"So that's why you brought us here? Well, that and your curiosity," Aria whispered, laughing lightly.
He nodded.
"Do you regret it," she asked.
"I don't regret anything I've ever done," he said.
Chapter 17
"Is that the best you can do," he asked, hovering above her.
They were in the training area, only a few days after their wedding. They went there when Lex asked her during dinner if she'd gotten any better since the last time they'd fought.
"Wanna find out," she'd snarked back.
Now, after landing on her ass for the fifth time, she regretted it.
"I'm done for the night," she said, trying to control her anger.
"I would be too if I'd ended up on the ground as many times as you have," Lex said, with that stupid fucking smirk on his face.
He hadn't been holding back like he did the first time they fought. This time, he defended and attacked. And every time he got her into an open position, he showed her how he'd kill her—a knife to her heart, a slit across the throat, a sword to her abdomen.
"Fuck you," she said before she could stop herself.
"Maybe later," he said back, licking his bottom lip.
Her mouth fell open.
"I-I didn't...You're a pig," she yelled.
"Is that any way to talk to your husband," he asked, offering a hand to help her up.
She didn't take it. Instead, she got to her feet by herself. She had an idea.
"You're right. I'm sorry," she said, in as sincere of a voice as she could muster.
"W-what," he asked, surprised. "I was just kidding."
"No, you're right. I shouldn't be talking to...my husband...like that," she said, inching closer to him. "And what you said," she began, timidly "about later..." going to walk around him.
His eyes widened a little.
She took the opportunity to kick the back of his knee. He dropped to the ground at the impact. She stood behind him and grabbed his hair with one hand, pulling his head to her stomach.
She moved the other across his neck like she was slitting it with her thumb, just as he had the first night they fought.
"Maybe in your dreams," she whispered and pushed him forward.
She walked around him, ready to leave. But she stopped at the door to take a look at him.
He was still on his knees, looking right at her. His teeth were biting into his bottom lip, and the look in his eyes was dark, dangerous. And he looked so, so fucking turned on that Aria had to look away. Her face and chest felt like they were on fire.
She could feel his eyes on her, watching her walk away.
They'd been married for about two weeks before Aria started getting used to how people were treating her.
Many people had moved out of the palace by then, but a few of them remained. She figured Lex kept the ones he wanted around. Among those who stayed were Martinez, Brent, Peter, Mara, Isla, and Adrian.
"He's an asshole," Aria said one night over dinner. "You could have picked someone nicer in his place."
"He's misunderstood," Lex said. "There's a difference."
Aria rolled her eyes.
The only person who was bitter about living in the village instead of the palace was Ben. He was seeking her out more and more each passing day.
She was in the village with Mara and Ben, who’d insisted on sticking to their sides when he spotted them, one afternoon when she picked up a pretty black nightgown one of the vendors was selling. It wasn't too revealing...but it was sexy. She'd just picked it up to examine it, really, she wasn't considering actually buying it when Ben spoke up.
"Why are you even looking at that," he asked an edge to his voice.
"Shut up, Ben," Mara said. "It isn't any of your business."
Aria glared at him, but he glared right back, not backing down.
"Excuse me," she said, still staring at him. "But I'd like to purchase this."
She handed the merchant a few coins and put the garment in her bag. She didn't plan on wearing it, but she bought it just to see the look on his face.
He shook his head in disgust. "Wow, Aria."
"What?"
"Nothing...I just didn't realize you'd given yourself over to the king," he said like Lex was some sort of monster. "All in the name of our people, though, right?"
"Shut up, Ben. I told you not to talk to me that way," she said, her anger coming through. "You don't know anything."
"Is that so," he asked.
She started to walk away, but he caught up to her and grabbed her arm.
"Or are you forgetting that I could destroy your marriage and this alliance with one sentence? I could get us all sent back," he said.
Her stomach dropped.
"Let her go," Mara yelled, "And back the fuck off!"
"Stay out of this, Mara. It doesn't concern you," he said, but he let go. "What do you think about that, Aria? Maybe I should have a chat with the king tonight?"
Before Aria could say or do anything, Mara punched him. Right there, in the crowded center of the village. Right in the nose.
She didn't wait a second before grabbing Aria's hand and leading her back to the palace.
They made their way back in silence.
"He was just saying that to get to you," Mara said when they went through the front doors. "He isn't stupid enough to actually do it. He knows his life and yours would be on the line."
Aria nodded. Maybe Mara was right. But the fact that he held that over her made her furious. Fuck. She wasn't sure if he would actually tell Lex that she knew about that night with the dagger. But if he did, then Lex would know that Aria had been lying to him for weeks.
And they were barely getting along as it was. Yeah, they'd bonded that night he told her about his
