Page 26 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

I nodded.

Nathaniel crossed the room to leave.

“See you later, sis. Great work on Anderson.”

The door closed, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sank into my chair and closed my eyes. My phone was still warm in my hand, and my heart pounded with a truth no one else knew.

Nathaniel thought he’d given me protection. He had no idea that he had provided my husband, who would be forced to stand by while men vied for my hand.

Fuck.

I had already made my stand against my father, even if no one else knew it. But I didn’t know how to announce it to the world without it costing Goran his life or tearing my family apart.

Chapter

Nine

KAYLANI

Goran stood by my bedroom door.

It was closed, but downstairs, the house was alive. Footsteps, voices, glassware clinking as those arriving put on their party faces, acting like this was just a normal gathering.

Inside my room, it felt like the world had narrowed. The walls pressed in, making it difficult to draw a full breath.

But I stood still in front of the full-length mirror, hiding the nervousness.

Goran looked out of place here. Not because it screamed feminine, but because I knew just how impure our thoughts were. He was as deadly as a sin that strolled into church.

“Do I look okay?”

I didn’t care about the men downstairs. I wanted to look beautiful to him.

The corner of Goran’s lip twitched, but he didn’t move closer and pull me into his arms.

“You look incredible, as always,” Goran said, his voice even.

“God, I hate you sometimes,” I swore, marching to the center of my room and glaring at him. “Why are you like this?”

His hazel eyes turned hard.

“You think I like this?” His voice was rough, sending a shiver racing down my spine. “You think I want to see rich men with power, money, and influence all trying to win your heart like it’s a fucking sport?”

I crossed my arms. “You acted like you didn’t care for the last few days while I was a mess.”

He took a step closer. Just one. Enough that my pulse betrayed me.

“Lani, I’ve trained my entire life for this job. I can sit in a room with a bomb about to go off and not show anything on my face. It doesn’t mean I’m not dying inside.”

My bottom lip trembled.

“I’m sorry.”

I hated that I was taking my trepidation out on him.

“You’re shaking,” he said quietly.