Page 268 of Reign

I look at the bowl beside my sketchbook.

Frozen blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries float in coconut water that has already started turning purple around the edges.

There are cherries on top.

Again.

I point at them. “Those aren’t supposed to be there every day.”

“You like them.”

“They have more sugar.”

“They’re cherries, not contraband.”

“That isn’t the point.”

Luciano picks up the little silver fork with flowers carved into the handle and spears a raspberry.

He holds it in front of my mouth.

I narrow my eyes at him.

He waits.

I open.

The berry is frozen in the center, cold enough to make my teeth ache slightly when I bite down.

Luciano watches me chew before reaching for another.

I pick up my pencil and return to the dress.

I draw.

Luciano feeds me.

His coffee cools beside us because he pays more attention to whether I’ve swallowed than to drinking it. Occasionally, his phone rings and someone begins explaining a problem only for Luciano to inform them that it should have been resolved before reaching him.

Then he returns to my fruit like nothing more important interrupted us.

I feel absurdly spoiled.

Worse, I finally understand why Vasilisa is always sitting in Santo’s lap.

I like Vasilisa. The fact that Santo is unfortunately the man she ended up with isn’t her fault.

Still, I resent discovering that she and I apparently share this particular weakness.

Luciano feeds me one of the cherries.

I glare while I chew.

“What?”

“You look smug.”

“I am.”