King of Envy (Kings of Sin, #5)

by Ana Huang

I want to know if you’re in love with Jordan. “Why?” He’s my friend. You’re marrying him. Connect the dots. It was incredible how quickly I went from being happy to see him to wanting to slap him. “You,” I said, squeezing my cup so tightly a drop of liquid splashed over the side,“can be a real jerk.” I’ve been called worse. The bastard didn’t even blink. Answer the question, Ayana. Are you in love with him? Yes. One word, one syllable. It was a simple enough lie. The response hovered on the tip of my tongue, yet I couldn’t bring myself to say it. I chose a workaround instead. “I love Jordan, and I’m marrying him.” I took a steadying breath and squared my shoulders. I wasn’t in love with Jordan, but I did love him—as a friend. “So unless you have a legitimate or personal objection to our union, I would appreciate if you stopped interrogating me about it. It makes me uncomfortable.” The earlier crowd had dispersed, leaving the café empty save for us and two baristas. My voice traveled the length of the small space, but the staff studiously avoided looking our way. Perhaps they were too scared of Vuk, whose jaw had tensed so much I was surprised his teeth didn’t crack. Noted.