Page 63 of Arranged Wolf's Nanny
She shrank at the venom in his voice, but remembered herself last minute. She didn’t need to fear him. She didn’t need to make herself small.
“You don’t have to tell me,” she said softly, “but I want you to know that you can. Talk to me, I mean.”
He searched her face, fists clenching. She had decided that he wouldn’t open up to her, not yet, when he sighed and let his hands relax, staring into the fire.
“She’s a member of a wolf pack out west. Another old bloodline from Europe. Distinguished. Eminent. Her father is a high-ranking member of the pack and often brought her to American Alliance meetings in the early days of my involvement in it. We began…courting, I suppose you could call it.”
Rosalia nodded, fighting down the surge of jealousy in her stomach. Of course, he had a past. He was nearly ten years older than her. He had a daughter, for heaven’s sake.
But still, she didn’t like the thought of him with another female.
“I made it clear from the start that I wasn’t interested in anything serious,” he said, “I was young, still focused entirely on politics, on establishing the New Guard as leaders of the Iron Walkers. Things were fraught in those early days. I can’t say I miss it, but there was a certain challenge that I can’t deny I enjoyed.”
She chuckled. No doubt he was underselling it. If she knew anything about him, it was that he relished any opportunity to play his political games.
“I had just taken my father’s seat, and there were a lot of fathers with pretty young daughters they liked to flaunt in front of me. Zara was one such female. When I made it clear I had nointention of marrying her, she decided to take matters into her own hands.”
His voice turned bitter, and Rosalia had an unexpected flash of sympathy for this unknown woman. She wouldnotlike to find herself on the receiving end of Rick’s ire.
“She lied about her birth control. Thought that if she fell pregnant, I would agree to marry her. She was wrong.”
“She tried to trap you?” Rosalia asked, eyebrows drawing together.
He grunted. “I made an example of her. Exploited every single ounce of my legal knowledge to ensure that while she could remain Eva’s guardian, she’d have no real claim to her at all. She took her pound of flesh, no doubt. Money and stipulations and damnablepress coverage. But as you can no doubt see, as soon as she realized Eva would not serve her in any measurable way, she decided being amotherwas far too much trouble. I’ve only seen her once or twice since the settlement was finalized, and all I can say for her is that at least she’s sensible enough to keep her distance. Things got…ugly.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Rosalia said, her voice small. “Is that why…when my father…”
“I don’t appreciateanyonebelieving they can control me,” Rick said, iron in his voice. “Anyone reaching beyond their station. But from the start, I knew our marriage was purely your father’s doing. I never held it against you.”
“You were so cold,” she said, glancing up at him, her throat painfully tight, “I thought that maybe…you hated me. Blamed me.”
He sighed and took her in his arms, pressing a kiss to her hair, “I won’t insult your intelligence by pretending that I wasn’t cruel. I know what I am, Rosalia, and I won’t apologize for it.”
Of course, he wasn’t one for flowery apologies, pretty words. He didn’t speak his affection, his regret to her out loud. Instead, he stroked the hair back from her face and kissed her soundly, his touch reverent and gentle. She melted into him, letting him demonstrate his feelings instead.
He picked her up, their lips not breaking, and carried her to bed.
Chapter 14 - Rick
They had flown to Washington in one of Nicolas’s private jets, a rare indulgence that Felix didn’t often opt for. This time, however, he seemed far too on edge to tolerate any traffic and was instead brooding in the corner of the jet, poring over legal documents with a deep furrow in his brow.
“Is he okay?” Rosalia asked, leaning over towards Rick, eyes wide in concern.
“He’s fine,” Rick replied, though he didn’t fully believe it. The humans had caught wind of mounting tensions between the Iron Walkers and the Black Claws, and if his informants in the White House were to be believed, the potential conflict had shaken the human administration to its top levels.
It made sense. If two such powerful packs were to clash, other packs could get drawn in. And humans would no doubt feel the impact.
Besides, Raph would be at the Accords with his Black Claws. And the murder of his son would no doubt be at the forefront of his mind.
Rick couldn’t help but sneer. It wasn’t murder. It was an execution. Putting down a rabid animal.
He’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Rosalia had settled back down, her finger tracing the book in front of her. He glanced over the page. It seemed to be a history of the peace talks following the Conflicts.
He hadn’t wanted to bring her. The presence of the Black Claws at the Accords set his teeth on edge.
But he had promised her that he would encourage her political education, and she had wanted to come. Plus, he would be there. There was nowhere safer for her than at his side.
