Page 231 of Reign

“I’ll have an outfit brought for you tomorrow afternoon,” he says.

I blink. “An outfit?”

“For Obsidian.”

“A special outfit?”

“Yes.”

“Because the club has a dress code?”

“Because I want you in something I choose.”

My stupid heart starts fluttering again.

That is the problem with Luciano Castillo. He can remind me I’m temporary and then say something like that in the exact same breath.

“What kind of outfit?” I ask, trying to sound normal.

“Something black.”

“Shocking.”

“Something I think you’ll look beautiful in.”

Oh.

There it is again—that dangerous little spark trying to turn everything he does into proof of something bigger.

I look down at the plate. “That’s very confident of you.”

“I know what I like.”

My eyes lift before I can stop them.

His expression doesn’t change, but something in the room does.

Or maybe it’s me.

Maybe I’m the thing changing every time he says something I don’t know how to survive.

He feeds me the last strawberry, then wipes his thumb over the corner of my mouth. I almost lean into it.

Almost.

“Come to bed, princesa.”

I glance at the television. “The episode isn’t over.”

“You haven’t watched any of it.”

“I’ve been absorbing it.”

He smirks. “You can absorb the rest tomorrow.”

Then he stands with me in his arms like carrying me is easier than asking me to walk.

I should tell him I can. I should say my legs work. I should protect at least one piece of my pride after everything that happened today.