Page 49 of The Rogue and His Flower

“Some people are just arseholes, Daisy. I could psychoanalyse them and say it’s because they’ve got their own insecurities that causes them to act that way, and whilst it might be true, it doesn’t excuse their behaviour.”

“I’ve never done anything to hurt her. I would never do anything to hurt her like she hurt me, despite what I just said,” she replies, swiping at the tears on her face. “At one time I thought she was my friend. I’d trusted her, trusted Jonathon. I was so stupid…”

Her voice trails off as she falls into silence, and I feel the urge to comfort her, to make this right somehow. It’s a feeling I’m not used to, least of all equipped to manage. “Having a kind heart, and trying to see the best in people, doesn’t make you stupid, Daisy.”

“Really, because there have been times in the past when I distinctly remember you saying otherwise.”

I flinch at her response, knowing it’s true, and my hand tightens around hers. “If you hadn’t already noticed, I don’t always say or do the right thing, but I’m working on it.”

She nods, her attention drawn to the moon hanging in the sky above us. As she looks up, her profile is bathed in a soft, silvery glow, highlighting the delicate curve of her jawline and the vulnerability etched on her features.

“Daisy,” I start, clearing my throat, ignoring the pulse that beats in my bastard cock at how beautiful she looks. I’ve always seen her beauty. I’m not blind, but I’ve never allowed myself to really appreciate it, my friendship with Drix curbing thosethoughts. Over the years I’ve encouraged our fiery relationship because it allowed me to keep my distance, to place her in thenever to be touchedcategory, and until very recently I’ve been okay with that.

Now, it’s getting harder and harder to keep her there.

“You’re one of the most genuine and caring people I know,” I say, meaning every word. “It’s not a weakness to believe the good in people, even when they disappoint you, it’syourstrength. I’m beginning to understand that now. But aside from that, I’m so fucking proud of you for standing up to Clarissa. I want you to know that.”

She turns her head, her eyes meeting mine, a frown pulling together her brows. “I’ve not been very kind to you over the years. In fact, I’ve been pretty terrible towards you,” she admits.

“I dare say I’ve deserved it,” I reply with a shrug, my thumb drawing circles on the back of her hand. “I can be a self-centred, egotistical prick. I won’t deny it.”

A soft smile pulls her lips up at that. “Dalton, can I tell you something?” she asks after a moment, chewing on her lip as she looks at me.

“Of course.”

“I’ve hated every second of tonight. Apart from the few people who genuinely like me, I’ve felt everyone else’s judgement. I’ve felt their eyes on me, heard them whispering behind my back. It’s like I’m back in college again, reliving that nightmare. Worse still, it drags up memories of my childhood. How can I expect anyone to like me when my own parents couldn’t even love me?”

Her voice wavers, the pain of old wounds reopening before me. I know very little about her childhood, apart from the snippets Drix has revealed over the years, but looking at her now, I see that there’s a deep well of hurt and trauma that I hadnever fully comprehended, that I’d selfishly never even tried to uncover.

“Do you want to talk about it, your past I mean?” I offer. “Truthfully, I’m not sure how much help I’d be, but I’m willing to listen.”

She considers me a moment, then shakes her head. “Probably best not to dredge all that up tonight. I’m feeling vulnerable enough as it is, but I do appreciate you standing up for me back there,” she replies, and I can’t help but feel like she’s protecting herself from me. I’ve got to admit, that stings.

“And I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” I say, choosing not to push her on the matter.

“Because you have to?”

“No, Daisy, because Iwantto,” I say firmly.

“Is this real, Dalton?” she asks after a beat.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean how you’re behaving towards me. Are you being sincere?”

“You think this is an act?” I question, unsure what to make of the fact that she believes me to be so disingenuous

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

“Like I said yesterday, I like you Daisy.”

“Because I’m Drix’s sister, and you have to?”

“You were Drix’s sister before we entered into this arrangement, and we hated each other then.”

“And now it’s different? What changed?”

“Are you saying you still hate me? I thought we’d evolved into frenemies,” I retort, avoiding her question altogether.

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