Royally Unexpected: An Accidental Pregnancy Collection by Lilian Monroe

Author:Lilian Monroe [Monroe, Lilian]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2020-10-04T16:00:00+00:00

22

Damon

This time, I’m not going to let Dahlia get away from me. The Raventhals are officially welcome in Farcliff now, which means she has no excuse. She can’t run away from me again.

The day after the wedding, I show up on her front doorstep. No more waiting and hoping for her to call. No more putting the ball in her court.

I want her, and I will have her.

Dahlia opens the door and her eyes widen. “Your Highness! What are you doing here?”

“Call me Damon, Dahlia. I would hope we’re past formalities by now.”

“Fine. Damon, what are you doing here?” She grins, opening the door wider. I step inside. She motions toward the kitchen and I follow her. She’s wearing that sparkly purple robe again, and I remember the very first time I saw her, and how much I wanted to tear that robe off her body.

Maybe today will be the day.

“Coffee?” She motions to the machine.

“Please.”

I watch her put the coffee on, and then she leans against the kitchen counter and stares at me. “What can I do for you?”

“I was hoping you’d stay at the castle last night. You disappeared before I could talk to you again. I asked you not to leave without saying goodbye.”

“That was by design,” she laughs. “You’re too persuasive for your own good.”

I take a deep breath. I’ve been rehearsing a speech in my head all morning, and now it’s time to deliver it. The thought of letting Dahlia slip through my fingers again is unbearable, and I can’t let it happen.

“Dahlia, look. I know you have reservations about going to the Farcliff Castle, and I understand that. I know you don’t trust me or my family, and I’m not trying to pressure you into anything. I was hoping—”

“What are the bruises on your body from?”

I pause. Neither of us say anything. The coffee machine gurgles.

“Nothing.” My back stiffens and I force myself to hold her gaze.

“So, you’re telling me that I should trust you, but you won’t tell me why every time I see your bare chest, it looks like you’ve been beaten to a pulp the week before?”

My ears burn. I try to swallow past a lump in my throat as my mind races. This wasn’t part of the script I’d planned out in my head. This wasn’t part of the plan.

Dahlia arches an eyebrow.

In that moment, I know I have two choices. I can lie and protect myself—and potentially lose any chance I have with Dahlia…

…or I can tell the truth.

“I pay a man in Grimdale to beat me.”

My voice is flat and emotionless. I hold Dahlia’s gaze without wavering as the weight of my words settles between us.

I’ve never told anyone that before. I’ve never even considered telling someone. It’s my biggest secret, my biggest shame.

Yet, telling Dahlia was easy.

Her brows draw together and a couple of lines appear in her forehead. The coffee is ready, but both of us ignore it. Dahlia grips her bathrobe tighter around her chest and stares at me.

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