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“You'resupposed to be on my side,” he nearly growls.
“Me pointing out facts doesn’t mean I’mnoton your side. I'm just saying she loves her country, she's been preparing to be queen, and she thinks she’d be good at it, so she's willing to do what it takes. You can’t say that doesn’t make sense.”
“Why would she want to marry someone she's not in love with? We have no chemistry. She doesn't want to kiss me or fuck me. She really wants to live a life with a man she has no feelings for? No passion?”
That is a very good question. And Linnea Olsen kissing and fucking isnotsomething I should spend a lot of time thinking about.
Chapter6
Jonah
* * *
I’m reading in my room when I hear a knock on my door. It’s nearly midnight.
“Yes?”
Sean, one of the main security guards inside the palace, pokes his head around the edge of my door. “You said you were to be notified if the prince or duchess left their rooms.”
I set my book to the side. Dammit. What’s Torin doing? “Yes.”
“Lady Linnea is in the garden.”
My heart thuds at the mention of her name. Fuck. That’s not good.
“The garden?” I’m already getting out of bed. “Why?”
“She’s going for a walk. I think she’s perfectly safe,” he hurries to tell me. “But you did say?—”
“Yes. Thank you.”
I was more worried that she’d be pissed off and try to go home tonight. But I do feel the need to check on her.
I understand that she and Torin have been having these disagreements ever since he returned. I understand that they believe they understand each other. That’s great. I also understand that of the two of them,shefeels more at home here in Cara, in the palace, and with the royal family than Torin does.
So why do I feel the need to go and be sure she’s all right?
It’s my job. Ensuring Torin doesn’t make rash decisions or, when he does, that I mitigate the consequences, is second nature by now. And until their arranged marriage is officially over and done, Linnea is an extension of Torin in my mind.
That’s what I tell myself anyway as I make my way downstairs, across the first floor, and out the French doors that lead into the solarium. I cross that space quickly as well and let myself out into the gardens that extend behind the palace. What starts as an elaborate flower garden turns into a hedge maze filled with benches, fountains, sculptures, and a butterfly farm. I don’t know how far into the garden she’s gone, but I know the layout and I’ll simply keep going until I find her.
But I only make it to the first fountain.
She’s sitting on the edge, watching the water spray up and fall in the white lights.
I take a moment to study her. A moment I know deep down that I shouldn’t take.
Because she’s beautiful and she looks sad, and those are a bad combination for a man who’s already trying very hard not to notice or react to her beauty.
She’s wearing a long silky robe, and she’s barefoot. Which makes me frown. She should definitely have more clothes on than this. What does she have under that robe? And why the fuck isn’t she wearing shoes when she’s outside? That’s not safe.
“Duchess,” I say softly, not wanting to startle her.
Still, she jumps slightly and swings to look at me.
“Oh. Jonah.” She presses a hand to her chest. “I thought I’d be alone out here.”
“Our security team is too good for you to really be alone at all while you’re here,” I tell her, moving closer.