Page 55 of Finding Closure

“You spoke with Julian’s therapist?” I asked.

He nodded. “Apparently, we all are going to. Besides Neldor, and he wants to speak to a grief counselor in Faerie first but doesn’t know how.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

“Tams, don’t,” he said firmly. “You have real trauma in this area. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t go sooner and I don’t. I thought—I didn’t realize how much I could do wrong.”

“You do so much better than you realize,” I argued. “We’re all allowed insecurities and issues, Darby. I wouldn’t havemade itwithout you.”

He gave me a soft kiss. “That can be true and it still be true that I weaponized my insecurities against you. I hurt your relationships with them because you were worried we would fall apart because of my issues. That wasn’t fair to you, and I made things worse. I’m sorry for that. I’m really fucking sorry.”

I swallowed loudly, understanding what he was saying. “I know. I’m sorry you fell in love with someone who had multiple mates.”

“I’m not,” he rasped. “I’mblessed. I’m blessed and the luckiest man ever that you love me andchoose me.” He gave me another kiss. “And I’m not going to be a duffer and argue about money or worry about it when you have so many other issues you’re always having to deal with.” He rubbed his thumb over my skin. “I just need to know where your head is.”

So he didn’t take advantage of me. I saw the worry in his eyes.

“What’s mine is yours, my prickly pear,” I whispered. “We do have a lot, and I don’t want to worry about this. You’re going to protect me and already have, and I know you’ll be paid with Gieger’s firm working for me, but this is more.”

He let out a slow breath and leaned his forehead to mine. “Okay. Okay,agra. Thank you.”

I smiled as I sat back in my seat and focused on my sundae… And he put the black card in his wallet.

The one with his name on it that was attached to my account.

He winked at me as we kept eating. “Can I be a git and ask something I’ve always wondered?” He smiled when I nodded. “Can you really buy a vehicle with a black card? I saw that on social media and—”

“I have no idea,” I admitted. I shrugged. “I just know that thing gotworkfrom all the catering ordered to help the ‘gift’ from the dragons. I had to order another one, it wore out, and that was when I made the adjustment for you to have your own card.”

His eyes flashed shock. “That was months ago.”

I gave another shrug and focused on my sundae. “I’m chicken a lot more than I would like to admit. I didn’t know how to do this, and the others have money. I offer and they brush me off but…”

“But what,agra?” he whispered. “Please tell me. I want us to be able to talk about anything and everything.”

I did too, swallowing down the awkward feeling. “They buy their details food. I didn’t want it to become a thing that you don’t because you don’t have the money. They shouldn’t use their own money to feed my people, but they do. And it’s a good gig, but people can be brats, and then it would like get around that your detail isn’t treated as well and—”

“And probably not by my detail because they’re all awesome,” he muttered, bobbing his head. “Yeah, I could absolutely see that. Fairies look for reasons to hate me. Some of them because of what I am.” He smiled at me. “Thanks, Tams.”

“Always.” I snorted. “You wanted to become a lawyer to protect me. Of course I would protect you too.”

“I might do a bit of shopping,” he said nervously. “Some comments have reached my ears that I’m the lacking mate. Appearance-wise. I mean, not looks but—”

“I know,” I said gently, having caught the same. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I let it—”

“Don’teverapologize for the petty of others,” he said firmly. “I wasn’t really listening either—we tend to ignore it all, and I hate that shit.” He let out a slow breath. “But I want this forever and you do too. We have to listen to some of it or let others filter it out. Rafe and Wyn are right that this is a valid one, and I was going to bring it up.”

I nodded. “A few suits so you look—you’re always handsome to me. But I’m going to be queen. My fiancé should have nicer clothes.” I huffed. “You know, if you did, then they’d probably bitch I was wasting money.”

He snorted, fully agreeing that a lot of times we just couldn’t win.

But I was glad we were a united front of this and on the same team.

We grabbed a lot more ice cream and headed back to my studio to get started. I walked around and cleansed every inch of the house now that all of the crates were out. I frowned when I found Darby setting up more easels in the great room that I used for painting.

“You’rewaymore powerful,agra,” he reminded me. “You’re not going to be limited to a dozen paintings at a time. It’s smart to prepare for that.”

“Thanks, Darby.”

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