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Andre was sitting in the sa comments on a document he held in his hand The stack of documents on the table beside him that he’d already revieas substantial, and Juliana felt a little stab of guilt that he’d been waiting so long while she slept The skin around his eyes looked a little weary, too, when he glanced up at her entrance Weary, as if he hadn’t slept at all, although his eyes blazed bright green when he saw her And Juliana couldn’t help but blurt out the question “Did you get any sleep?”

Andre placed the document on the table, stood and held out his arms to her She walked into the in the world, and they closed tightly around her She tilted her face,

Eventually he raised his head and s her earlier question “We have plans to make, little one How could I sleep?”

“What plans?”

“I realize you eles for your friend’s funeral And you ’s Ransom, but the producer assures me a few s up Will you wish to continue your acting career after we are married? It would be difficult, but not impossible Your royal duties will have to take precedence, of course, but—”

“Married?” Juliana stared at hiet the word out

The smile faded from his face and he went very still “I told you earlier I would never let you go What did you think I meant?”

“I It never occurred to me that youthat we” she fumbled

“You thought I would just take youuntil I tired of you? Is that it?” he asked tightly, harshly “Is that what you thought of me?”

The pain in his eyes coursed through her “No,” she said, shaking her head “I knew you loved me, but II honestly didn’t think beyond that I just kneanted to be with you, tooin any way I could” Her eyes pleaded for understanding “Andre, please Please don’t look like that I love you!”

“Yes, you love me,” he said in an emotionless voice “But it is like before You still see me as a man who could take you and then walk away You still see inity and never pro”

He clenched his jaw as if other words wanted to escape, bitter accusations he refused to let himself voice Then he turned sharply away and headed for the door “How long?” she heard him whisper to himself in Zakharan in utter despair and realized she wasn’t meant to hear “Must I pay forever for one mistake?”

Juliana flew across the rooht hi her arainst his, holding him fiercely “I don’t think of you that way,” she told hirasp but she could hear his rapid heartbeat beneath her ear, and she kneasn’t as indifferent to her as he tried to appear “Please,” she whispered “Please look at me”

He peeled her hands fro her away from him “If not that, then what, Juliana?” he asked coolly, and she saw he had retreated behind defenses she would have to fight to tear down He s too much of you To sacrifice the love and adulation of e for what one man has to offer”

“How can you think I give a da career had always been her second choice, the only viable option left to her after Andre had brutally rejected her love “That’s not—” Then his words fro came back to her “All that ain after I have waited so long” What had hefor her to come to him, he couldn’t possibly have sent those men to drive her away He couldn’t possibly

Other words from earlier crowded into her o, little one You are h But this tio” And suddenly she knew The answer to all the questions she’d never gotten to ask hi the latest—why hadn’t he answered when she’d tried to contact hiht You didn’t send those o, did you?”

“What h she already knew the answer, the honest perplexity in his face was the last piece of evidence she needed