“So you know about...”

She let out a laugh that sounded a lot as if she was trying not to cry. He cast a glance at her to make sure she wasn’t. He couldn’t handle her tears right now. Right now he needed to fix this, he needed to be as close to her as possible. He had to bring them back together. He needed her. He loved her.

“Yes, I know that you lied to me, Dom. I know that you didn’t really break off the engagement with Julianna. I know that you’re still mating with her in a matter of days, and I know that the reason you didn’t want me to stop working on the decorations for the mating ceremony is because there will still be one. And here I thought everything was finally going my way.” She laughed bitterly, the sound cracking a place in his heart.

“I did lie—”

“I know you did,” she snapped.

He continued over her interruption. “I lied because I know I need to mate with Julianna to help secure enough votes for the presidency, and I can’t let you go. You’re mine Felicity. I’d do anything to keep you. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about this.”

She laughed again. “You’re not sorry. You’re smart and you were smart enough to know exactly what you were doing when you did it. You got what you wanted, for a short while anyway. Lady Julianna will still be yours but I guess I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain. You didn’t get to fuck me.”

“I have not fucked either of you,” he growled.

“At least there is that.”

“I care nothing for her.”

Suddenly, she spun in her seat to face him. Her eyes blazed with raw, bright pain. “Then why don’t you leave her and take me instead!”

Her outburst stunned him. Not that he hadn’t thought of the very same thing himself, but at her enthusiasm at the idea. She wanted him as much as he did her. That knowledge made the pressure over his heart ease considerably. If she cared then she wouldn’t really leave him.

“Felicity, it’s not that easy. Our people need a strong vampire as president. You know this.”

“Don’t tell me what you think I know.”

He grinded his teeth as his patience slipped a notch. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I never meant to. I’m asking you to forgive me, please.” God, it hurt to say the words. To beg and plead, but for her he’d do it.

“What did you think would happen? Honestly? Did you think I wouldn’t find out? Did you think that come the day of the ceremony I wouldn’t figure out that it wasn’t a presidential party, but a fucking mating ceremony? I’m not stupid, Dom.”

“I don’t think you are,” he said between tight teeth.

“Apparently you do. What does Julianna have to say about this? I’m sure as your bruid she’s none too happy that you were in my bed this morning.”

“She doesn’t know anything about it, and I haven’t touched her.”

She glared at him with bright eyes. “You’ll have to after the ceremony to make it complete. I guess it won’t be so hard for you having been so long without a woman and all.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Did you do all of this just to sleep with me? You had to have known I’d find out soon with the mating ceremony only days away. Did you tell me that you broke it off with her just so you could fuck me?”

His hands gripped the steering so hard the leather creaked. “No,” he bit out.

“Funny, I don’t believe you.”

“I’m not lying.” He’d lied because he couldn’t stand the thought of losing her and he’d do anything to keep her. He wanted so much more from her than a fuck. He wanted her smiles, her conversations, her everything.

Her eyes cut to him, then cut him to the quick. “That’s the thing about lying, it breaks one’s trust. Now I can’t tell your lies from the truth, Dom.” She lifted her chin and stared out the front window. “Drop me off at the nearest corner. I don’t want to be around you.”

His chest had a crushing weight on it. He hissed in a breath at her blow. “I can’t let you go, Felicity. I care too much.”

She didn’t say anything for a long minute and he glanced over at her to find her blinking rapidly trying to fight back tears.

“Fuck!” His fist slammed into the steering wheel with each outburst “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

She didn’t jump at his outburst, but she did stiffen and he hated that too.

“Pull over,” she repeated softly.

“No, I’m taking you to the estate.”

She tensed. “I really don’t want to be there. We might run into your bruid, after all.”

He hissed at the low jab. “Sweets, you really know how to fight, don’t you?”

She shook her head. “This isn’t about knowing how to fight. It’s about being honest. You lied to me. You made me believe you when this whole time you were never going to leave her. You were never going to give me a chance. It was always her,” she said raggedly, softly, her voice tortured.

“Baby—”

“Take me home!” she screamed, the sound nearly making his ears bleed.

“I can’t do that.” He looked over at her. Tears glimmered in her eyes, her forehead was creased with stress lines, her mouth pulled into a deep frown, and still she made his heart ache. “Don’t you see? I fucking love you, Felicity. I can’t let you go.”

She started blinking fast. “What did you say?” she whispered.

“I said I fucking love you.” His cheeks burned at baring his soul, but if that’s what it took he’d do it a thousand times a day for the rest of his life.

Suddenly her small fist slammed into his cheek. His head jerked left as throbbing pain burst at his jawline. She had quite the punch.

“What the fuck!”

Her chest heaved, her teeth bared, and eyes glowed red as the vampire in her came out. “I hate you.”

“Well, I love you.”

“If you loved me then you’d make me your bruid!”

He stilled and for a brief moment, considering it. They’d plaster her name everywhere. They’d find every little piece of dirt possible on her from her history to her mother's to her father's. They would leave no stone unturned and they’d do it within a matter of hours. Word would spread fast. With Zeke playing ugly, he’d make certain the rumors spread were nasty. Julianna was safe and had an impeccable past; her family was untouched by scandal. Not even Zeke could find dirt on her, but Felicity... Dom had seen Vas’s file on her. They had enough there to make her family look bad which would in turn make her look bad. It wouldn’t work. Then again, with Julianna on his side he was losing the race.

“I love you but I can’t make you my bruid. I’d never win.”

“I hate you.”

Dom rubbed at the twinge in his ribcage, but nothing he did could make it go away. His body felt ragged down to his bones with pain. He pulled up the long drive of his estate and put the car in park.

“Felicity...listen, damn, I’m sorry. I’m sorry about all of this, but I wouldn’t take it back, not if it meant taking back what we had last night and this morning.”

She shook her head slowly. “This is just about sex, isn’t it? Well, if you’re so pent up for it then you can go see your bruid. I’m leaving.”

She slammed out of the car and he followed her, hot on her heels, anger surging. He caught her elbow and spun her around.

“Is she inside?” she said.

“Julianna? No, she went out.”

“Well, I suggest you go find her, because I’m through with you. You’ll have to get your rocks off with her.” She snapped her arm out of his grasp and stalked away in angry steps, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

That’s it. He’d had enough. He was through her attitude. An intense panic had swelled inside him and was about to burst. She’d leave him and he’d never truly know her. Pure male, animal instincts took over.

Stalking after her, Dom halted in front of her, grabbed her hair in a fist and crushed her body against his.

“You’re not leaving me. And if you leave today it’s because I let you go. Now I’m going to finally do what I’ve wanted to do since I first saw you, sweets.” Her eyes flashed and inside he danced a small victory. “That’s right, baby. I’m going to finally make you mine in the only way a man can really know a woman. Are you ready for that?” He brought her closer so she could feel the rigid line of his arousal.