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“You know it is,” he said, sounding miserable and resigned to his fate.
They had to change this promise. Somehow. She didn’t want Mason breaking his word, but there had to be a way to explain and change this. Ray didn’t bend to many people, but Kiera was on the list of those he’d do almost anything for.
“I’ll just tell Ray you didn’t mean to make the promise and it’s finished,” she declared, jutting her chin out.
“Kiera.” Mason’s voice was determined and his eyes even more so. “You are not going to your brother on my behalf. I will talk to the general and pray he is reasonable.” He rubbed at his jaw. “But you understand this is a mess? I am the one who volunteered the promise. It’s not as if he coerced it out of me.”
She didn’t want to leave something as important as her future to two men who were both far too honorable and protective. She could just imagine Ray saying Mason had made a promise and had to stand by his word.
This was love. It wasn’t some military oath.
But now she could completely understand why Mason had acted conflicted and had said he couldn’t kiss her earlier, even though he obviously wanted to.
She’d have to dissect the ‘promise’ conversation, the wording, what Mason had offered and what Ray had demanded. Ray was overprotective, as evidenced by him and Macey doing a deep-dive background check on any guy who wanted to talk to her and guards following her around campus, monitoring outside her apartment, and any travels she and her friends did. Usually, she appreciated her brother’s diligence and wanted to be safe.
But this was Mason. They wouldn’t have to check his background. Everybody knew he was perfect, most especially her.
“You volunteered the promise not to pursue me?” she reiterated. “Because you thought I was still a little girl?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. I had no clue.” He gestured to her. “It isn’t only your enticing beauty that draws me in, Kiera. Though you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Happiness bubbled inside her at the compliment.
“It’s all of you. You’ve matured in your mind and soul, and you mesmerize me completely. The fact that you’re still fun, adventurous, fearless, and always happy makes up the complete picture of the light you are to me.”
She grinned. Hewashead over heels for her.
Mason smiled back at her, but she could tell he was stressed. She could understand. With Ray involved and some promise between the two men, she was stressed too.
But then she had an idea. A very scheming idea. She would prove to Mason that she was his perfect woman and that he had no choice but to rescind his promise to Ray.
Maybe it was skirting the lines, but she didn’t care. Not tonight. She’d deal with the consequences in the morning. She’d just found out the man she’d loved half her life was mesmerized by her. There was no world where she could say, ‘Ah, thank you. We’ll chat this out tomorrow with Ray.’
Nope. She would do something about it. Right now.
“I didn’t promise not to pursueyou.” She took a step closer.
“Kiera,” he warned, backing up. “You’ve had a skiing accident, the worry about Drake and Sarah, and I’ve revealed more about the depth of my feelings for you than I probably should have before I talk to General Ray. Let’s … rest. We’ll figure things out with the general when we get back to Augustine. This is a lot to take in and see clearly.”
“Oh, believe me. The last thing I want right now is rest.” Kiera gave him what she hoped was a sultry look. “I have never seen things more clearly.”
“Kiera. I said the words ‘I promise’ to your brother. My general.”
“Your conscience can be clear. This is one hundred percent on my head.”
Mason’s eyes narrowed. He would try to block her, and he was tough enough to do it. He knew she was a talented parkour expert, gymnast, and climber, but he had no idea the skills she’d picked up with the self-defense and sparring trainers Ray had insisted on. Usually her guards worked with her, but he’d found some American experts to train her as well.
Kiera walked to the bedroom door and swung it wide. Leaning against the wall next to the door, she gave Mason an innocent smile. “Thank you for sharing all of this with me.”
He eyed her suspiciously.
“You’re right. It is a lot to take in. Let’srestand see how we’re both feeling after.”
“Kiera?” He studied her, tilting his head as if that would help him look for the angle of her current scheme.
“Hopefully we’ll have good news about Drake in the morning, Sarah will get home safe to be with her family, and then we can head back to Augustine and you can talk to Ray.”
Mason slowly walked toward her, stopping right in front of her. So close. She wanted to reach out and grab him, press her lips to his. See if he could resist her or if she could talk him into calling Ray tonight and clearing up this nonsense about him promising not to pursue her. Okay, a promise wasn’t nonsense, but this one needed to be withdrawn. Pronto. She would make certain he was on the same page as her.
