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He closed his eyes at the question, then did the unthinkable, putting his hands to her waist and pulling her closer, pressing his face into her ht to hiers threading through his hair, holding hiht, wanting to tell hi she felt

She should tell him she wanted to leave

Except here, in this ainst her, she didn’t want to leave She wanted to stay forever

"King," she whispered

He shook his head at his name "I want you quite desperately, Sophie"

Her heart stopped at the words "You do?"

He looked up at her, handso "I do," he said "I’ve wanted you from the start, you know From the moment I nearly hit you in the head with a boot"

She smiled, small and sad "No, you didn’t"

He tilted his head "Maybe not just then But definitely by the ti with Warnick in the stables"

"In your footman’s livery?"

"Ah," he said "So you ad the feel of hi hi, what--"

"She didn’t love me," he said softly

Her brow furrowed "Who?"

"Lorna She wanted the title and nothing else"

She couldn’t believe it, not after the way he’d spoken about her "How do you know that?"

"Because I do" He released her and stood putting distance between them "The line ends with me," he whispered, and she ached at the words even as he continued "It was so e because I couldn’t bear the thought of betraying the girl I’d once loved" Sophie ached at the words, tears threatening as he continued, devastating betrayal in his tone "But nowshe wanted to marry me for money For title For security She lied tohis way to the labyrinth’s path He turned back before he entered the er and frustration and disappointht she was the only person who had ever wanted me for me And now I know the truth She wanted me for my title and my fortune Not for me There’s never been anyone anted me"

Sophie did not hesitate, a desperate need for hi her closer to him "That’s not true" She wanted hi predatorial He, the hunter She, the prey And then he said, "I can’t love you"

A single tear slipped down her cheek as she nodded "I know"

"I don’t want you to leave I want you to stay here I want to keep you here, at the center of this labyrinth Even though it’s the worst possible thing I can think to do to you"

"I don’t think I can survive your betrayal"

He ca her face to his, staring deep into her eyes "I don’t want you to go," he said "I want you to stay"

"And what happens if I do? What is my life if I stay?" Her throat ached with the words Because she knew the answer She knew he’d never be able to give her what she wanted What she’d alanted and somehow had never realized she wanted

He would never love her He would never marry her They would never have children, despite her ability to see them quite clearly, little dark-haired cherubs, with his beautiful green eyes and dimples that shohen they smiled