Page 150 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
“That’s ridiculous, Zach. You couldn’t have known—”
“I knew. I might be a cat, but I am still a beastman. If you don’t want to live in this Wizard Tower, then we can move to Peldeep or Gren’s Keep or anywhere you want. As long as we are together, that will be my tower.”
“But—”
“Shh, love, no buts.
The following paragraph wasn’t highlighted, but it was … spicy. Brownie found herself enthralled reading through an intimate scene on a garden bench.
“Bronwynn?”
The bard flinched, snapping the book closed and slamming it on the table a little too excitedly.
Thank goodness she’d turned the page, reading to a spot with no highlights. Even if he’d caught a glimpse of her page, it wouldn’t be obvious she had been reading his notes …
Just the racy scenes.
“Rufus! Wow, this is such an interesting book. I—” Brownie stopped when Rufus, wearing a new black silk tunic open at the throat, stood close enough that she could just kiss him. Since his folk form was slightly shorter, she finally got to see his chest dusted with golden hair.
He reached forward, his hand resting on top of hers and the book. Why was he so close?
“Bronwynn.” The book disappeared into his spatial ring as he wrapped his hand around hers and drew it toward himself.
He frowned, searching her face and probably spotting the telltale sign of last night’s tears.
“It’s not what you think,” she said, trying to explain to Rufus that he actually had little to do with her current state, and in fact was one of the shining moments of her day so far.
He didn’t let her finish, but she forgave him the interruption, if for no other reason than he was baring his heart sincere. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, and I’m sorry you had to find out from Ross and I wasn’t strong enough to tell you myself. I’ve been hiding the fact that we’ve known each other already this whole time. When I said I’ve been stalking you for a year, Imeantit. I’ve been obsessed with your music, I’ve followed you across the continent, and I even ran that catastrophic event in Sumbria—”
“It wasn’tthatbad.” Brownie found herself smiling genuinely for the first time since yesterday, amusement pulling her out of her anxiety and woe.
“I was trying to keep my personal life separate from my work life. But that wasn’t fair to you.” He lifted her hand and kissed it, sending shivers down her spine. Brownie wondered if she should let him continue or just jump him.
She was feeling more vulnerable than usual.
Rufus finished with, “Do you forgive me?”
CHAPTER 91
Her Eminence Feliwyn’s Lurid Romance Novel
Rufus
My heart was racing as I laced my fingers with Bronwynn’s and kissed the back of her palm.
She had walked into the lobby looking utterly devastated, and the bottom had dropped out of my stomach. Her eyes were red, her cheeks were puffy, and she looked like she’d gotten next to no sleep. Even with a show last night, it shouldn’t have been this bad.
Yesterday, she’d fallen quiet and contemplative after learning everything, but now, her grief waspalpable.
She had been reading my book when I came back, and I spared a thought to which page she might have been so distracted by.
At the same time, fear of losing her, of hearing goodbye, wrenched my stomach. Nothing felt worse than the short moment before she opened her mouth and said, “I forgive you, Rufus.”
The tension gripping my body didn’t suddenly relax, but I drew a deep breath that felt lifesaving.
“Thank the gods,” I sighed, then I tucked her arm into mine and started walking her toward the door. “Now, I have a surprise to make it up to you.”
I stopped when she hesitated near the entrance. She looked between me and the second-floor rooms, and I wondered if she’d been up so late that she wanted to just grab breakfast and go back to sleep. As we stood there, her eyes finally focused back on mine, and I decided to throw the surprise to the wind. “I’ve rented a spot on the patio of Vivian Vermillian’s Eatery so we can watch your cousin fight the guild master in the final round of civilian combat today.”
