Page 163 of In Love with a Ruthless Man

She started to cry. “I knew you’d come back.”

“You’re an idiot, a goddamn idiot.” But his voice shook, and he couldn’t stop himself from tightening his arms around her. “Forget me, angel, please.”

She cried harder, sobbing, “My n-new name.”

Ah.

He knew exactly what she meant.

“You r-remember?”

In the aftermath of making love, Fawn, lying on top of him, had whispered sleepily, “You need to give me another name.”

“Another name?” He had been bemused.

“Because I’m not a virgin anymore.”

Ah. He had kissed the top of her head, murmuring, “I’ll need time to think about it.”

Her head had jerked up, and she had looked wide-awake when she echoed him. “Time?”

Frowning at her reaction, he had said warily, “Yes, I need time.”

“Even though it’s a simple thing?”

“It’s not a simple thing,” he had rejected, his frown darkening.

Her lips had formed a bright smile. “Then it means Igor was right.”

“About what?”

“That I’m your special lady.”

His eyes squeezed shut.

He remembered.

He remembered like it happened a fucking second ago.

Because he remembered everything about them.

When he opened his eyes, he saw her staring up at him with terrified brown eyes, and it was so damn obvious that he only had to say one cruel word and she would shatter.

Because he mattered that much to her, and she wasn’t even pretending it wasn’t true.

“You’re really an idiot,” he said tightly.

Didn’t she know pretensions were what made the world go round?

She raised her hand up. “Do you see?”

He shook his head.

“T-the ring.”

Ah.

Her voice rose a little. “I’m s-still engaged. Grant s-said it’s okay. I’m still w-with him, soplease, please take me back—-”

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