Page 28 of Love Me Forever

Remus sighed and leaned against the desk. “The only reason I’d ever leave you is if you cheated on me.”

“I wouldn’t cheat.” Like Sébastien would toss away their relationship for a random fuck.

“I know that. You’re looking at me like you expect me to pack my shit and say bye.”

“We haven’t made any definite plans, and I just brought home a kid. This is a huge thing…” It sounded like Remus wasn’t going to cut off their relationship, but Sébastien couldn’t make himself ease. “I can’t put her in an orphanage. I promised she’d be safe, and I told her she’d be living with me. I can’t go back on my word or put her in a place where anything might happen.”

“I get that. I don’t think you’ll be bringing orphans home until we’re loaded to the rafters, and whatever happened, you had a good reason to do this. This is huge, and I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m not telling you to dump her anywhere. I’m also not going anywhere.”

“You’re not leaving?”

Remus put his arms out. “Can we?” Sébastien stepped forward so Remus could squeeze him in a big hug. “I guess you wouldn’t trust that I’d be okay with something you’re set on like that. You’re used to being criticized.”

The Regent had done that a lot to pick and tear at him. Sébastien never would have dared or dreamed of bringing a child into the Palace with Uncle alive, but he could imagine the complaints if he’d tried. “I couldn’t leave her.”

Remus rubbed his back. “You don’t have to defend yourself. I mean, I do want to know what happened, but you don’t have to stand here and try to bring me around to your reasoning. Something happened, and you made a decision. I can’t pretend that I’m not surprised, but I'm sure it was the right one, and we'll go from here. We’ll both take care of her, okay?”

This was almost too good.

“You’ll be her Father too?”

“Yes. I’m not going to leave everything to you or demand you get rid of her.”

Sébastien felt like pure shit for automatically assuming Remus wouldleave. “But why are you so accepting of this?”

Remus sighed and pushed Sébastien away only enough to look at him while rubbing his shoulders. “Because with whatever happened, I think you had a good reason. You sort of already know her since you did meet her once before, and you made a decision that was in her best interest. I know you wish better and different decisions had been made for you in the past or that someone had saved you then. It didn’t happen. You can doit for someone else. You said a man had her, and I don’t see you walking away from that kind of thing. You’re not that kind of person.”

The shitty feeling increased. Sébastien had automatically jumped to the worst conclusion. Remus had approached him in a logical way before, trying to see things from his point of view while allowing him to also gain trust in and out of bed. He was doing the same now and trusting Sébastien’s thought process and reasoning.

“I think you tend to think you can’t actually have things you want,” added Remus. “Like it’ll be ruined. You thought I’d change my mind and never return.”

“I’m sorry. I thought you’d at least be angry that I changed everything so fast. We’re not even married yet.”

“I can see why you’d assume the worst. This is sudden, but I’m not mad. I’m not going to lecture you or leave you.”

He drew Sébastien in for another hug, and he squeezed Remus. “You’re too good for me.”

“No, I’m not. You don’t realize your worth. You know, you’re a hero in that little girl’s eyes. She probably thought she’d be out there forever.”

Sébastien didn’t feel like a hero. He just wanted to keep her safe. Nobody had kept him safe before, and while Sébastien would never be like his Uncle, leaving her almost would have been like continuing the cycle in a way. He’d be a shitty person in a different way.

“What happened to the man?”

“I think you can guess. He deserved it even though he didn't get the actual chance to do what he wanted.”

Remus paused. “If he warranted a blade to the throat, I have a feeling what happened.”

“She doesn't fully understand it. I don't want her to either.”

“Can you introduce me?” Remus kissed him on the lips.

Chapter Seven

Remus wasn’t mad, but he couldn’t pretend he wasn’t shocked. Kids had been a “maybe later” thing in his head. He wasn’t sure if Sébastien would ever bring himself to sleep with a consort. Quite frankly, he wouldn’t be into it either.

Without an heir, they’d have to later pick who would take over after them and continue the rule. Since they suddenly had a little girl, he figured that issue was out of the way.

He remembered the little girl who’d given Sébastien the drawing, although she was far skinnier than last time. Her dress was ragged, and she twitched her dull wings as she stuffed in another bite of bread.

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