Page 87 of Ruthless Scoundrel
She picks up another piece of bread. “Eat too.”
I take the slice from her hand and shove it all in my mouth, chewing mechanically before swallowing.
She laughs, hiding her smile behind her food. “You didn’t have to eat it like that.”
The sound of her joy makes me crave it even more. “What else?”
She nibbles her lower lip. “I need to clean up before we leave, but I know we need to pack the tent, our gear, and—”
“I’ll do everything. Just take care of yourself.”
Her eyes well with tears again and I tuck her against my chest. “Don’t cry, please.”
“But you’re being so nice to me,” she says, her voice warbling.
I chuckle. “Haven’t I always been?”
“Not likethis,” she says, and it strikes something in me.
“Well, you’re my wife. I have to take care of you and be nice to you.”
“I’ve seen husbands who hurt their wives,” she whispers.
“Who? I’ll help you set them straight,” I say.
“Alyse’s husband, the prince of Wolfsheim. He…he hit her. I wanted to hurt him. And then, he killed her the night of her wedding,” she barely gets out before devolving into sobs.
Again, I’m reduced to ash, holding onto a crying sun and wishing she would shine bright.
Juuren, how do I comfort her? Please, show me the way to ease her suffering.
“She’s not dead,” I say, and I don’t know why, but itfeelstrue.
Reina sobs harder, her hands groping for purchase against the back of my shirt.
“She’snotdead. I know when we last saw her it looked that way, but I can feel it. It’s truth. She’s not gone.”
She sniffles and looks up. “Is this more selkie magic?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation, though it’s a lie.
Even if her sister is gone, I need her to be whole and functional. She needs it, too. If we’re both to complete our goals, we have to believe there’s something to live for.
She loves her sister, her family.
I love mine, too.
And I believe they’re all alive.
Chapter twenty-six
Reina
The second day of my bleeding is the worst. The muscles deep in my stomach cramp and cause me so much discomfort I want to scream, but I resist the urge. Jasper waits on me like a loving husband. What if he actually cares about me?
My stomach sours.
It was fine when all he wanted to do was shove his head between my legs, but now if he cares…truly cares? What I’m doing—asking him to strengthen my kingdom at the cost of his freedom—feels wrong. It feels vile.
