Page 53 of Royal Resistance

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a bar fight, and the last time was in here.

With Mick.

“Why don’t you let go of Selene?” Duncan suggests with his courtier charm.

“I’m fine.” And there in front of the whole bar, Selene does a little snap twist and has her knee up before I can blink. “I just thought I’d let you have your little pissing contest. Which is not attractive, by the way.”

She backs away from Mick, and Diandra rushes to her side.

“Get the dancing out of your system or do you need to stay?” I ask, even though every part of me wants nothing more than to throw my wife over my shoulder and get her as far away from Mick Crow as I can. The memory of her smile lets me stop the idiot from appearing.

“I think it’s time to go home,” Selene says. “Thank you for the dance,” she adds to Mick, who glowers at her.

I nod and taking her hand, head for the door with Selene, Diandra, Benny, and Duncan following behind.

“It was a good idea,” Diandra says under her breath as Benny opens the door for us.

“Sure it was. Maybe next time, wait for us to go with you.”

I slide in beside Selene. “I’ve been chaperoned my entire life,” she says in a tight voice. “This is the first time I’ve been out by myself, and it was fun. Before that gentleman started getting handsy. The rest of them were very respectable.”

“He knew who you were.” I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry I got jealous.”

“I’ve always thought I’d like a man to be jealous, but it’s really not something I enjoy.”

“I’ll try not to let it happen again. I don’t like Mick.”

“I don’t think he likes you either, which surprises me because you’re very likable.”

“Am I?”

“I think so.” And Selene takes my hand.

After we return to the castle, and after we say goodnight to Duncan and Diandra, I retire to my rooms with Selene.

I’ve gotten over my strange, sour jealous bit, but I’m still tense.

“How was England?” she asks, pulling a clean pair of pajamas out. Just like we’re a regular married couple.

Which we clearly aren’t.

“A success,” I tell her. “Our new house manager and lawyer arrive in a month.”

“That’s wonderful. You can update me about your meeting with Charles tomorrow because I’m very tired.”

Does she realize how cool her voice is? “I’m sorry,” I say again. “That was not who I wanted to be. Mick knows how to rub me the wrong way. He always has.”

Some of the tension leaves her shoulders. “You don’t have to be. It might not have been the best idea.”

“If you want to go dancing, you should go dancing,” I tell her. “I’m not your keeper. I want you to know that.”

She nods, but it’s not enough.

“You looked pretty good dancing,” I say, unsure of what to do with my hands. How to stand. Whether I should move closer to her. “Other than being with Mick.”

I probably shouldn’t mention another man.

“Well, obviously that won’t happen again,” she says.