Tempted | Kai Parker

seventy nine: arrangements

Kai's POV

The pause in Victoria's sentence was abrupt.

It wasn't like her to let up when she got into one of her rants, so when she seemed to break for consideration halfway through yelling at me, I was somewhat confused. Then she finally parted her lips again, this time her words only coming as a whisper.

"Sanguinem silentium."

I pulled my brows into a tight knit. "Why are you silencing us?" I grumbled.

She cocked a brow defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't want the whole coven listening in, and I'd imagine you really don't want your little girlfriend to hear what I'm about to say."

Phillip and I seemed to push out a simultaneous sigh, but I nodded and let her go on anyway. There wasn't much point in trying to shut her up. She'd run out of energy eventually.

"I don't even know where to start." She exclaimed. "I am furious, Kai."

"Why?"

Her jaw locked even tighter, like me not knowing what had gotten her so wound up in the first place was now irritating her even more. I wasn't even faking it to piss her off. I genuinely didn't have the faintest idea.

"We had an agreement." She hissed through gritted teeth.

My brows began to pull together, but within seconds I finally began to grasp what she was talking about. I mean, her reaction was still total insanity - but now at least I knew what she was harping on about.

"You can't be serious, Vic." I said, through a little chuckle.

"I am deadly serious."

"Victoria, that deal was made a very long time ago." I groaned. "A lot has happened since then. Including me being gone for the best part of twenty years."

"It's a contract - not a pinky swear!" She spat. "It doesn't matter what has changed."

I tried to look to Phillip for back up, but by now his head was in his hands, like he was nesting a headache.

"A contract made around thirty years ago." I hissed.

"It's not like it has an expiry date." She fired back, voice rising more with every rebuttal.

I drew in a deep and long breath, trying my hardest not to let my temper grow. I had no intention of being pushed around by Victoria, and I certainly had no intention of adhering to an agreement made three decades ago.

"I'm not going to marry you, Victoria." I said with absolution, staring deep into her green eyes.

The deal which had been put in place, the deal which Victoria was talking about, had been created in 1985. Josette had a similar deal created with a boy called Greg from another family in the coven. The papers stated that whichever one of us went on to win the merge and lead the coven would marry the agreed partner.

Similar agreements had been put in place for coven leaders since the coven's beginning, ensuring that the marriages remained within the coven. Most leaders didn't seem to mind, given that power was usually their primary priority, more so than love. I could, if I tried, remember what the papers looked like, as I watched our parents sign them. The Addlestone arrangements.

Victoria's nostrils flared slightly as she held my gaze, her lips pursing tight together. Then she turned to Phillip with raised brows, like she wanted him to talk some sense into me.

"I'll need to read over the agreements in detail." He said solemnly. "I can't advise either of you until I've properly read the contract."

As soon as those words came from Phillip's mouth, I suddenly felt my heart begin to sink into my stomach. I'd completely expected him to brush off her argument, calming her down in a kind way, and getting her off my back. I'd expected him to explain she was being unreasonable, and that there was no way to force me into marriage. I thought those agreements were just made in good faith - I certainly didn't believe they were binding. I didn't for a second believe there could be any substance to what Victoria was saying.