Page 519 of Reign

“Not right now.”

“Not ever.”

“That’s unlikely.”

Her face hardens. “So that’s what this is.”

“What?”

“You get to marry Elena.”

My jaw tightens.

“What does Elena have to do with this?”

“You married the woman you wanted instead of marrying for an alliance.” She gestures between us. “So now I have to.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“It’s exactly what you said between the lines.”

“No. I said this family needs stronger alliances.”

“And apparently I’m the last Castillo standing.”

I lean back in my chair.

“I understand why you’re angry.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

She gives me a look that says she doesn’t believe me.

She’s twenty years old.

I wouldn’t choose this for her if our world gave me another option. I wouldn’t choose it for Adriana. I wouldn’t have chosen it for Elena.

But our family doesn’t survive because I pretend the rules disappear when I dislike them.

“That doesn’t mean I’m handing you to the first man with territory I want,” I say. “You’ll have choices. You’ll meet whoever I consider. You’ll have time. If you hate someone, I’m not forcing you to marry him.”

“Oh, wow! Thank you hermano,” she says sarcasm laced through every word.

“Valentina.”

“What?”

“Don’t.”

Her chin lifts.

She knows exactly what I mean.

“This is exactly what Angelo did to Elena on his wedding day.”

The thought irritates me.