up. “What?”
“At some point Trina’s heart almost ceased working and so she came to beg the Dark Lady for a new one. Maeve provided one in exchange for a large sum of money. To this date, Trina has not paid her back. It is for that debt that I will eventually have to take her heart and return it to the Queen.”
Beth stared at him. “You have got to be kidding me. You’re the repo man?”
“I assured her that I was on my honeymoon and that you were my priority, but she still seems to want to avoid me.” He shrugged.
Beth didn’t blame her. She knew the Queen was an alpha bitch, but did she have to be the Godfather too? Beth would be damned if her life was going to turn into some ridiculous mob movie.
“Next question,” Ronan said. Those midnight eyes focused on her face, bringing to her attention the fact that her mouth was hanging open.
“Um.” She tried to think but couldn’t get past being Mrs. Debt Collector. “This honeymoon. What is the point of this honeymoon?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You really know that little of marriage practices?”
“Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke? This honeymoon. You told me you were going to show me what it is you do.”
Ronan sobered and fixed Beth with a solemn stare. “I’m going to prepare you for what Maeve is going to make us do.”
Fear slithered down her spine. “And what’s that?”
“Find someone who doesn’t want to be found and have you devour his memories.” He spoke like he was simply reading a grocery list.
“So she needs the memories of someone specific?” Was this the entire reason Beth was now a married woman? “Why?”
“That I do not know. I only know his name and where he was last seen.”
“And once she’s done with me? Once I suck out the soul of whoever has wronged her? Is she going to have me killed or something?” She would rather know the answer now than wait and hope. If Beth was going to die there were many things she wanted to get done in the meantime. Sleep with Leonardo DiCaprio, for starters.
“You live as my wife. You’ll aid me in my duties and I will protect you.”
Beth couldn’t tell if Ronan truly meant the words he was saying or not. She doubted he would be much protection against the Queen if Beth managed to really piss her off or, and this was more likely, ceased being useful.
If Maeve commanded Beth to stop breathing, she’d have to. The oath didn’t waver for life and death situations. In fact, it seemed to have been designed for them. And Ronan couldn’t protect her from that.
“Okay.” She picked up the pillow again and pulled off the pillowcase. It didn’t have any blood but if she was washing the sheets she might as well do it all. She picked up a second pillow and did the same. “Now. Onto the whole marriage bit. This is an arranged marriage.”
“Obviously.”
“And we aren’t expected to reproduce, right?”
“No. If we did bear children it would be a miracle in its own right, there being little to no chance of it between us,” he said.
“Maybe more. I’m only half Fae. Fianna swears up and down that my father is human.” She sat on the bed, clutching the naked pillow to her chest.
“I have my suspicions about that.”
“What?”
“I think you are full blooded.
Beth’s stunned eyes met his calm ones. “You think my dad was Fae?”
“Is Fae. Yes.”
“Can you get a little more specific?”
He shook his head. “It is only a theory. One that I will not burden you with until I have either proven or disproven it. For now, operate on the idea that you are not half Fae.”
“O-Okay.” She hugged the pillow tighter. This revelation only brought more questions to the swirling chaos of her mind.
“Your line of questioning, was it headed toward sex?”
Beth nodded dumbly, eyes unfocused in the general direction of the floor. She was suddenly trying to recall everything her mother had ever said about her father, which was very little. Basically, all she knew, or thought she knew, was that he was human. Fianna had said nothing else about him.
“I’m not going to make you have sex with me.” His words cut through her haze like a machete and her head snapped up.
“What?” she asked.
“I’m not going to expect you to have sex with me. I realize that you were forced into this union. But we are married and are therefore a couple, so I would appreciate it if you didn’t openly fuck others. For my reputation’s sake.”
Beth blinked rapidly. Had he cussed? “What do you mean by openly?”
“I mean what you do on your own time is your own business. Obviously, I am at Maeve’s disposal as far as my dick is concerned, so I can’t expect you to stay faithful to me. I don’t believe in double standards. All I ask is that you keep it discreet.” His scowl was back, as if he didn’t like the words coming from his mouth at all. “I don’t want to know about it. And I don’t want the Courtiers to know about it.”
