Garnets or Bust Read Online Free PDF Page B

understand?”
    29

    Joanna Wylde
    “There are bigger things in play here than money,” he said. “I can give you money.
    Your financial worries are over.”
    Tessa tensed.
    “I don’t want your money any more now than I did at school, Daaron,” she replied.
    “I shouldn’t need it. I used my skills and education to find my own way of making
    money. The garnets. They’re all the rage at court, now that the Emperor has expressed a
    fondness for them. They might have been worthless this time last year, but they’re more
    than enough to set me for life today. All you have to do is give me my rocks and let me
    go. You do your own thing and we’ll both live happily ever after. Or you’ll do whatever
    weird thing it is you want to do, and I’ll live happily ever after. We can pretend this
    didn’t happen.”
    “Let’s sit down,” Daaron said, gesturing toward the bed. He seemed to fill the
    room, crowding her. Daaron had always done that to her—every place he went, he
    filled. He stepped toward her, crowding her, and she slid to one side of the bed in an
    attempt to put space between them. He gave her a knowing smile. She hadn’t fooled
    him. He plopped down on the bed, depressing the mattress so she had to fight to keep
    from falling into him.
    “Tell me what’s going on here,” she said. “I need to know.”
    “All you need to know is that you’re my wife and I can’t allow you to leave with
    those garnets,” he replied.
    “You’re right,” she said. “I misspoke. I don’t care what’s going on. I just want to
    go.”
    “And I want to fuck you,” he replied. “And unlike you, I’m in a position to take
    what I want.”
    “Oh yes, the great Daaron Von Saur’rel,” she snapped. “It doesn’t matter if a
    woman actually desires you, you can do whatever you want. Of course, if you were an
    ordinary mortal, maybe nobody would sleep with you. Have you ever wondered if
    your success with the ladies has more to do with your money than your cock?”
    30

    Garnets or Bust
    He froze, and she knew she had him.
    “Think about it, Daaron,” Tessa continued, her voice cold. “Maybe your daddy paid
    them to fuck you. After all, the only woman who couldn’t be bought didn’t sleep with
    you. What does that really say?”
    She knew how hateful the words were, and she knew they weren’t true either. But
    she had to attack him any way she could, because otherwise she was dead in the water.
    Maybe she could goad him into action and use it to her advantage.
    He laughed, and her hopes sank.
    “I haven’t talked to my father in five years,” he mused. “I suppose the possibility
    exists that he interfered at school, but since then I haven’t exactly been celibate, unlike
    you. Ever wonder if you missed out on the best years of your life?”
    Her breath hissed out. Bastard. She didn’t have a comeback for that one.
    “So you want to call a truce?” he asked. She nodded her head. Fighting wasn’t
    getting her anywhere. Time to gather information and think through her next move.
    “Do you admit that we’re married by the customs of your people?” he asked.
    She pondered it, then nodded her head.
    “Although, when you consider that the customs of my people have never been held
    in high esteem by nobles like yourself, I’m not sure that means very much.”
    He gave her an icy smile.
    “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” he asked. “As my wife, you can’t testify and
    aren’t a threat. Otherwise you are. Which would you rather be? Remember, I said you
    have a choice to make.”
    She fell silent again.
    “As my wife, you’d sleep with me.”
    She had to laugh.
    “You’re right,” she replied. “Of course, as you nicely pointed out to me earlier,
    sleeping is different than fucking.”
    31

    Joanna Wylde
    “You’d fuck me too.”
    Silence fell between them, thick with tension.
    “So let’s get this straight,” she said finally. “My choice, as you put it, is between
    being