Chapter 69
Gemma
“Gemma,” Sibille says as I answer the phone. “What a pleasure dear. It’s been such a long time since I’ve heard from you.”
“It has been a while, Aunt Sibille,” I say. “How can I help you?”
“Well, dear, there’s a party of sorts coming up. A charity thing for people in the families, you know, and I have a plus one. You’re the first person I thought of.”
By “the families” she means the elite mafia families of the supernatural underworld.
I swallow my immediate response, which is to rudely demand why, and say, “How kind. Why was I the first one you thought of?”
“Well, I heard your relationship to Cassian has gone public. That means you’ll be expected to attend events. I thought coming with me might help ease you into the right kind of society.”
I almost scoff at the idea of any of Cassian’s poisonous family introducing me to the “right” people.
As far as I’m concerned, the “right” people are Zina and Jace and my mom. People who actually know me and care about me. Not people who want to parade me around like a new show
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pony.
Not the people who want to attend the parade and watch me be put through my paces, either.
But she’s right. Cassian has outed me as his wife, and I know my life is going to be more complicated from now on.
I must hesitate too long, because Sibille says, “People are always watching us, Gemma. You know that by now. You’re coming to this party. Be ready by seven. A car will pick you up.”
Aha. There’s the condescending Sibille I know.
I want to refuse out of annoyance and spite. Instead, I take a breath and say, “That’s so generous. Thank you, Auntie. I’ll be ready when the car arrives.”
A few days later, I exit Zina’s building in an off–the–shoulder silver gown. The car is there, but it can’t have been there long. I’m not even a minute late.
Still, as I slide into the car, Sibille says, “You need to work on your time management.”
I very carefully don’t roll my eyes.
When we get to the party, Sibille floats around, talking to different Lunas, Alphas, and other important, dangerous people.
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Chapter 69
The venue where the party is taking place is kept dimly lit. Alcohol is flowing. Older people speak in low tones in shadowed alcoves while their twenty–something children dance together on the dance floor.
“Sibille,” says one of the guests that Cassian’s aunt has stopped to speak to, “Who is this vision of a girl? I’ve never seen her before.”
“Oh,” Sibille says, laughing lightly. “This is Cassian’s wife, Gemma. She’s been with him for a few years, now, but she isn’t used to this side of his life, so he’s been hiding her away.”
As soon as she says it, whispers start.
“Alpha Cassian Blackwell is married?”
“His wife?”
“Did she just say that’s Alpha Cassian’s wife?”
I only give the crowd a wan smile and sip my wine.
Now that we’re getting divorced, of course I’m finally becoming part of this world.
Or am I?
Elite Lunas and matriarchs of the underworld mafia families are gathering around us all of a sudden like a flock of old chickens.
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I didn’t know much about them, but I knew their main goal in life is to find a good match for their kids.
To hear Cassian is off the market must be a huge blow for them.
They gather around me to peck and squawk like a flock of birds.
“Who is she?” one of them whispers.
“There’s no way she’s elite enough to marry into the Blackwells.”
One of the women gets bold enough to walk up to me. “Which pack do you come from?” she asks. “Who’s your family?”
Sibille smiles, and there’s pure evil on her face. I realize this is the entire reason she brought me here.
“Oh, it’s such a lovely story,” she says in a sickly sweet voice. “Little Gemma isn’t anyone, really. A low–level member of our own pack. She does inventory in our warehouse.”
The rich old women around us gasp and cluck.
“A warehouse worker? With the Alpha of the Smokewind pack?”
“He could have married my daughter. My pack’s bloodline goes back a thousand years! Instead he chose someone with no skills, no money, and no connections?”
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Some of them titter behind their hands. Some of them don’t bother to hide that they’re laughing.
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“Oh, ladies!” says Sibille, pretending to be scandalized. “Don’t be so hard on her. After all, they’ve also been married for three years and she hasn’t managed to have any children.”
Sibille lowers her voice and says, “Though…one would think if she can’t do anything else, she could at least give him an heir.”
I hear a high–pitched laugh and suddenly I see Claire, Cassian’s obnoxious cousin.
The one who tried to claw my face off in public one of the last times I saw her.
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