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Lann clenched and unclenched his fingers. “Why is it so hard for you to believe?”
“Because you never have, and because I don’t want to spend what little time I have left living a lie.”
“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done because I love you.”
“Is that why you gave me a thirty-day deadline? Because you loved me?”
“Yes! Because I tried to protect you. It’s because I cared about you that I didn’t want to drag you into my life. If I didn’t give a damn, I would have just towed you along, right into danger. That’s why I gave you your freedom, because I loved you too much to be the selfish bastard I wanted to be, keeping you all to myself when I believed I couldn’t have children, and couldn’t give you anything normal.”
“I never said I wanted a normal life.”
“Is this what you wanted?” he asked, his voice flat.
“We didn’t know it was going to happen like this. At least, at the time, you could’ve given me a choice. Instead, you made it for me.”
“I did what was in your best interest.”
“Is that why you didn’t tell me you were coming back to Santiago? Is that why I had to find out from your butler?”
“I wanted to see you, but I wasn’t going to upset you again. I could see what leaving you the first time did to you. I knew if I were to see you, I wouldn’t keep my hands to myself, so it was better to avoid contact. Even if I only went back because of you, I didn’t want you to know. When Alfonso told me you hadn’t been back to the library, I was worried. I wanted to see for myself that you were fine. I wanted to find out you why you had returned the money I paid into your account.”
She shook her head. “You said you hadn’t come back for me.”
He dragged a hand over his head. “I just told you, I gave you freedom. What kind of a life could I offer you?”
“I could’ve accepted any kind of life, had you given me your love.”
He hung his head. “You had it. You still do.”
“Is that why you reacted the way you did when I told you I was pregnant? You accused me of lying, of expecting another man’s baby.”
“I was shocked. I knew the consequences, and I didn’t want it to be true. Besides, I was supposed to be infertile, dammit.”
She wanted to believe him, but she didn’t trust him enough.
“Come with me,” he said.
He pulled her to her feet, across the floor, and down the hallway.
She tugged on his hand. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to prove to you that I love you once and for all.”
“Lann, how—”
“Quiet.” He led her upstairs. “You’re testing my patience, and I have precious little these days.”
He pushed her inside their bedroom and shut the door.
“Stay there,” he said, leaving her in the middle of the floor.
Going to the desk, he took something from the drawer and carried it back to her. She looked at the velvet box on the palm of his hand. His mother’s bracelet. When he’d offered it to her in Santiago, she’d declined. She couldn’t take something so precious from him.
“Take it,” he ordered.
“I don’t want it.”
“Take it,” he repeated, thrusting the box at her.
When she shook her head, he sighed. He removed the lid and dumped it on the table. Carefully, he folded back the silk and lifted the beautiful platinum rose with the diamond dewdrops from its protective cushion.
“Here.” He offered it to her.
“Lann, I don’t—”
“Read the inscription.”
“Inscription?” It never had one.
He took her hand, forced her fingers open, and placed the bracelet on her palm. She caught a glimpse of cursive letters on the inside. She had to lift it to read the engraving properly. There was one word, a symbol, and a date. Love. The infinity symbol. Twenty-three February.
“When you gave it back to me, I had it engraved. Love, forever. With those words, I wanted to make it yours, and only yours. Before, it belonged to my mother. It’s all I have of her. It seemed right to me that you have it because it’s the most precious thing I own. That date proves to you that I loved you even as I left you. That’s also why I came back to Santiago. To leave you this. I couldn’t claim you. That would’ve been selfish. But I wanted you to know that I loved you, and always will.”
“Lann…” She swallowed back the tears. “I don’t know what to say.”
He took the bracelet from her and pushed it over her wrist. “I don’t expect you to say you love me. Just say you’ll marry me.”
“Would you have asked me if I wasn’t pregnant?”
He looked at her for a long moment. “Probably not,” he said softly, “but I already explained to you why—only because you deserve better.”
