Stealing His Princess (Kings of Conquest #2) - Adelaide Forrest Page 0,41

didn't know much of Aric's relationship with Alina, beyond the care he showed her in the rare moments I witnessed them together, but I felt fairly confident that no brother wanted to think of his sister being with a man.

"I did look for him as well but he wasn’t in his offices. Truth is, I haven't seen either of them..." he trailed off as the realization settled over him and he hung his head. "Well, that's an unfortunate thought."

"Reece has been rather persistent in his pursuit as far as I know." I snickered. "I don't think Alina was prepared for such a conquest."

"No, I suppose you're right," he sighed, shuddering as if the thought gave him the heebie jeebies. "I guess I've wasted my time looking for her. I went looking in all the wrong places, when I should have just looked for Reece’s room." He paused a moment. “Well, I can’t exactly barge in there.”

"No, you can't," I said, twiddling my fingers in uncertainty. I'd been so ready, despite the threat of heartache, but as the moment loomed closer, all I could think of was the pain that would come if he turned me away. "Holden was looking for you," he said, distancing himself from me both emotionally and physically as he took a step back.

"Yes, I got to talk to my father, it’s all settled," I said with a huff of wry laughter. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" he whispered, his face twisting with concern.

I sucked back a breath, dreading the moment to come. I was the mistress of my own fate. I was my own woman. I made my own decisions and my words and feelings were no one else's but mine. "I love you," I blurted out, and while it was so tempting to shut my eyes, turn around and run away, that wasn't what a mature person did.

I met his eyes and watched the green warm and sharpen. The ghost of a smile flitted over his face, followed by a hardening of his jaw and a dulling of his eyes. I felt my heart fall to my feet. "So, yes, that's how I feel. Just thought you should know," I said with a casual shrug.

11

Aric

Bristol shot me that look. Wide, amber eyes like pools of honey I could drown in. I'd taken a step back because all I wanted to do was step forward and gather her in. Apologize for any part I might have had in hurting her or in making her feel inadequate.

How could she be anything less than perfect, when she was my entire world? When even the tiny pinprick of her light was enough to guide me in the darkness of my life?

All the worries over Alina had fled my mind and all the guilt over Holden disappeared when the three words left her lips. I wanted to crush her to me, keep her with me until the world had no choice but to keep us together. Forever.

"So, yes, that's how I feel. Just thought you should know," she said casually, like she wasn't changing my world. To know the woman I loved felt like I felt when we couldn't be together?

It felt like the torment of the seven pits of Hell would not even come close to comparing to the pain of having to let her go.

"Okay," I said carefully, even when I wanted to give her the words back. So she would know she was valued. "Okay, Bristol. I understand that I'm the first man who..."

"No." Bristol narrowed her eyes at me. "No. Don't go there. I'm sure you think I'm mixing sex for love and I warn you…” The look she shot me was anger and hurt swirling in those pools whiskey gold. “No.”

I held up a hand even as my heart broke into a million pieces with each glint in her eye that was an unshed tear. For every crack in her voice that was hurt and pain. "Bristol, I..."

"You what, Aric?" She swiped a hand across her eyes but still a single tear drop rolled down her cheek. "You're sorry? I don’t need your apology, Aric. Why can't you just give me your honesty? Call me naive, call me stupid, but I’m not the only one who feels this. I’m just the one honest enough to admit it.” I opened my mouth to speak but she held up a hand. “I have enough brains to tell when a man is just using