Page 209 of A Vicious Love

She looked at the holster differently then. “These are old.”

“They’re bloodline issue.”

Her eyes lifted. “From your family?”

“From the Crow armoury. Harlan branch. Issued through the direct line.”

“How old?”

“This set was my father’s first. Altered for me.”

“Jamison.” Her hand went still. “The water could ruin them.”

“They’ve survived worse.”

“But the leather⁠—”

“Can be treated.”

“The torn strap?”

“Reeves can have it repaired.”

Reeves nodded. “Already arranged.”

Sienna’s brows drew together. “Could I replace them?”

“No.” I softened my voice before the damage spread. “No, baby. You can’t replace these.”

Her fingers curled back toward her chest. “Because they’re expensive?”

“Because they’re mine.”

“But if you hadn’t jumped in after me⁠—”

“Stop.”

Reeves shut the medical case a little too loudly, possibly to remind me, control my reaction.

She looked breakable and stubborn and furious and worried about dead leather because it had belonged to my father.

She was killing me in ways enemies had never attempted.

“I mean,” I said slowly, “that nothing on me matters more than getting you out of that water alive.”

I caught her chin gently, lifting her face before she could hide behind the holsters, concern that was easier than believing me.

“You are going to be my wife. If something has to be damaged between you and old leather,” I said, voice rough, “it will be the leather every time.”

Then Reeves cleared his throat.

A heroic interruption, because I was two seconds away from forgetting every rule I had made for myself and kissing Sienna Bellemere hard enough to make the waterfall jealous.

“Miss Bellemere,” Reeves said calmly, “you should be examined for secondary injuries. Head, ribs, ankle, and signs of water inhalation.”

She stepped back at once.

I hated him.