Conquer Me

Chapter 20

"You have a responsibility to—"

"I have a responsibility to myself," Jade stopped her with a raised hand. "To Perrie."

"And to this country," the queen reminded her.

"There are bigger issues at play than your little romance."

"This isn't the seventeenth century. I'm not taking a wife for political reasons."

"Not everything centers around you, you stupid girl." The queen studied her daughter for a moment before grabbing my arm and dragging me between them.

"Does Perrie know about your unsavory tastes? Does she know why you were sent away?"

"I keep nothing from Perrie."

There was no point in arguing with the queen over this. She'd made up her mind up about her daughter years ago, sending her away to avoid facing her.

The queen dropped my arm, looking at me in disgust. "If I had known these twisted impulses were more than a temporary phase, I would have ordered the death penalty back."

Jade opened her mouth to speak, but I'd had enough.

"Get out," I demanded. Crossing to the door, I swung it open. "Get the fuck out of my house!."

Both Jade and her mother stared at me, before The queen recovered herself. "You do not presume to give me orders."

"I do presume," I informed her.

"I did not invite you into my house. Now I'm telling you to leave."

"At least you have some fire in you." She eyed me coldly as she backed out of the door. "Consider this your welcome to the family."

A ritualistic sacrifice would have been more welcoming. I slammed the door shut behind her as my body began to shake. She had damaged my resolve, and I was cracking. Our relationship was built on eggshells and when it finally broke me, I knew that no one would be able to put me back together.

Rounding on Jade, I tugged her ring from my finger and held it out to her. Jade stared at it with a pain expression "Take it."

"What are you doing?" She asked her voice shaking.

"Take it," I pleaded as tears pricked my eyes. If this was all a ruse, I needed to put a stop to it now

She reached out and curled my fingers over the ring. "This is yours. It's my promise to you one I intend to keep."

I forced myself to ask a question I wasn't certain I wanted the answer to. "Why did you ask me to marry you?"

"Because I love you." Jade closed the distance between us.

She pressed her palms to the door, circling my torso. She had me trapped. I wanted to push her away, to free myself of the heady effect of her physical nearness. I couldn't trust my body not to betray me into believing anything she had to say.

"I deserve the truth. If you only asked me to marry you because you wanted to get back at your mother—"

"This has nothing to do with my mother!" Jade exploded.

"Then explain it to me, Jade," I pleaded, my voice barely registering above a whisper. My gaze found the floor. I dared to hope to believe that I could have my happily ever after. I'd been swept away by my knight in shining armour, carried away with tender promises. Life wasn't that simple.

Jade drew the ring from my clasped palm and slipped it onto my finger.

"I'll marry you tomorrow, Perrie. Our secret. If that's what will reassure you. I asked you to marry me because I want you to be my wife. I don't care what anyone else thinks. My mother. The tabloids." She paused, cupping my chin to redirect my downward gaze up to hers. "Say the word and I'll make this official tonight."