Page 123 of Their Fairy Princess (Office Intrigue Duet 7)
How had I missed it? If what Heaven said was true, how had I not seen it?
Ian was in love with Everly.
But that wasn’t the only thing I’d missed.
I’d caught Everly looking at him the same way. When she thought no one was watching.
“Holy fuck.” I dropped my head back, closed my eyes.
I had come between them. Kept her all to myself while we’d played some stupid game. Ian had played along. But why? Why hadn’t he told me?
I heard a door open, close. Footsteps moved overhead. Too heavy to be Everly, which meant Ian was home. He had slipped out earlier, insisting he had something to take care of.
More like he’d been avoiding us.
I pushed to my feet, grabbed my phone, then made my way up the stairs. The house was silent, the only light on in the kitchen the accents over the cabinets.
Dante’s door was closed, as usual, so I went to my bedroom. Everly was sitting in our bed, the television on. She sat up, smiled, but it wavered instantly.
“My Liege? Is everything okay?”
“No.” I stared at her. “It’s not.”
She went up on her knees, concern etched across her beautiful face. “Is it that man?”
I shook my head, hating that she would instantly think that. “No, no. Not him. We’ve got people watching the house. You’re safe here. So is Dante.”
Her face relaxed somewhat.
Stepping toward her, I studied her face. “Have I been selfish?”
Her eyebrows lowered, as though she wasn’t sure what I was talking about.
“With you. Have I been selfish?”
“Of course not.”
“Have you talked to Ian?”
Her eyes lowered only slightly. “I… Not for a couple of days.”
I tilted her chin up, recognized the pain there, silently urged her to explain.
“He’s not talking to me,” she whispered. “I think he blames me for something. Not sure what, though.”
I prayed like hell she didn’t really believe that, because even I knew that wasn’t true.
When her eyes met mine again, I saw it. The anguish, the pain her acknowledgment brought with it.
“You love him.”
Again, her eyes shifted from mine but quickly returned because she knew that was what I wanted, expected.
“Tell me,” I ordered her, gripping her chin firmly.
Her eyes widened with shock and confusion.
“I’ve come between you and Ian,” I acknowledged aloud. “I’ve kept you from him. Haven’t given you the time you want with him.”
Her silence was the only answer I needed.
I released her, paced to the other side of the room, tried to see where it had all gone wrong. At what point I’d become a selfish bastard, thinking only of myself.
“My Liege, I’m so sorry.”
I walked back to the bed, cupped her face, pressed my lips to hers.
“What did I tell you about apologizing?”
Her small hands fisted in my shirt, holding me there. “I love you,” she whispered fiercely, as though she thought for a second I wouldn’t know that.
Dropping my forehead to hers, I smiled. “I know you do, fairy princess. But you love him, too. Need him as much as you need me.”
A tear trickled down her cheek, but she hurried to wipe it away.
“You should’ve told me.”
“I didn’t want to hurt you.” Her voice trembled, breaking something inside me.
I lifted my head, held her gaze. “You could never hurt me, Everly. And the last thing I would ever do is hurt you.”
“You haven’t,” she declared.
“I have.”
She shook her head, but I stilled it with my hands, smiled.
“But I can accept responsibility,” I told her. “And I can make it right.”
Tears glistened in her beautiful eyes.
“I didn’t see it,” I admitted. “I only saw what I expected to see.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You won’t. It’s for me to discuss with Ian.”
Her brow wrinkled, more confusion.
I smoothed the line away with my thumbs, kissed her forehead, then took a step back.
“I need you to do something for me, fairy princess.”
“Anything, my Liege.”
“Go to him. Tonight. Go to him and show him, tell him.” I swallowed hard. “Love him.”
Another tear fell, breaking my heart.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I reassured her. “I’m right here. Always.”
“But—”
I put two fingers over her lips. “No buts. There’s nothing for you to think about here.” I lowered my hand to cover her heart. “I love you, fairy princess. You know that here. It’s not up for debate, either. And if I hadn’t been so selfish, I would’ve seen that you have more than enough to give in return.”
Forcing myself to release her, I took a step back.
“My Liege?”
I turned my back to her. “Go to him, Everly. Don’t make me tell you again.”
I thought she would leave, follow my instructions as she always did. When her soft hands slid up my back, moving around to my stomach as her arms encircled me, I sighed.
“I don’t want you to be upset with me, my Liege.”
I placed my hands over her arms. “I’m not.”
I was upset with myself, but she didn’t need to know that.
