Page 19 of Exile

I reached for my drink and took a long sip before setting it back on the counter. “Only to you or to everyone?”

He raised a brow at me, silently telling me to give myself the answer to that question. “Got it. Only to you. Why? Did you two have an argument or something?”

“No.” He fell silent again, and I watched him as I finished my fries.

He wasn’t in the mood to talk about Henry and wasn’t the type of person who opened up easily. So I wasn’t going to push him. I decided to change the subject instead.

“So,” I said after a while, “do you always swoop in like a knight in shining armor, or was that just for me?”

He gave a low chuckle, the sound surprising me. “I’m not a knight. Trust me.”

“You’re right. You’re a king.” I pursed my lips. “Powerful and honest.” And handsome. “You lack communication skills, which is crucial to being a leader.”

“I’m not a leader, either.” This time, there was no humor in his tone. His lips were tight when his eyes met mine. “Don’t read too much into it. I just didn’t want you to get the wrong idea from someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Henry’s full of shit.”

I nodded. “Well, thanks, anyway.”

The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable.

If anything, it felt…natural. Like it had earlier in his living room.

Chapter 5

DARWYNN

Two couples started slowly dancing in the middle of the bar, with their arms tightly around each other and quietly chatting as they moved to the music.

I had turned around on my stool to watch them while Caspian was leaning forward, with his forearms against the counter and his fingers curled around his third glass of whiskey. He didn’t exactly share my interest in watching those people dance.

When I turned back around, facing Caspian, his head hung low, and it seemed like he was in deep thought. He didn’t look unhappy to be here, though, and deep down, I knew he wanted to be here with me.

“Do you have other family?” I asked, my voice careful but curious.

He didn’t look at me immediately, swirling the dark liquid in his glass instead. Then, with a sigh, he set the drink down and glanced at me.

“No.”

“No siblings? Cousins?”

He shook his head.

“What about your parents? Are they still around?”

“No.” His reply was dry but direct.

“I’m sorry.”

His expression didn’t change, and he returned to staring at his drink. I studied him momentarily, trying to figure out his feelings, but he was so closed off.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at my hands and said, “I don’t think I want a family either.”

That got his attention. His eyes flicked to me, his brows pulling together slightly. “Why do you say that?”

I shrugged. “I mean, maybe someday I’d want a man. But kids? A big family? It’s just not something I’ve ever really wanted.” I pursed my lips, then added, “I’ve always wanted a dog, so maybe that’ll be enough for me.”

He didn’t respond immediately, his gaze lingering on me as if trying to figure me out. Finally, he muttered, “Dogs are less trouble.”

I laughed softly. “You’re probably right. Have you ever had a dog?”

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