Page 520 of Reign

I can picture Angelo doing it too. Pulling Elena aside during his own wedding and calmly informing her that eventually her marriage would serve whatever purpose the family needed.

I hate it.

Maybe because I’m sitting behind my desk doing something close enough to the same thing.

“This entire conversation is Angelo’s fault,” I mutter.

Valentina blinks. “What?”

“Nothing.”

Although technically, it is.

Angelo made Valentina’s future part of our agreement when he stepped aside and let Elena choose me. I agreed because I knew I’d never put my sister in a situation where she wasn’t protected.

That still hasn’t changed.

But looking at her now, I understand how little comfort that probably gives her.

She doesn’t want to be protected inside an arrangement.

She doesn’t want an arrangement at all.

I rub my thumb along the edge of my desk.

“You’re fighting me awfully hard.”

“Because this is insane.”

“No.” I study her. “Harder than that.”

Something in her expression closes.

Interesting.

“Do you already have someone in mind?”

Her arms tighten across her chest.

“No.”

I wait.

She looks away. Now I’m certain she does.

“Valentina.”

“I said no.”

“If there’s someone, tell me.”

“There isn’t.”

“Give me a name.”

Her eyes snap back to mine. “I don’t have a name to give you.”

“I’m not asking so I can drag him into the garden and shoot him.”