Page 112 of Happily Ever After

Dieter’s broad chest loomed in front of her, and his faint scent filled her nose and mouth. His arms wrappedaround her, cradling her in darkness and warmth.

“I should have listened to him,” Flicka said.

“You did,” Dieter whispered to her, his lips near her ear.

“I should have done what he wanted so he didn’t do this.”

“No. He was not entitled to your body. This isn’t your fault, because he shouldn’t have held you hostage to his own madness.”

“I never wanted him to do this.”

“Of course not.”

“I should have just gone along with it, at least for a while, until he settled down. It’s my fault.”

“It’snotyour fault. Pierre fought me for the gun and pulled the trigger.”

“I upset him too much.”

“No.It’s not your fault. You’re as much a victim as anyone else. Men who believe they’re entitled to a woman’s body commit terrible crimes.”

“I never wanted him dead,” she said. Her throat feltraw.

“He decided to kill himself. He was not more important than you are. What he wanted was not as important as your right to not be a slave. You have every right to make your own decisions and not be used as anyone’s sex slave or broodmare.” He held her back from him a little, and his kind, gray eyes stared straight into hers. “If you need a man to own you, then you’re mine. You’ve been myDurchlauchtigfrom the first time you touched me in London, because I am utterly, completely yours.”

“Lieblingwächter,”she whispered.

“Yes. I’m yourLieblingwächter.”He tucked one hand in his pocket and came up with his alpine mountaineering pin, surrounded by a cloud of gold and diamonds. “You made me back into Dieter Schwarz, and you’re myDurchlauchtig.I wanted you to be able to say whatyou needed to when you were with Pierre Grimaldi, to get him out of your system, but if he had tried to take control of you, I would have stepped in. You’re my wife, my soul, my other half—” His hand dropped to her waist. “—and the mother of my child. I wouldn’t have let you go.”

She slipped her arms up and around his neck. “Promise me.”

“You’re mine forever,” he said, cradling her to his chest.“I promise I’ll love you forever, and I’m yours.”

He guided her outside the room, leading her up into the castle.

Flicka held onto his hand as if she might drown.

Behind them, her father shouted, “What did you mean, you married your bodyguard?”

The weight of it toppled onto her, and her face squeezed as she tried not to fall apart. “Dieter,” she whispered, and he was right there, beside her,listening to her, “I can’t. I can’t, right now.”

He whispered in her ear, “Then I’ll take care of it, and then I’ll carry you to our room.”

His strong hands bore her back until she was resting against a wall, a gilded sconce beside her lighting the ornate plasterwork.

Cool air drifted over her arms as he moved away.

Boots marched on the marble floor.

Her father said, “Flicka! What the helldid you mean? You can’t mean you marrieda servant!”

She closed her eyes.

Dieter’s deep voice rumbled through the hallway. “Wulfram and Flicka have told me some of the shit you’ve pulled over the years, how you’ve screwed up every chance of happiness you ever had because you’re cruel to everyone who loves you. She’s had a rough day. Hell, she’s had a terrible year. Right now, I’m going to takecare of her like she deserves. She’ll contact you when she’s ready to talk. Leave her alone. Leave both of them alone.”

The coldness in her father’s voice chilled Flicka. “I won’t stand here and be spoken to in that manner.”

I won’t stand here and listen to you whine.