Had he really just used the word dick in a sentence? “Where will we live?”
“I don’t have a preference. We can stay here if you’d like. You seem to hold the house together, as if it might fall apart if you move out.”
Beth wasn’t sure if he meant the actual house or the people in it, though both were probably true. “What gives you that impression?”
“It was chaos when you were gone last night. Sebastian and Benjamin were at each other’s throats and the nymph was beside herself. And those twins nearly killed me with their questions.”
“Questions about me?”
“No. Questions about the Court and about Maeve. They’re an odd pair. How much do you know about them?”
“We have a really relaxed policy when it comes to personal shit in this house and how much we need to know, so not much I guess. Obviously I didn’t know anything about Sebastian’s life story. I do know they’ve always had a boner for anything Dark Court gossipy. I wouldn’t have even known about your wedding if they hadn’t told me the night you took me.”
“Hm.” He looked deep in thought, staring out the window.
“Do you expect us to share a bed?” she asked, changing the subject.
He looked at her blankly and then ignored her question, obviously still caught up in some thought. “Know that if we do stay here, this place will become something of a target. You will become a target. I have created many enemies for myself in the years I’ve spent doing Maeve’s bidding. I’ve pissed off a lot of people. So be on your guard lest they try and use you to take revenge.”
Beth nodded slowly, understanding.
“I will protect you as best I can from such things happening. It would be easier to do so if we at least share the same room.”
Oh, so he had heard her question. She wrinkled her nose. “But you’re sexually active.”
Ronan’s brow wrinkled. “Yes?”
“So won’t you be taking the Queen to your bed?”
“You think the Queen would deign to copulate in the mortal realm? Much less in a house worth less than the tool shed at the palace?” He scoffed.
Beth scowled, offended. “No, but she might to it to piss me off. A show of power and all that. Dominance.”
Ronan rolled his eyes. “Believe me, the thread count of Maeve’s sheets are too high to fathom. And if on some masochistic whim she did want to fuck me in your bed she wouldn’t hesitate, whether or not it was my bed too.”
That was a nice thought. Beth glanced around her room. It had been a long time since she’d slept next to a warm body. Sometimes during a nightmare she would sneak into Benji’s bed or he would sneak into hers. But that didn’t happen as often anymore as it used to.
“Well, I don’t care what we do then. If you must stay in here we can share to the bed, or you can get a futon or something. I mean, there’s not room to have two big beds and still move around, so it’s really whatever you feel comfortable with.”
Ronan was gazing at her face now. He made her self-conscious. She knew that next to him she must looked like a meth addict. Because he was, well, perfect. And she had bruises, chipped nail polished and badly dyed streaks in her hair.
“If you truly don’t care then I would rather not go through the trouble of purchasing another bed or futon,” he said. “Collecting on debts as I do requires extensive travelling and I would hardly ever sleep here.”
“If you’re never home anyway then why does it matter if you stay in my room or not?”
“Because in theory you’ll be coming with me much of the time,” he said.
“You made it sound like I could keep my job at the Glen,” she said, disappointed.
“Perhaps you can go back to it after things have settled down. After we find whoever it is that Maeve wants so badly.” At least he had the decency to seem somewhat apologetic.
Beth sighed and stood, balancing the laundry basket against her hip. “I’m going to go downstairs to do laundry. At the risk of sounding like a housewife, do you want me to throw in your shirt? It looks like it’s got some of my blood on it.”
Ronan glanced down at his tunic shirt, as if noticing the smear red on his side for the first time. It looked like he’d gotten blood on his hand and absently wiped it there. “Sure. Thank you. I’ll have to move the rest of my clothes here after the honeymoon.”
Beth looked hopelessly at her bulging closet. “Sure thing. We’ll get you a dresser or something.”
When she looked back at Ronan he was pulling the shirt over his head and oh, Jesus, he was immaculate. His chest and stomach were nice enough to be featured in a fitness commercial. He balled up the garment and tossed it effortlessly into the basket. But Beth couldn’t move. Those abs had hypnotized her. Her mouth was dry, and she was starting to hear her heartbeat in her ears.
