Page 123
“No,” Vince growled.
“Just in case,” I rushed out, then flushed. “And I think I should… make a public statement. In front of the court. Renounce my title and say I’m not marrying Ianthe. That way, my mother has less motivation to do all this again, because she won’t be able to spin the situation to suit her.”
“I don’t want you going back there.” His brow creased with worry.
“I don’t want to either, but I think I need to do this.” I offered him a hesitant smile. “Take control of the situation a bit. Show her that she doesn’t have the power to make me feel so… small and weak anymore. And if the plan works, she won’t be able to do anything. At least this way, if I initially give the appearance of complying, it will prevent her from carrying out her threats.”
Vince was watching me solemnly. At length, he nodded.
“I’ll come with you.”
I blinked in shock. “What?”
He nodded again. “I’m not letting you go back there alone. I’m coming with you.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest, along with a tiny hint of trepidation. “I don’t think the guards would let you in—”
“We’ll say I’m your…” He looked around for inspiration. “I don’t know. Butler.”
I burst out laughing. “Butler?”
He snorted. “Okay, something else. Manservant or something. I don’t know.” He shot me a sly grin. “You can boss me around for once.”
My breath caught, arousal curling through my belly. “But I like being bossed around by you.”
“I’ll still do it when we’re alone.” He grinned and leaned in to nuzzle my mouth. “I can fuck you in your fancy royal bedchambers like the little slut you are.”
“That… that sounds like an excellent idea,” I breathed before he gave me a slow kiss. When it eventually ended, long moments later, I pressed another to his cheek. “Thank you, Vince.”
He shrugged sheepishly. “You know I’m good at taking over shit.”
I huffed in amusement, turning to finally start making us some coffee. “Yes.”
“And my uncle could probably look after the demon cat while we’re gone.” He gestured at Lady Potato as she plucked sleepily at my dining chair, purring loud enough for us to hear from across the room. She was always happiest when she was being destructive.
“He won’t mind?” I asked hesitantly. The only person I could ask for that kind of favour was Corey, and it wasn’t fair to make Cora share her space with an evil cat, even for a few days.
“Nah, not at all. There were, like, five strays at the trailer park and he fed all of them.” Vince stiffened and side-eyed me. “I, uh, grew up in a trailer park.”
I nodded and offered him a smile. I knew what a trailer park was, and I could sense that he’d been hesitant to share that with me, as if he thought I would judge him for it.
Maybe I would have when I’d first moved here, but not now. Never. I didn’t care how Vince had grown up, I didn’t care how different his life had been to mine. None of it changed how I felt about him.
His uncle had raised him well. He was hard-working and determined and loyal.
He was wonderful.
Chapter Forty
Relief
Crossbody
That evening, we ordered dinner and ate in front of the TV. If there hadn’t been the black cloud of worry looming over me, even with Vince’s constant reassurances that everything was going to be fine, it would’ve been perfect.
With my belly truly full for the first time in days and Vince’s warmth against my side, I soon started yawning, struggling to keep my eyes open as we watched a pottery competition show. I suspected Vince found it very boring, but he didn’t complain.
When my head tipped onto his shoulder with another jaw-cracking yawn, he reached up to cup my face and pressed a kiss to my hair.
