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Wren: You’re taking a while to reply.

Louisa: He didn’t come right out and say anything about getting married.

Wren: Some of them can be sort of dense.

Wren: I’m looking at the facts.

Wren: He moved you and Brady into his home, and that house hasn’t been a revolving door for his conquests from long ago. Viktor said that Nikolai never wanted to bring women there. So you stand out.

Louisa: Thanks?

Louisa: I’m not sure I want another reminder of what he used to be like before he met me.

I was only human. I was jealous, envious that any other woman could even have a memory of what it was like to be with Nikolai.

He was mine.

My killer, my protector, my lover. My man.

Wren: That was before you.

I supposed I had to let go of the past. But that was the sticking point.

Louisa: I can’t help but think about how it was like before, though. For me. When I found out I was pregnant with Brady, I was prepared to do it on my own if I had to. I wasn’t codependent on Kaleb. His parents insisted. They wanted us to do the right thing.

Wren: And how did that “right thing” turn out?

Wren: If he were still alive, would you have wanted to be with him?

I shook my head even though she couldn’t see. Swinging my foot as I sat in the office, I sighed heavily. She had a damned good point.

Louisa: No. I wouldn’t have wanted to be with him. We were incompatible.

Wren: So that clears that up. Marrying just for the sake of doing the right thing isn’t applicable here with you and Nikolai, right?

Lousia: I want to marry for love.

Wren: And he loves you. I can’t read his thoughts, but I see what he does. He brought you guys into his home. He cleared out your debts. He provides for you. He truly enjoys Brady being in his life.

She was leaving out the grittier detail.

Louisa: He kills for me.

Wren: Yeah, that. I don’t know if it makes me a bad person, but any man willing to kill someone for you has a pretty strong way to make a case that he loves you.

Louisa: I just feel like the timing is all wrong and off.

Louisa: I shouldn’t be daydreaming about a wedding. We have Gregori to find.

Wren: And we will. This family has far too many resources and too many determined family members to let him get away with his attacks for long.

Wren: It’s also no excuse to convince yourself that you don’t deserve this. Another husband, the right one who will support you.

Breathing easier with her pep talk, I stood to go find Nikolai and Brady. It was nearly lunchtime now, and I supposed we’d just have to wing it, just tell Brady and Paloma and see how they react.

Louisa: Thanks. I appreciate your hearing me out.

Wren: What are sisters for?