Page 6 of Crowning His Innocent Assistant

Bedding Livia...

A kick hit him hard in the gut.

He had trained himself to find that response to her abhorrent. He had known her since she was a girl. He had rescued her.

He imagined her as she’d been earlier, those wide eyes looking up at him, her mouth pink and lovely and disapproving. And he gritted his teeth.

“It is practical.”

“I cannot imagine why she turned you down.”

“She was being unreasonable.”

“Livia is never unreasonable. And you and I both know it. You, on the other hand, have cornered the market on unreasonable, at least, when it comes to this palace.”

“Says the man tasked with fetching my fiancée, and then stole her.”

“And you didn’t care. Just like you don’t really care that Livia won’t marry you. You’re inconvenienced and that’s what you don’t like.”

But that wasn’t it. It wasn’t. He was not simply reacting as a man inconvenienced. He was not half so petty.

“Yes, you are,” Javier said.

He met his brother’s gaze, and did not ask him if he had said that last thought out loud.

“She asked if I was going to throw her in the dungeon for refusing. And as you know, generally when a king issues a commandment...”

“Issues a commandment? I thought you said you asked her to marry you.”

“I did. By which I mean I issued an order that she would. Which when you are king is the same thing.”

“It is not. And you, my dear brother, are out of touch with reality.”

“Well, the next time I want the opinion of my younger brother, I will ask for it. But I do not believe I asked for your feelings.”

“No. And indeed, only one person wants those. My lovely wife, who also didn’t want to marry you.”

“I cannot imagine why. I’m a nicer person than you.”

“You lie better than I do. That’s it.”

Matteo let that settle in his chest for a moment.

“It is not a lie to behave in an appropriate manner in the appropriate venue. I am simply a man who knows when to put on the mantle of king.”

“And I imagine Livia knows you a bit too well.”

“Did Violet say where she had gone?”

“No. But I do not believe she said.”

“Well, I will track her down, then. She cannot leave without it being on record. And I will find that information quickly enough.”

“But she clearly does not wish you to know where she went,” Javier said. “Perhaps you should respect that?”

“I have cared for her for nine years.”

“She has cared for you. And anyone with eyes can see that.”

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