Page 419 of Reign

“Figures.”

“For several weeks.”

Ayla finally turns away from the hallway. Looks like, several weeks of torture earns her attention.

“He kept Gio hanging by his wrists for part of it,” Adriana continues. “Beat him. Cut him. Cauterized the wounds whenever—”

“We can stop.”

Ayla looks mildly disappointed.

“The point,” Adriana says, “is that Angelo did it because Gio took me. In his mind, that was protection.” She takes another drink. “And, sorry to say, it was very hot.”

“Ugh, please. I knew having you two here for this would be torture.” I point between Adriana and Vasilisa.

“Fine. I guess I’m not fucked up for liking the protective, possessive part of what Luciano did to Felipe. But Miguel may have been innocent.”

Adriana’s expression sobers.

“You’re a lawyer. Don’t you care that Luciano didn’t even know for sure?”

“Of course. In a courtroom, I want evidence,” she says. “Facts. Due process. I want to know exactly what happened before anyone pays for it.”

“And here?”

“Here, Luciano decided protecting you mattered more than knowing whether Miguel was guilty.”

“How do I make myself okay with that?”

“You don’t.” Her gaze holds mine. “It was his choice. The blood is on his hands, not yours.”

“Adriana.”

“I’m serious. Do you need him to have been right to keep loving him?”

“No.”

“Then let both things be true. You love him, and you think he was wrong. Luciano can survive both.”

Ayla’s attention has already drifted back toward the hallway.

“I just don’t know how to process all of it,” I admit.

Ayla sighs so loudly it cuts through the room.

“Oh my God, princess. This is dragging on far too long.”

My spine stiffens.

Luciano says princesa like he’s giving me something.

Ayla says princess like I’ve personally inconvenienced her.

“What?”

“You have three different problems, and you keep shoving them into one.”

She raises a finger.