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He moved to the bookshelf and scanned my collection. “No.”

Which meant it was the truth. “Why?”

He turned to me. “I don’t know.”

Again, the truth. Ronan always told the truth.

The song changed to a slow song, and I heard Mags yell at someone, probably Iris and Draven, to get a room. I wanted to see my family enjoy themselves. I was used to missing out, but I loved to watch them when they were happy.

“What would you like to read?” Ronan asked.

We’d finished the fantasy he’d been reading me the day before. “I’m not sure I feel like reading tonight.”

“No? What would you prefer?”

“Put on a pretty dress, go downstairs, and dance with my sisters,” I said, and an ache started in my chest from wanting that so badly.

“You can’t stand, Rose, so you can’t dance.”

“I know that, Ronan. I was just dreaming, you know? Wishing I could.”

He nodded. “I see.” He glanced at the window, then back at me. “Would you like to watch? Or are you too tired?”

I was always tired, but there’d be plenty of time to rest when I was dead. “I’d love to watch.”

He strode over. “Would you like a cracker first? Some cheese?”

“No, thank you.”

He frowned but pulled back the covers and scooped me out of bed. I forced down my humiliation as he covered me with a blanket and carried me to the window. The slow song drifted up, “Yellow Ledbetter,” an old Pearl Jam song that Mom loved, and I watched as she and Art slow danced. Draven and Iris were there as well, and so were Willow and Warrick. Mags and Bram were standing a little apart, then he tugged her close, and she wrapped her arms around him. They swayed slowly, and the pain on Bram’s face stole my breath.

“Poor Bram,” I muttered.

“Is he injured?”

I turned to Ronan. “He’s in love with Mags, but she doesn’t feel the same way.”

Ronan focused on them dancing. “Then why doesn’t he find someone else to love?”

The way his mind worked fascinated me, it also shocked me at times. “That’s not how love works.”

He didn’t say anything for a minute, then turned to me. “How does it work?”

“You can’t control it, it’s a feeling. Something you just know. You just want to be with that person. You want to protect them and care for them. You’d do anything to make them happy.”

He nodded like he understood when I knew he didn’t. “My sister loves her mate.”

“She does.” Luna and Gunner were most definitely in love.

Draven cupped Iris’s cheek and kissed her. I glanced at Ronan, and there was a strange look on his face. “They make it look like it’s something enjoyable,” he said.

“It is.” At least, I imagined it was. “Have you ever kissed anyone before?”

His lashes fluttered. “Yes.”

Jealousy pounded through me. “You didn’t enjoy it?”

“No.”