Page 31 of Crowning His Innocent Assistant

He was impossible. He really was. He wanted perfection and without it he would see himself as broken and for some reason...it offended.

Because you wanted to believe you fixed him.

You wanted to believe you were special.

But Violet King is the one he thinks is special.

“It’s not fair,” she shouted. “But nothing is fair. You don’t have to pass on the unfairness, though, and you are. But you’re the only one making that determination.”

“She is what’s right for the country. And therefore, I will continue on.”

“You utter, heartless...”

“I told you I was.”

“I might hate you,” she said, the word coming out a whisper. “I truly might.”

“And I’m sorry for that. I would rather you did not. But it does not mean I can make a different decision.”

“You’re the King, you could do whatever you want.”

“Isn’t that just the thing you were telling me I should not do?”

“Now you listen to me. Wonderful.”

“She will learn to adjust.”

But would Livia? Would she ever heal from this? From this devastation, not just of his marriage finally coming into the present, but knowing just how void of feeling he truly was.

She didn’t think she could.

Except, it would be better, if that had cured her of loving him.

The sad thing was, it did not.

She broke the kiss, and stepped away from him. She had thought that memory might bring her some clarity, and it had.

She couldn’t marry him.

But since nothing had done the job of eliminating her feelings for him, eliminating her desire for him...

Well, she would claim that.

“Take me back to the hotel,” she whispered. Shame flooded her, heat flooding her face.

“Be very certain of what you’re asking me,” he said, his tone a warning.

“I’m certain,” she said.

“Then let us go.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her from the dance floor. And when they arrived, she could see that their dessert had been wrapped up to go. And she felt sort of silly, how obvious things were, even to the waitstaff.

Except, she didn’t care. Because she would not have to deal with the fallout of this. Because this was a goodbye, whether he knew it or not.

“I’m very certain,” she said, not to him, but to herself.

And then he took her arm and led her out into the night.

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