Ruthless King

Warning. Warning.

“But if I do, you’re the first person I’ll call,” she added hastily.

“Good. And Jilly? I won’t be pleased if you don’t call me. And you don’t want to be around me when I’m not pleased. Now, eat.”

She flinched back as he pushed the plate closer to her, the crackers now slathered in toppings.

He paused and she took a deep breath. What was she doing? Regent wouldn’t hurt her.

Jilly couldn’t seem to tell her body that, though. She was trembling. Nervous. Upset with herself.

And she was waiting for him to snap at her. To start yelling. To her shock, he slowly moved around the table and sat in a chair. Again, moving slowly, he picked up a cracker and held it out to her.

How was she supposed to eat now?

But also, how could she not eat without insulting him? He’d prepared dinner for her. She didn’t know him well, but she was guessing that he didn’t usually do things like this. He likely had a chef and a housekeeper.

Their lives were very different. Jilly had to remember that. It would save her heartache when he stopped being interested in being her ‘friend.’

“I’m guessing that living with The Crane wasn’t that easy or pleasant.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” she said dryly before slamming her hand over her mouth. “ForgetIsaidthat.”

“Jilly.” Reaching up, he tugged her hand away from her mouth.

Then he clasped her small, hot hand between his larger, cool ones.

Oh God. Her hand was getting sweaty. This was terrible. He’d touched her sweaty feet, and now he was touching her clammy hands.

What was he going to think?

That you’ve got a gland problem?

Awesome. If she could, she’d face-palm herself.

“I don’t care what you say about your father. He’s gone. He’s not coming back. The same as my old man.”

“You didn’t get along with him?” she asked.

Not that she was surprised. His father had been just as scary as hers.

“I hated the cold, unfeeling bastard,” Regent told her fiercely.

Her eyes widened and she nearly shushed him. Too many years of her mother teaching her not to say anything negative about her father or the Malones were ingrained into her. Too many years of being trained to stay silent, unseen, and unheard.

“I’m sorry,” she told him.

“It’s not your fault.”

She stared at him for a long moment. “No. But I’m still sorry that you didn’t have a good relationship with him. My father . . . he wasn’t a very nice man. But I always had Mama.”

“I’m glad you had Anne. She’s always been kind to me. I hope she’s living her best life.”

She managed a small smile. “She really is.”

“Good. She deserves it. You deserve to be happy, too, Jilly. The Crane isn’t here. He can’t hurt you anymore. And I won’t allow anyone else to.”

What? Really?