Page 49 of Dangerous Exile

“Your father threw your mother into a madhouse, Ness. What do you think he’ll do to you if you don’t listen to him?”

Her lips drew inward, her eyebrows pulling tightly together.

“Exactly. Let me protect you from this. Let me do this. You say you once knew me. You say the sun revolved around me when we were children. Yet I was awful to you. Let this be my amends. Let me give you this. Protection.”

Her eyes closed for a long moment, her fingers rubbing her forehead, and she looked to be drawing upon a well of patience. But there was the slightest crack in her facade. She was considering it.

And hell, he wanted her to consider it. Wanted her to say yes. He’d never even contemplated it, but suddenly, poised in front of him, the thought of marrying Ness was maddeningly attractive.

He wanted her.

Wanted her for a wife as long as she would have him.

Her amber eyes opened to him. “Sneaking toads into my slippers does not require a marriage proposal, Talen. You don’t even remember me from that time.”

“But you remember me, and I trust you.”

“You do?” Her right eyebrow arched.

“Aye.”

“Why?”

“Frankly, you have no reason to lie on the matter. You never did. I was going to protect you no matter what because Juliet asked me to. It was that simple.” He shrugged. “And the fact that you bring absolutely nothing to the marriage should assuage you of any apprehension you have on my motives.”

A breathless chuckle left her lips. “I bring nothing?”

His chin jutted out, nodding to her. “You bring you.”

“But that, that is nothing.”

He took a step toward her, so close now he could feel the panic and fear and hope vibrating off of her.

He needed her to choose the hope.

His hand lifted to drag his knuckles along her cheekbone. “I’d say that is everything. And I would never demand anything from you. Nothing that you didn’t want to give me.”

Her breath caught in an audible hiccup. She stared at him for long seconds, scrutinizing him. Scrutinizing his intentions.

He held her gaze, not flinching under her assessment.

“But this isn’t fair to you.” One last futile argument against what she was being swept into. Admirable.

“Does it matter? You’ll live life on your terms, away from your father’s clutches.”

Her right hand lifted, her fingers settling on his chest. “It matters. It does. What you want matters. What if you meet a woman you truly want as your wife?”

“I want you, Ness. I didn’t imagine this when you first appeared at the Alabaster. I didn’t imagine it in the first, the second week. But I came back here and you were gone.”

He paused, his look going to the ceiling as his head shook. “I was going to tear London apart to find you.”

“You were?”

His gaze dropped to her, his stare piercing. “I was.”

Her lips closed tightly as she stared at him. Stared at him for the longest moment, disbelief lacing her eyes. But then a flicker. Heat lighting to flame in the amber of her eyes. Fire that made him want her all the more.

Her full lips finally parted. “What if I want you, as well?”