Bella's POV
I really don't want to deal with Lucius, but his obsessive, arrogant nature won't quit. When he fixates on something, he'll chase it to the ends of the earth. The only way he'll back off is if all hope gets crushed completely. That's when his self-righteous attitude finally dies.
I thought I'd been crystal clear with him.
But instead of listening, Lucius exploded with fury.
"Marry him? Over my dead body," he snarled.
Since we were kids, Lucius staked his claim on me as his little sister, his childhood love, and most importantly, his future bride.
That belief never wavered.
He'd been relentlessly chasing this dream from day one.
But I told him marriage was off the table.
Lucius couldn't stomach it.
Julian was about to step up and go toe-to-toe with Lucius when I stopped him with a light touch. "Julian, we're leaving," I said quietly.
My calming look dissolved the fire in Julian's eyes.
He shot Lucius a deadly warning before spitting out, "Fine."
