Page 93 of Outcast’s Vow

“Yes.”

“He’s the reason you were so freaked out that I might have the gall to touch another woman when you’re my wife?”

“Yes.”

I nod.

It all makes sense now.

“Thank you for telling me this,” I say. “Thank you for opening up.”

“It wasn’t easy for me,” Sylvie says. “I thought you would close up.”

I look at her. I look at my wife.

Calmness sweeps over her like a gentle wave as she sees the truth in my eyes.

“What did Elwood say?” I ask. “What did your father think about it all?”

“That was the only time I’ve stood up to him in my life. I told him that Ethan and I were finished and that he couldn’t do anything about it. But I saw his disappointment.”

“He should’ve supported you.”

“He believed Ethan and I were the perfect match.”

“You just say the word, Sylvie, and...”

Sylvie reaches out and puts her hand on my arm to cut me off before I can finish my sentence.

“Please don’t.”

“No one should ever make you feel like that. Never again.”

“You can see why I was so scared.”

I take my focus off the road to look deep into my wife’s eyes. She trusts me now. It’s taken a long time, but she’s finally letting me in. And I feel bad I haven’t reciprocated.

“Believe me, Your Highness,” I say low. “I would do terrible things for you.”

“I believe you,” my wife replies, looking back at me. “I believe you.”

35

SYLVIE

“I want you to cancel whatever plans you had today,” Baptiste tells me while we’re eating breakfast as if it’s the simplest request in the world and not something he’s throwing at me this morning totally unexpectedly.

“Cancel?”

“I want to take you somewhere.”

By the way he’s looking at me, it’s pretty damn clear this highly possessive man is not offering me a suggestion.

“I have a lecture,” I tell him. “It’s important.”

Baptiste spears his hot, buttery croissant with the tip of his fork.

“I thought you could do everything remotely at university these days,” he says. “Get someone to record it.”