Arranged: An Array Series (Book #1)(54)

“My father has been pressuring me to marry her, but I’ve flatly refused several times. But—”

“I understand,” she cut in.

I raised a brow. “So, you believe me?”

“I do.”

Narrowing my eyes, I held her gaze. “Then you’re fine?”

She nods. “Perfectly.” I released the breath I had been holding in. Settling back in the chair, I tried to relax my tense body as she continued, “I may have found myself in my own predicament, so I apologize for coming to conclusions.”

“It’s fine, Avie,” I replied with a grin. “What’s going on? I hope I didn’t cause you to look so upset. I would never hurt you.”

She looked down at her hands, as she started to play with her fingers. “I know,” she muttered. “The queen is the last person I should be believing. I’m sorry.”

Leaning forward, I placed my elbows on my knees. “Avie,” I said softly. “What’s wrong?” She squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lower lip. “Ava.”

Exhaling, she peered up at me. “It’s George. I agreed to marry him if—”

I stood from the sofa. “You are not marrying my brother!”

“It’s only if—”

“Stop it!” I roared. I pointed a finger at her, feeling my whole body shaking. “I already know. You had your own little plans behind my back, didn’t you? George and yourself had an arrangement to marry if he couldn’t find a good enough bride on his own. That you failed to tell me. Meanwhile, you let me kiss you, touch you, and–”

“Please,” Ava begged. “We don’t plan on marrying if we can find someone. It’s just that I don’t want him unhappy, and—”

“And what?” I snarled, glaring at her. “Get stuck in another arranged marriage, Ava? I thought you were trying to stay the fuck away from that?”

“It’s George.”

It may have been the soft way it rolled off her lips. Or maybe I was starting to get jealous of her being with another man and my not being able to touch her anymore, especially when it was one of the closest human beings to me. I couldn’t betray my brother, but it didn’t mean I would be happy about their marriage.

“So, you’d submit your happiness to marry my brother?” The air seemed to be leaving the room as I watched her chest heave in and out. She was getting just as worked up as me but not in the way I was. I was pissed; she was upset. And I had just said I’d never hurt her.

She opened her mouth but closed it again. Watching her find the right words, or to break it to me softly, began to rack my nerves. I began to question myself about her… Was I wrong?

“George is my best friend. He has always tried to protect me,” she decreed. “I owe him.”

“You don’t owe him shit,” I countered. “He’s a big boy now. George doesn’t need to be saved by a small woman so that his happiness is well-kept.”

Her eyes tightened. “We have a history. We protect each other.”

I threw my hands up in the air, turning my back on her. “This is fucking ridiculous.” Shaking my head, I ran my fingers through my hair before rounding on her again. “Where is the strong Ava that knew what she wanted? Who knew that she wanted to explore the world and see new things? Did she die when she was almost killed? Because I don’t see her now.”

“Stop it,” she growled, stiffening in her chair. Her eyes were directed to the floor. I stalked over to her, crouching down beside her chair.

“Avie, what the fuck happened? There has to be something.”

“Cecilia sent Caroline Bennett away, married her off to one of the Lords staying here in the castle.” Her attention locked onto the fireplace. “She knew that George was using her to buy time. Father has been pushing to press his intention on me. That I was already trained and bred to be Queen. There is no one else worthy enough to fit the bill, so George said we might have to marry after all.”

I bit my tongue to keep from lashing out at her for being a hypocrite; for being upset about my fake marriage to Sophia when she had plans of her own.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

She looked back over to me. “Because I didn’t want to think about it when we went to the picnic. I wanted to leave Ava Barlow here.”

I planted my hand on her knee. “I told you that my kisses would be the only ones you’d remember from now on.” I rubbed my thumb over her dress, trying to relieve some of the tension on her body. “You think George will erase them? That he’d make you shudder in his arms like you did in mine, Avie?”

“I wanted one night. One night of freedom. While Ava Barlow was here, awaiting her fate. Waiting for everyone to tell her what to do and who to marry. Even though…even though I didn’t want to come back here, to this prison of a castle. I came because you asked me to.” She shook her head, her voice hardening. “You and George promised to protect me. But you can’t protect me. I will never get what I want. I’ve accepted it. So, if I’ve hurt your feelings, I’m sorry, but you’ll get over it.”

“You didn’t hurt my feelings,” I retorted, turning my head away so she couldn’t see that she did hit a mark with me. The thought of her marrying my brother sent a rush of jealousy through me. I’d never felt it until now, and I didn’t like how the feeling suited me so perfectly in this moment.