Page 47 of Crimson Heart

It was clear to her that Flora was in a bad mood because she believed that Byron sleeping with Charlotte was akin to sleeping with the enemy.

Priscilla nodded. “Thank you. You’re always so good to me.”

“Because you were there for me when I needed you.”

For the rest of the day, Danielle didn’t have another encounter with Flora, and she was glad for it. She’d most likely withdrawn to her bedroom to lick her proverbial wounds. It didn’t matter. What was more important right now was Charlotte’s future. She was glad when it was finally time for bed, because it meant that she and Jude could talk in private. During the day, they’d only exchanged a few quick words, and she’d noticed how much the events of the day weighed him down. She knew better than anybody how much he doted on his sister and wanted only the best for her.

When she heard the door to the master suite open and then close, Danielle stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a pink silk negligee. Without a word, he met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a tight hug.

“You wanna talk, my love?” she asked him.

Jude severed the embrace and took her hand as he led her to the loveseat in front of the fireplace. When he sat, he pulled her onto his lap, one arm around her waist, the other on her thighs. She put her arm around his shoulders.

“That was quite unexpected, wasn’t it?” Danielle asked softly.

“That’s an understatement,” Jude sighed. “I don’t know how to make it clear to Charlotte that Byron is bad news. In the end, he’ll only hurt her. She’s making a big mistake. And I can’t let that happen.”

“We all have to make our own mistakes; that’s how we learn and grow.”

“I know that, but I fear that there will be no coming back from that. He’ll break her heart just to get back at me and the Alliance.”

“We don’t know that.” She caressed his shoulders and felt how tense he was. “I’ve known Byron for a few years, and while he’s not the easiest to get along with, he’s not bad in his core. All he wants is to be loved and respected. And while Cameron was alive, he never got that from his father. He always had to compete with a brother who couldn’t do anything wrong in his father’s eyes. That’s what made him so stubborn and angry.”

“Hmm. I get that it can’t have been easy for him, but that doesn’t justify him being an ass.”

“But is he really? Or are we all blind to him, maybe having changed since William was exiled?”

“I don’t know.” Jude let out a deep sigh. “I can’t believe anything he says. He even claims that he didn’t take down the deer and eat its heart.”

“He said that?”

Jude nodded. “When I told him that I don’t want somebody as volatile as him for Charlotte… I pointed out the incident with the deer, and he practically wanted to throttle me. He claims it wasn’t him.”

Danielle contemplated his words. “Maybe it wasn’t. Byron is many things, but he’s not one to lie easily. If he really killed that deer, he would be rubbing everybody’s face into it. He wouldn’t deny what he’s done. Despite everything you know about Byron, he’s not duplicitous. He’s straightforward: what you see is what you get. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. That’s what gets him into trouble with everybody.”

Jude met her gaze. “You really believe that?”

She nodded.

“Even if you’re right that Byron is truly in love with Charlotte, it doesn’t mean that she feels the same.”

Danielle furrowed her forehead. “Why not? You said she told you that she loves him.”

“She might think that, but I believe the reason she is throwing herself at Byron is because she doesn’t want to mate with the man my parents and the Alliance have chosen for her. That’s the whole reason why she’s even here: to hide from my parents.”

“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

He stroked his fingers over her cheek. “Because you weren’t feeling well after getting the tattoo. I didn’t want to burden you with it.”

She shook her head. “Jude, you’re not burdening me with this. I’m your partner. You don’t have to carry this by yourself.”

“I’m sorry, baby, I should have known.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Forgive me.”

“You’re forgiven. Now, tell me why she doesn’t want the man the Alliance chose for her.”

“She claims he’s violent.”

Her breath hitched. “What did he do to her?”