Page 143 of Scarred Crown

Nick runs a hand down my back and kisses my temple again. “It’s okay, Jules. I’ve got meetings tomorrow, and a few things of my own to work out.” He smooths my stray hairs. “Tomorrow night—I’m planning dinner for us. You and me. Deal?”

I rise on my toes and give him a quick kiss. “Deal,” I murmur just before he deepens the kiss, and I slide my hands under his shirt and along his abs.

“I have to get ready for that press conference you mentioned.” He groans. “The whole family is supposed to be there in a show of support. Do you want to come?”

I bite my lip and then shake my head. My mother told me I didn’t need to go if I wasn’t up to it, and whatever has just happened between Nick and me is too fresh to take out into the public.

He rubs my ring finger and drops another quick kiss on my lips. His heated gaze meets mine. “Tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow night,” I agree. “I can’t wait.”

Nicholas

There are two conversations I’ve been avoiding. Since Jules revealed yesterday that the local girl Alex was seeing all those years ago was actually Anna Samuels, I’ve been rethinking every interaction my older brother and I have ever had since I saw him kiss Jules at our father’s birthday party.

Each time he mentioned a local girl, I assumed she was Jules. He never once named Jules, and he never said Anna either. But my sixteen-year-old brain couldn’t fathom a world in which Alex would give Jules up. Or a reality where she didn’t pick him over me.

When he started naming women not long after I saw him at the college coming out of Julia’s room, I assumed they’d finally broken up. It never once occurred to me they hadn’t been together all that time.

Brice is right—so much rage and so much hurt for what amounted to a blip on Julia’s dating radar. Next to nothing. Who made their interactions into something? I did.

Every fucking time.

Assumed. Assumed. Assumed.

When Alex answers the door to his office, I take a deep breath. “I think I owe you about fourteen years’ worth of apologies.”

A spark of surprise lights up Alex’s dark eyes. “Well, if we’re going to start from that place, you can come on in.”

“You and Julia lasted, what?” I move past him into his office, but I’m too wound up to take a seat. “A few weeks?”

“Maybe eight weeks. I don’t know.” Alex grimaces and gives a small shake of his head. “Most of that summer, probably.”

“Are you in love with her?” I’ve assumed the answer for years, but I’m done living from that place. Julia says he doesn’t love her, but I can’t imagine anyone being so close to her and not being in love with her. This conversation is all about digging down into the dirt, getting to the truth.

“No.” Alex sighs. “I feel…” He runs a finger along the surface of his desk, which he continues to stand beside rather than taking a seat.

Maybe he thinks I’m going to hit him again. Part of me expects a snide comment, but he surprises me.

“Protective of her. Would I have married her if she’d said yes any of the times I asked? Of course. She’s an amazing woman, and I admire every quality she possesses.”

Hearing him talk about her like this isn’t helping my long history of insecurity. Instead of blocking out what he’s saying, I force myself to hear every word.

“Our marriage wouldn’t have been about love. She’s a good fit for the roles we need to play. I don’t think I’m cut out for love. Not the romantic kind. Not the kind she seems to want.” He lets out a deep breath. “I’ve never been sure you deserved her. You saw me kiss her once, and you tossed her aside.”

“I thought you two were in a relationship. A relationship you both kept from me.” I can’t keep the edge out of my voice.

“We were—up until that night.” Alex glances at me, his annoyance clear. “I really, genuinely liked her—still do. At the time, I asked both of you repeatedly if there was something more than friendship happening, and you both swore up and down there wasn’t. I didn’t understand your friendship with her, but since the answer never changed, I figured I’d shoot my shot.” He slides into his chair behind his desk. “Out of curiosity, who confirmed we were together after Dad’s birthday? Must have been someone for you to be so sure. Did she?” He eyes me, and I let my gaze slip away from his. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. She’s not one to play games. And I know you never asked me.”

I stare at him in silence.

“You know what I did see, though? You, parading around town with that blond chick glued to your dick. Julia saw it, too, and because I’m not an asshole, I tried to comfort her whenever I could.”

“Your comfort looked like a closeness I couldn’t tolerate.” Which makes me sound like an asshole. Couldn’t tolerate, didn’t understand, didn’t want to face.

“Because you never asked.”

“I’m—” I rub my face and then draw my hands through my hair. “I’m seeing that now.”