Page 175 of Reluctantly Rogue

What. The Actual. Fuck?

The shock is wearing off, and the anger is setting in.

I loved my grandfather. I love Diarmuid. I respected and loved their relationship. I understand, on some level, their dream to unite the families.

But…I’m not a pawn.

They can’t just keep moving me around their chess board.

Everyone else is getting to make choices.

It’s my fucking turn.

Chapter33

Linnea

* * *

Itake a deep breath and meet the king’s eyes directly. “I adore you,” I tell him, with sincerity. “You are so important to me.” I turn to look at the table full of people. “All of you are. The O’Grady family is so important to me. I’m so happy to be a part of it. And I hope I always can be, in some way, but…” I take another deep breath.

I clench my fists at my sides and lift my chin, and yes, raise my voice. “You all make mecrazy. You have been messing with my life for…well, my whole life. Everything abouteverythinghas been about you all. What you want. Or don’t want. One minute I’m engaged. Then I’m not. Then I am again, but to someone else. Now I am again toanotherone of you? No. Justno.”

I turn back to Diarmuid. “I know what you and my grandfather wanted. I understand. And I’ve done everything you’ve ever asked of me until now. I’ve made Cara better. I’ve helped you. I’ve helped Torin. I’ve helped Abigail. And it’s been my pleasure. It always will be. But…no. I’m not going to marry Cian. I’m not going to be an O’Grady. I’m in love with someone else and I’m going to marryhim.”

I turn to look at Jonah. “I’m finally going to do whatIwant and…I want Jonah. I love him and want to marryhim.”

His eyes go wide. But then he stands up, Henry and Colin’s hands falling away. “Yes.Fuckyes.” He starts around the table and comes toward me.

I grin, my eyes filling with tears, my heart pounding, and relief coursing through me.

“Jonah? Jonah Greene?” Diarmuid asks from behind me.

I nod, staring at Jonah. “Yes. I fell in love with him a long time ago. And I want to be with him. No matter what.”

“I love you too, Duchess,” he says, loud and clear, in front of everyone, coming to stand in front of me. He cups my face in both hands. “That was regal as fuck.” Then he kisses me softly.

I feel light and free.

For the first time inside this palace.

I just defied the king, went against my family’s wishes, and I feellighter. I can’t be everything to everyone. I can’t make everyone else happy all the time. But I can makemehappy. And when I’m happy, I’m a really powerful ally and friend and supporter for the people I love and believe in.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Diarmuid murmurs.

Jonah lets me go and I smile up at him. Then I turn to Diarmuid. “I’m not going to apologize,” I tell him. “But you do want Jonah and me to stay.”

“Of course I do,” he says, looking confused by the notion that might not be true.

I’m relieved, I can’t lie. But I step close to the king, lift up on tiptoe, and press a kiss to the king’s cheek. “Our families will always be united in heart and spirit, and in the good works we do together.”

“Oh,” he says, patting my cheek. “Of course. But we can still be united by marriage,and,” he says, looking around at the group again, “by blood.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Cian asks, looking concerned.

“A child, of course,” Diarmuid says.

“Fiona has a child,” Cian says, pointing at Saoirse.

---