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We had breakfast together in the dining room, just the two of us because my father and brother were absent, and a guard entered. “Princess Harlow, you have a visitor who requests an audience.”
I turned in my chair to regard him. “Who?”
“Ethan Knotworthy.”
“He probably wants to see if you’re okay,” Mother said.
“I’m obviously okay if I’m home.”
She sipped her coffee before she returned the cup to the saucer. “Ethan helped me figure out exactly what happened, so I think he deserves a moment of your time, Harlow.”
“He was able to help you because he spied on me.”
“Nonetheless, he cares.”
“Alright.” I rose to my feet.
The guard spoke again. “And the prisoner wishes to have a word with you.”
My heart sank, hoping to never hear about him again. “His request is denied.” I walked past the guard and headed outside, finding Ethan waiting for me in the courtyard. He sat on the stone that surrounded the fountain, and once he saw me coming, he jumped up to meet me.
He moved into my chest and hugged me, held me before I had a chance to do anything else. “I’m glad you’re alright.” He cupped the back of my head and pressed a kiss to my forehead, like I was still his.
The affection felt suffocating, so I quickly stepped back to get space.
“I was worried you wouldn’t come back.”
“You know me. I never let anyone push me around.” I forced a smile.
He stared with his intense eyes, looking at me like it took all his strength not to cup my cheek and kiss me.
I crossed my arms over my chest to prevent the advance. “Thank you for helping my mother. I know it didn’t lead to my rescue, but having some information was better than nothing.”
He didn’t acknowledge what I said. “How did you get back?”
I told him the entire story, that we returned for his ship.
“So, he’s gone, then?”
“Actually, he’s in the dungeon.”
“Your mother was angry.”
“No, I put him there. If he thinks he can steal me from my kingdom and use me as a bargaining chip without retaliation, he’s an idiot.”
“Spoken like a real queen.”
“Spoken like my father’s daughter.”
He stared for a while, the silence growing uncomfortable because there was nothing more to say. “Maybe this isn’t the best time, but…you know I would never hurt you like that. I would never use you like that. Why are you wasting time on men who don’t give a damn about you when you know I would give my life for yours in the blink of an eye?”
“Ethan…you’re so sweet.”
“I’m only sweet to you. I hurt a lot of women in the past.”
“I don’t understand why you would even want me after the way I treated you.”
“Because you’re the one.”
