Dukes of Peril (The Royals of Forsyth University, #6)

by Angel Lawson

“You don’t get to touch my man—ever. I’m the Duchess.”

“But we’re not other Dukes.” Sy’s eyes harden. “No, we’re not.” “And she’s not the usual Duchess.”

“I… hurt her, but I did it because I wanted her too much.” He glances around before adding, “You hurt her because you didn’t want her enough.”

“Lavinia’s insecure and probably almost as possessive as Nick. I broke her body.” He arches an eyebrow. “You broke her heart.”

But that’s what we are. Vinny and I have never been nice to one another. We’ve just been real.

“my… head issues, you know? They’re not my fault, but they are my responsibility. I guess I never really thought about that much.” My voice drops. “Not until you.”

“Baby, I’m already yours.”

“Maybe a few years of being unable to hold my own against men three times my size has confused you.” She narrows her eyes, challenging. “But I grew up fighting the meanest bitch Forsyth will ever see. That piece of trash over there doesn’t stand a chance.”

“She didn’t become Duchess because of blood or sex appeal,” I bark, gesturing to where she’s pelting Haley with a chest-kick. “She fucking earned this shit!”

“I know what you all think of me! My blood is North Side, so I’m a spoiled little Lucia, right?” Her mouth pulls into a bitter snarl. “I don’t have anything–anything–in this world I haven’t earned.

“Maybe I haven’t earned your respect yet. Maybe I haven’t had the chance to earn your loyalty. Maybe I haven’t even earned the right to be in this ring. But these three?” She thrusts her hand out, stabbing a finger in our direction. “I’ve earned the right to call them mine! And you can fucking spread the word on that to all four corners.”

I wanted the essence of her. The spark in her eyes. The fight in her heart. The pain of her touch. I wanted her soul. “Take it.” Jesus Christ.

“I love you.” I lick the words right into the crease of her lips, lapping up a smear of blood. “That’s not a fucking lie.” My words come bitten off between thrusts, voice full of red gravel. “It’s the truest thing I’ve ever known, Vinny.”

Like Remy’s hands never leaving my body. Right now, he’s stroking my thigh, his green eyes fixed to the patch of skin like he’s greeting it after returning from a long deployment in a war.

This man is hungry for me and now that we’ve started this up, there’s no going back.

“I want you to tattoo me.” I stop short. “You want me to what?” “I’m yours,” he explains, tipping his head toward the tattoo gun. “Make your mark. Anywhere you want, anything you want.”

“No one’s ever tattooed me before. No girl, not even another guy. This is all mine.” He dips his eyes to his body, to the intricate designs over his chest, arms, torso. “But now it’s yours, too. So go ahead. Pick a spot.”

“When we jumped,” he whispers, looking transfixed, “I wasn’t scared. I knew I couldn’t be, because I had you with me.”

“I wanted to hold on to you, Vinny, but the river tore us apart. I knew where you were, even in the dark. My guiding star.” The curve of his grin is mocking and bitter. “But when it mattered, I couldn’t hold on.”

“I’m drawing a line,” he says, eyes glued to my mouth. “I sleep where you sleep. Pick a bed–I don’t care whose. Mine. Sy’s. Remy’s. Sleep in the Archduke’s little kitty bed for all I care, but I’m going to be there with you.”

find myself wanting to tell Tate everything. This is Lavinia, I want to say. She put the parts of us we couldn’t find back together.

Like there’s any fucking way I could say no to her.

Trust isn’t built on expensive dinners and pretty words. Those aren’t what I’ve been waiting for. All I’ve needed is this.”

I want this to last. I want her in my bed every night. I want her warm body pressed against mine. I know if I hurt her again, I’ll lose her forever, so everything I do is about making her feel good. Making her mine.

But most of all, I’m theirs.

“I’ll kill him,” he says, voice dripping with rage. “I will fucking kill him before I let anyone touch you. Do you understand?”

You’re ours.” Slowly, he repeats, “You’re ours, and he’s using you to punish us.”

Nobody touches her. Nobody even fucking breathes on her.”

One day, Nick will be King. To become King means taking down Saul.

“Nothing is unstoppable!” “I am,” I tell her, chasing her gaze when she rolls her eyes. “I’d never let anything hurt you, and you know it.

Sadly, his own Royal spawns didn’t come equipped with dicks.” Remy raises his beer, saying, “And we thank god for it every day,”

These men are mine now, for better or for worse, and I’ve already had their ‘worse’. No one deserves their ‘better’ more than me.

“Besides, I have another job for you. Much higher priority.” My eyes narrow as they dip down, watching his thumb work the button on his jeans. “That’s not a job, Nick. It’s a career.”

“L.B.” Face growing hotter, I realize, “For Little Bird.” His eyes hold mine for a heartbeat, the muscle in the back of his jaw ticcing. “Yeah, for Little Bird.”

NOO ITS FOR LAVINIA BRUIN DUHHHH

She’s a goddess.

“I love you,” I say, not caring if the guys hear me. Not caring if she says it back. I just want her to know.

“I love her. She makes us… better. Connected. Not new or different, just…” I struggle to find the word I’m looking for. My mom knows, though. “A family.”

And if the Kings want a war, we’ll give them one.

“if you’re ever put in the position, you’ll protect my sons the same way they’d protect you.”

but here you are, getting ready.” I blink. “Getting ready for what?” “To become a Queen.”

Where I come from, Royal women always end up in a box–dead or alive.

Royal women are women first and Royal second.

“So I’m still your prisoner.” “You’re my girl!” he snaps,

I was arrogant enough to think I was different–that there’s a happy ending in this for us. I was right, I think. We all end up in a box.

“I’m doing this because it’s what you want me to do. And now what? You want to leave me?”

“Freedom?” A wretched breath of laughter tears through his throat. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I’d follow you anywhere, put a gun to my head and pull the trigger, leave my family, my friends, my whole fucking world if you asked me to. But even after all these years, you still think the way I love you makes you a prisoner. When are you going to get it?” His jaw tightens, and he reaches up, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “You’re not shackled to me, Lavinia. I’m shackled to you.”

I’ve been waiting around for him to give it back to me. But maybe Nick’s been waiting, too. A Queen would take it back herself.

None of us want to be remembered for our worst moments.

“I don’t want to be that for you. You don’t need to save me all the time, Vinny.”

Boundaries. None of these people have them.