Page 411 of Reign

“The rest?”

“Thinking Miguel might have been innocent. Liking what you did to Felipe. Freezing when he grabbed me.” She looks down. “It’s all mixed together.”

I don’t answer.

There’s nothing I can say about Miguel that won’t become an excuse.

I heard him say it wasn’t him.

I killed him anyway.

Because Elena was standing ten feet away, and I wasn’t willing to discover too late that I had believed the wrong man.

I would make the same decision a thousand times when it comes to her.

That doesn’t make it right.

“Your brothers are coming tomorrow,” I say.

She looks up.

“Korsakov too.” I add.

Her face falls. “Wonderful.”

“I’ll ask them to bring the women.”

She pauses. “Ew. Why?”

I huff out a chuckle.

There she is.

“Why do I need Adriana and Vasilisa and Ayla here?”

“Because they live with men like me.”

She goes quiet.

“I understand why you’re bothered by Miguel.”

“Bothered is a little light.”

“You’re right.” My thumb moves over her knuckles. “I understand why you believe what I did was wrong.”

She watches me carefully.

“And anything I say after that will sound like an excuse for myself.”

“You could just not make one.”

“I’m not going to.”

The answer comes easily.

Her fingers loosen slightly in mine.

“But you’re trying to understand what happened today. What you saw. What you felt.” I pause. “And I am probably the last person who should tell you what any of it means.”