Even if, in the end, the innocence he’d coveted most had escaped him.
I shuddered again and thrust the memories back into the box where they'd long been locked. I wasn't ready to confront the full extent of them yet.
And probably never would be.
“At least I now understand why you hate your parents,” he said, “and why you've been so afraid to confide in anyone.”
“My parents are the power couple in Canberra, Aiden. They have allegiances and allies scattered throughout Australia and Europe. I couldn't ever trust that someone wouldn't give us away if they thought they could gain either an advantage or favor by doing so.”
“Which is why you never settled anywhere permanently, and why you confide in so few.”
“We've never fully confided to anyone. Not until now—not until you.”
“Thank you.” His gaze briefly searched mine. “There is one thing you’ve forgotten in all this, though.”
I raised my eyebrows. “And what might that be?”
“The fact that forced marriages are illegal in Australia.” He brushed some hair away from my eyes, his touch tender. “It may be common practice amongst witch kind to arrange a marriage—but forcing someone into one is illegal. You have the weight of the law on your side.”
“And they have the weight of influence and position on theirs. I know which side I’d put my money on if it ever came down to a court of law.”
“If your father values his power and influence as much as you imply, there’s no way known he’d go to court over such a matter. He’d have too much to lose.”
Which was true enough. But it would never get to court. He’d simply wrap his magic around me and force me to return to Clayton, just as he’d forced me to sign the documents of agreement and the marriage certificate.
“And Monty?” Aiden asked. “Will he out you?”
&nbs
p; “No. We made an agreement—we tell him all about the wild magic, and he keeps our presence here a secret.”
“So Belle hasn't—in any way—stepped in to ensure that?”
A smile twitched my lips. “Maybe. Just a little.”
“I'd be almost disappointed if she hadn't.” He slipped his hand around to the back of my neck, holding me still as he kissed me. Softly—gently—but with so much underlying emotion that those damn tears threatened again.
“I'd really like you to spend the night with me. I know we both have to work tomorrow, but I can get you back here in plenty of time.”
“I'd really like that.” I kissed him again then pushed to my feet. “Give me five minutes to gather a few things.”
It took me three. Forty-five minutes later we were back at his place, where he cooked for me, pampered me, and then escorted me up to bed. But we didn't make love. Not then. Not until the morning.
He simply held me in his arms and made me feel safer than I'd ever felt in my entire life.
The café was back to its usual busy self the next day even if I was a little slower. Despite the numbing salve I’d rather liberally applied when I’d gotten home, the various aches and pains felt the need to protest every time I either moved too suddenly or twisted the wrong way.
And obviously, the slowness of body had extended to my brain, because it took me entirely too long to realize Monty was sitting at one of the corner tables, sipping coffee and munching on a piece of carrot cake as he scrolled through a screen on his phone.
“When did he get here?” I asked as I finished plating up cake for a couple of customers.
“Monty?” Belle brushed past to get the cream. “I felt a vague surge of energy about twenty minutes ago, but I didn't really pay much attention to it as there was no sense of threat.”
“Odd that I didn't feel it.”
She shrugged and swirled cream onto the top of the hot chocolate she was making. “We've been flat-out, so not really.”
“I guess.” It still niggled though, so once I'd delivered the cakes to the table I was looking after, I walked over and sat down opposite him. This close, the tiny threads of red and gold energy that swirled around his body were very evident. Though I had no idea what the spell was, I very much suspected it had been designed to mute his energy output.