Holy shit.
Ronan cleared his throat and Beth managed to tear her eyes away, having to swing her whole body toward the door to do so.
“I’m going to go see if Sebastian has anything that I can wear in the meantime,” he said.
Beth nodded, biting her lip and taking a deep breath to center herself before starting forward. How was she so affected by him? All Ronan had done was take his shirt off! She lived with three guys, saw shirtless guys all the time! They didn’t have her stumbling down the stairs like a child.
Maybe sharing a bed with him was not a good idea. Beth was not known for her self-control and she had no idea what Ronan’s resolve was like. Actually, it must be rock solid if he only ever slept with her royal Darkness despite all the Courtiers who had to be throwing themselves at him all day long.
Wait, did he only sleep with the Queen? The way he’d spoken of discretion made it totally possible that he practiced what he preached. She whirled on him in the small stairwell that lead down to the second floor.
Ronan stopped abruptly, looking down at her in surprise.
Beth was caught on his abs again, staring, maybe drooling. Oh jeez.
“. . . yes?” he prompted.
“Do you sleep with people other than the Queen?” she managed to ask, her voice hoarse.
“I don’t make a habit of it,” he replied, frowning. The hall was dark but he seemed to glow, illuminated from behind by the moonlight drenched room. “Occasionally I find it useful when tracking someone down to fuck for information. But not really ever for my own enjoyment, no. And when I do it angers Maeve.”
That made sense, even though for some reason the thought of him sleeping with someone simply for information made Beth’s stomach hurt. She turned back around and hurried downstairs, not stopping until she’d reached the washer and dryer in the basement.
Stain remover. Detergent. Spin cycle. Doing laundry felt strange to Beth after her trip to Faerie. Too mundane almost. Like she was out of place. Fuck Maeve and Fianna for making her feel like a stranger in her own home.
She loved it here. Loved her apple-scented laundry detergent. Loved her piece-of-crap hamper that collapsed twice a day. She even loved this creepy basement. Even when things went bump in the dark.
Wait, what?
Beth whirled around and jumped when she came face to face with a pale Trina.
“Holy shit, Tri,” Beth gasped, putting a hand over her heart.
Trina tilted her gorgeous head to the side. “I apologize for startling you, Beth.” Her breeze-through-the-leaves timbre was calming.
“Have you been hiding down here the whole time you’ve been gone?” Beth asked, bracing herself against the pulsating washing machine.
“No. I went out for a bit.” Those warm brown eyes travelled over her. “Benji told me what happened. Is the Knight going to stay here?”
Beth sighed. “Yeah, but he says we will be spending most of our time travelling.”
Tri looked panicked, like she might try and dig herself out of the basement. Beth quickly reached out and took her hand.
“But it’ll be okay,” she said. “I won’t let him take your heart.”
Trina’s eyes widened and she tried to tug away. Beth held steady. “He told you?”
“Yeah. He’s actually been fairly forthcoming.” Beth had expected secrets and deception, and of course she still didn’t trust him completely, but so far Ronan had surprised her at every turn. “And I know it’s not your fault. The Queen is an evil bitch-monster.”
Trina looked relieved. “I was so afraid for you. You looked so broken when Benji carried you in. I-I didn’t know what to think.”
“I’m alright. Almost good as new.” Beth released Trina’s hand and hopped up so that she was sitting on the washer. “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”
“Not anything unexpected. Benji about lost his mind when you were missing.” She smiled a small, sad smile. “The poor boy. And then the Queen’s Knight appeared and demanded to see his wife and I . . . I think I fainted.”
Beth would like to think the nymph was kidding, but she could picture the scene in her mind all too well. “I’m sorry to have brought him to our doorstep, Tri.”
“I know it wasn’t your decision to wed him.” She took a step toward Beth, immense sorrow replacing the s mile on her face. “Just as it is not my decision to do this.”
And just like that, there was a syringe sticking out of Beth’s chest, right below her collarbone.
“What the hell?” she tried to say, but her voice sounded funny, and the room was darkening. She fell backwards, hitting her head against the rough concrete wall.