Page 160 of Ruthless King

“I’m not a very good swimmer,” she admitted.

“All right. That’s a good thing to know. I’ll stick close to you in the pool.” He reached up to brush some of her wild hair behind her ear. “Do you really think I’d let anything happen to you?”

How much had changed in the space of a week? She’d gone from thinking he saw her as a sibling. A burden. Someone to take care of out of obligation to her mother.

To telling him she loved him. To finding out he wanted her.

She still couldn’t believe he’d taken care of her, even when he had little idea of what he was doing. Fed her. Helped her bathe. Washed her clothes.

And then he’d lost his mind when he’d learned that she was being threatened.

Although she still didn’t think that one lonely note left in her dressing room could be considered much of a threat. But he was protective.

Because he wanted her.

Annoying Jilly Crane. The girl who’d always mooned after him.

“Jilly, you’re away with the fairies again.”

“Oh shoot! Sorry.” She searched his face for annoyance. “I know I do that sometimes, I’ll try to stop.”

He shrugged, looking unconcerned. “I kind of think it’s cute.”

“You do? No one else ever has. Lowell used to tell me that it made me look dumb. As though I had the attention span of an ant.”

“Fucking bastard. Soon, you won’t have to worry about Lowell.”

“What does that mean?”

“Just that he’s a dead man as soon as I find him.”

She gaped at him. “You can’t kill him.”

Regent raised his eyebrows. “Why not?”

“Um, because you’ll go to jail?” she said in a high-pitched voice.

“Baby. I won’t get caught.”

“No. Please, Regent, don’t. I couldn’t stand if you did that because of me.”

“Then I’ll do it because of me.”

“What? Lowell did something to you too?” Now, she was confused.

“He sure did. Something he needs to answer for.”

“What’s that?”

“He fucked my girl over. And no one gets to do that. He stole from you, used you, and upset you. Any one of those reasons would sign his death certificate. But the fact he did all three? That means he’s going to die slowly, painfully.”

For a moment, she felt a stab of fear. Her father had been like this. Cruel and vindictive.

“Hey, don’t look so scared, baby. I’d never hurt you. Hey!”

He cupped her face between his hands and she let the warmth seep into her, scaring away the cobwebs of memories left in her mind.

“Sorry,” she said hoarsely.

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