Page 20 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 2

I suck in a deep breath and read slowly, re-reading a few times to make sure I've understood the words right. His writing is much more legible than some of the old books I've been reading, but that doesn't mean it's easy for me to make out all of the words.

"Would you read it to me?" I ask. "I'm sorry, I'm just...not that good at it yet."

"Right, sorry." He takes the diary from me and clears his throat. "There was someone in my spot tonight. I don't normally see anyone out there, but tonight I did. I think she was one of the new dhampirs at court this Golden Moon. She was kind, even after what she'd seen inside and I wish I'd thought to ask her name."

I swallow hard. "I thought you didn't remember the night we met?"

"I don't. Not really," he admits. "I must have written about you when I was still drunk."

"Oh." I let the words sink in. "I was too shocked to tell you my name."

"I know."

"And at the time, I was really relieved that you didn't know it. I didn't want to get into trouble with Lord Fallmartin."

"Understandable," he responds. "Do you want to hear more?"

"I-I don't know," I admit. "I don't want to pry."

"But you do want to know?"

I nod without meaning to, wanting to hear more about how he feels. He's been clear about it many times, but it's different to hear things that he thought were so important he had to write them down.

He flicks forward a page or two. "Beatrice came back to the library today. I didn't expect her to, especially when she had a hard time reading and I tried to make it too complicated, but she did. There's an expression she makes when she's reading that I want to see a lot more of."

"Is that so?"

He chuckles. "I now know it's your determined face, I've seen you make it other times."

"I'm sure you have. Reading is still hard for me. Though easier than it used to be."

"I'm glad." He smiles and flips the page again. "Beatrice told me that she's betrothed. As much as I know I shouldn't, there's a part of me that wants to drink enough that I have the courage to go to my father and tell him to protest the betrothal so I don't have to watch her marry someone else."

My heart flutters. "Can you imagine his face if you'd done that?"

Linc laughs. "It would have been an interesting conversation, that's for certain." He goes to close his diary.

I reach out and stop him. "There's one more thing I want you to read to me."

He raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"

I bite my bottom lip and his gaze drops down to it.

I search for the words but don't know how to say them.

"Really, Bea?" His lips quirk up into a smile and he flips forward a few more pages, clearly knowing exactly what I mean. "Beatrice asked me to bite her..."

I swallow hard.

"Is that the right bit?" he asks.

I nod.

"I've never felt so in control and out of it at the same time. If her cousin hadn't interrupted, I don't know that I'd have been able to stop."

"Is that all?" I ask.

He chuckles. "What exactly do you want me to have said?"