“I guessed. The analogy was pretty obvious.”
“You fixed me?—”
“You weren’t broken.”
“—and the job issue we can figure out.”
“So what’s standing in the way of you, Nikolett, and a future filled with alarmingly armed children?”
Eric grimaced. “After the way I treated her, Nikolett hates me.”
“And she has every right to,” Elijah said gently. “But I also think you could both use closure.” Elijah clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll talk about how to begin and end healthy relationships. The Trinity Masters, and I’m betting the Masters’ Admiralty too, is full of people who didn’t bother to learn the mechanics of relationships because of the arranged marriage.”
They turned away from the storm, and Eric felt a weird mix of hope and dread.
“Don’t worry,” Elijah said. “We’ll take our time and make a plan.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Nikolett sat at the table long after Laszlo had been escorted out.
Everyone deserves to fall in love.
The part of her that had never outgrown the romantic notions that plagued her youth, despite the realities of her upbringing, agreed with Laszlo.
In a perfect world, she would do exactly what Laszlo said—assign trinities not just for the traditional, strategic reasons but because they suited each other romantically. In a perfect world, she would be a fairy godmother pairing a princess with her princes.
But this wasn’t a perfect world. She was in love with a man who might love her but wouldn’t fight for her.
And despite it all, she still loved him, and might not be capable of loving anyone else the same way.
Which meant that she could never marry Laszlo.
He deserved to be in love.
Nikolett hoped she would someday love her trinity, but she knew she would never bein lovewith them. Not this wild, infuriating love she felt for Eric.
Grigoris and Nyx appeared in the door, quiet and expectant.
“He’s wonderful,” she said softly.
Nyx started to smile, but Nikolett shook her head. “Take him off the list.”
“Why?”
“He deserves better.” Nikolett rose. “Can you bring me my knee walker or crutches?”
Nyx looked ready to argue, but Grigoris touched her arm and she marched away, clearly irritated.
“Nik,” Grigoris said softly, shortening her name in a way he rarely did. “He’s a good option.”
“He deserves better,” she repeated.
“Better how?”
“He deserves to fall in love. He wants it.”
“Love comes with time?—”
