Page 259 of Reign

“Because?”

His jaw tightens.

“Because the men most likely to appreciate everything I want about you were the men I resented most.”

The teasing dies in my throat.

“I told myself I was being cautious,” he continues. “That none of them were right for you. The truth is that I was being selfish. Every time you asked about that damn list, I wanted to burn the entire book.”

“You kept the names.”

“I kept pretending.”

His hand settles against my waist.

“I knew what I wanted. I refused to admit it.”

“Until now?”

“Tonight, you asked me to show you what I wanted. You trusted me with every part of you.” His fingers tighten slightly. “I owe you the same honesty.”

My throat feels too tight. “What honesty?”

“There is no list anymore, Elena.” His gaze holds mine. “There is only me, if you want me.”

This cannot be happening.

This is the sort of moment my imagination would create shortly before humiliating me with reality.

Except Luciano’s name is still written inside that book.

His hand is warm against my waist.

And he’s looking at me as if the answer matters more than anything else in the room.

“What about Angelo?”

“I’ll handle him.”

“You can’t handle Angelo.”

“I can handle anyone.”

“Luciano, he wants something permanent. He wants a marriage. An alliance. He isn’t going to accept me announcing that I’ve decided to have an undefined relationship with his brother-in-law.”

“Your brother wanted you to find a husband.” Luciano’s thumb moves over my waist. “I’m aware of what I put my name beneath, princesa.”

My pulse pounds harder.

“You mean that.”

“I wouldn’t have written it otherwise.”

“And Santo?”

“I’ll handle him too.”

“They’re both going to lose their minds.”