My heart felt as if it stopped completely, and the blood drained from my entire body. I’d come here to wander around
looking at the flowers and think about the choice I was due to make. This wasn’t what I wanted, and it took him saying those
words for me to realise that.
He was what I wanted. I wanted to be near him at all times, to become friends andmore.
Chapter 31
NICHOLAS
Ifelt it. Her pain as soon as I said those words. But how could she be with me in more than name itself? She obviously
despised me and was only here due to the bargain we’d struck. Perhaps if I’d been truthful right from the start, she may
have run away with me when I originally asked her.
I should have never came up with a plan to hurt Norok. I should not have made her agree to marry me in exchange for
saving his life either. I had already healed him during the many preparations of the wedding. I just wasn’t sure if I wanted her
to know the truth.
My sisters were already scolding my ass for keeping Ornella’s memories from her. During those two days away from her,
April had practically begged me to tell Ornella the entire truth and see what her reaction was, believing it was just my mind
messing with me and she did in fact want to be with me. However, my mind was right all along.
She didn’t want to marry me.
She was being forced to, and as much as I knew I should send her home, I wasn’t going to.
She was going to be mine for penance for what her father did to my aunt.
And if it meant staying in a loveless marriage and only procreating for the need of an heir, I would do it. She would
eventually submit to her role as my wife.
“Nicholas, please.”
Her tears choked up her voice and a part of me broke at the sound of it. It wasn’t just her the memories of our youth
returned to. Many I’d forgotten about or hidden away in the back of my mind had resurfaced. After they returned, that feeling of
being drawn to her resumed. The waves of emotions I felt towards her confused and angered me.
I would do anything for her if she asked me to, but as she said no king should be seen begging in front of another. I would
never do such a thing for her or anyone else.
As her fingers reached mine, I tried to pull away even if it pained me to do so. Those sparks were there, rooting me to the
spot, digging deep into my heart as I tried to turn away. All the teasing, all the longing and wanting to be near her—to touch her
—it was there screaming at me to take it all back.
I wanted to pull her into my arms. To tear her clothes off and have my way with her. I wanted her mouth, her breasts, her
