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“We were discovered!” she snapped, now holding her dagger with both hands. There was a slight tremble to her bottom lip before she skilfully stilled it. “We were heard and then seen walking away together. I was almost taken against my will by Lord Daerk because of it. He threatened to reveal what happened between us to King Bradwick if I did not comply.” She stepped forward with her eyes squinted, threatening him more boldly with her weapon. “Instead, I stole his dagger when he was not looking. Even now, his blood coats the blade.”

It was true. He’d thought it was a trick of the light, but he could see dried red liquid on it. Geryon’s eyes widened, realising she was telling the truth.How dare he!

“I told you I was hesitant about being out in the open, and you convinced me otherwise. So yes, Lord Geryon, this is your fault. I have every reason to be furious at you for it.” She stepped forward, poised like a tiger about to strike. “Especially when you cast such nastiness at me.”

“I did not know.” Geryon’s anger quickly faded and was instead replaced by guilt. She was right; this was his fault.I took her in a hallway, had thought there was no one around.He’d been desperate to be inside her, had damned the consequences just so he could have her.She suffered for it.“Why did you not tell me rather than play catty? You said you did not keep secrets.”

He had a great sense of smell, but even he could be confused by doors. What he thought were old scents were just faint because of barriers.

“Because you did not ask me. You only assumed the worst and threw insults. Why should I have corrected your stupidity?”

I am finally seeing her unhidden anger.He wasn’t as proud of himself for it as he wanted to be. He’d been hoping he would witness her anger over something that wasn’t so unpleasant.

“Because I was enraged,” he huffed. “And confused.”

“That does not excuse you,” she answered, her tone dulling. She was calming. “I thought you would have learnt your lesson this morning.”

Geryon winced.I am not used to feeling this way because of another.He was handling it with the skills he had – with inexperience.

He tried to pick his next words carefully.

“Perhaps you will forgive my impudence if you learn that I am fond of you? That mayhap I want you for myself if King Bradwick does not choose you?” He let his eyes fall over the walls of the room as he thought. “That I may have acted in a certain way because of these things.”

“Once again, you speak pretty words to manipulate me into getting your way.”

His eyes narrowed.She thinks I am lying like a cad.He stormed forward, ignoring when she raised that dagger higher.

With a swiftness, he smacked her hands up to separate them, and then he grabbed the wrist that continued to hold the dagger. He squeezed it tightly to make her let go.

She threw it at his face when she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold it for much longer, nicking the side of his jaw.

“I was being rather sincere,” he said when she struggled to be free of him. He held her closer by wrapping his arm around her waist, keeping her wrist in his grasp. “I am also sorry.”

He watched her brows furrow slightly, her movements halting. “You are apologising?”

Why does she seem so confused?“Is that not something I should do if I have done wrong?”

“Do you even know what you are apologising for?”

Incredible. She will not let me escape so easily.Why did he think otherwise?I should have known.

“I have committed many indiscretions this day. Shall I start from the beginning?”I must rectify my mistakes with her.

For a creature who had never needed to do so before, he wasn’t sure on how to really do that. He often didn’t care how his actions affected others.I do not want her to leave this room feeling the way she does.

He now understood her lack of banter before was because she was hiding her unease. She’d been touched by a man she didn’t want; how could Geryon make her feel better?

He also didn’t want her to be angry with him anymore.

Valerie watched as Geryon lowered her captured hand to bring it closer to his face. She hadn’t expected him to apologise. Men don’t usually think they are required to.It took her by surprise.

Then, there was his talk about why he’d been angry, the depth of his feelings. She didn’t want to believe his words, didn’t want to soften towards this man.Not when I will have to abandon him anyway.

If he was being sincere, then his words and actions had come from jealousy, from hurt and betrayal rather than just disgust. It would mean he cared about her.

Do all men act so strangely when they are wounded in this way?Geryon, who usually acted with thought around her, had been impulsive.

“I am sorry for my assumption that you had gone to bed with Bradwick, and for how I treated you so poorly afterwards when I had no proof.”