Page 43 of The Reluctant Wife

I blink. “That wasmyschedule.Mymeetings. My team and I spent weeks, in some cases, months, arranging them."

"None of them are more important than your life," he says in a reasonable tone.

Anger squeezes my spine. I’m pissed that he seems so unruffled and unrepentant about making this decision without informing me. And I’m even more angry that he’s right. I shove that last thought aside. "I wish you’d consulted me first.”

He nods. "I’m sorry, I did it without asking you."

Eh?I pause mid-tirade.He’s already apologized to me, so why am I surprised that he is willing to do so again?

"After you were asleep, I realized that it would be much safer if we holed up here for a few days, until things cool off. But I didn’t want to wake you. I did text you though, so you’d see the message when you woke up."

"You did?" I frown.

"I also plugged in your phone and left it to charge on your bedside table."

"I noticed. Thanks." I smile weakly before pulling out my phone and scrolling through the rest of my messages. Sure enough, there’s one from him, updating me on what he’s done.I must have missed it.

"This"—I hold up my phone—"is not a consultation. This is a…a directive from you."

"It’s a recommendation, as your head of security."

I rub at my temple. “I understand why the events needed to be called off. I’m also aware that I don’t have the necessary wardrobe on hand to go to the appointments.” Not to mention, I do not want to put myself on display, not when the person who took a shot at me is at large. “What I’m not happy about is that you took that unilateral decision without discussing it with me.”

Ryot takes in the play of expressions on my face. A look of consternation comes over his features. "You’re right."

My eyebrows shoot up. "You agree?”

He nods. "I’m not going to argue my point when I'm wrong. I was… Influenced by my concern for you.”

He squares his shoulders.

"I shouldn’t have made that categorical decision. I’m sorry. I was—" He seems at a loss for words. "I was upset and angry. I thought I’d failed you. I allowed myself to be distracted and slipped up on my duty to protect you. I felt responsible for what happened. I could not have lived with myself if you’d been hurt in anyway.”

His jaw hardens.

“I probably wasn’t thinking straight when I messaged your assistant and told her to cancel your appointments. I didn’t think through how it might come across to your team or how it might upset you."

He looks away and draws in a few deep breaths. When he looks back at me, his features are contrite.

"It was wrong of me to make that call on your behalf. My…my personal feelings for you interfered with my professional judgement." His forehead furrows. "It won’t happen again."

I’m so taken aback by the fact that he explained himself, I stare, bemused.

"Do you forgive me?" he asks softly.

My anger dissolves in the face of his contrition. And the fact he admitted that his feelings for me influenced him... Wow! Coming from this man who’s held his emotions so tightly in control since he assumed the role of my bodyguard, is unexpected. And thrilling.

“You do forgive me, don’t you?”

The worry in his voice lights a trail of warmth under my skin. My heart blooms in my chest.Oh, my god.After all these days of yearning to see some sign that he recalls the passion of our first kiss, I am overwhelmed. I try to speak but my tongue refuses to cooperate. My brain is digesting everything I’ve heard from him. Struck dumb, I can only nod.

His shoulders relax. "Thank you."

I shake my head. "Thank you for thinking on your feet. I wasn’t in any shape to make any decisions yesterday. And I certainly can’t face turning up for those meetings today. You did the right thing."

He peers into my face and, when he realizes I mean it, his forehead smooths out. “I did want to suggest one more thing.”

I look at him, waiting.

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