Page 118 of Rags to Royals

But that pain changed me.

Being changed by pain is sometimes the way it has to happen. I know that and I know now that it’s not my fault that I was hurt.

But being changed by hope, by goodness, and by love is a much better way to go.

Cian’s expression is full of affection when he brushes my hair back from my face. “You make me actually feel like a king.”

I smile. “You act like one, you know. Wanting to help people. Wanting everyone to be taken care of and to have a future and to feel good about their lives.”

He shakes his head slightly as if he doesn’t know what to do with me, then bends and kisses my forehead. “You are too drunk to take a bath by yourself though, right? I think it would be safer if I was in there with you.”

I laugh softly. Actually, it’s a giggle. A happy, I’m-falling-in-love giggle. “Oh, definitely safer if you’re with me.”

“Excellent answer.”

He pulls the car door open and helps me in.

It only takes five minutes to get to the house that sits a few blocks from Ellie’s, inside, and up to Cian’s rooms.

Yes, rooms. Plural. Even though this is a seemingly normal two-story house in a small town in Louisiana, it’s clearly been added onto and renovated. I suppose if there was a timewhen two princes and two princesses along with all of their bodyguards were living here, some of the accommodations had to be upgraded.

The upgrades include individual bedrooms and en suite bathrooms for everyone. I can’t even imagine with the first floor, where the living room, offices, and kitchen are located.

For now, I’m impressed enough with Cian’s bedroom.

It’s bigger than Ruby, Mariah, and my rooms put together. The bed is enormous. It has to be bigger than a standard king. The duvet is a silvery gray, and the pillows are a mix of white and grays. The thick plush carpet is also a dove gray while the walls are white with a dark gray trim. He leads me to an overstuffed armchair near the windows. The view is of the wooded area behind the house. It’s dark and the stars are twinkling above the tree line. He nudges me into the chair.

“Stay here. I’ll get the bath going.”

I immediately curl up into the cushy softness of the chair, pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around my legs as I watch him cross the room to the door that obviously leads into the bathroom. I hear the sound of the water start in the tub and him moving around, opening and shutting cabinets.

He appears in the doorway a few minutes later. “I’m going down to Fiona’s old room to see if there’s any bubble bath.”

I grin at him. “It’s okay if there’s not.”

He comes toward me, leaning over, bracing his hands on the arms of the chair like he did at Ellie’s. “Let me go look. Hayden stayed in that room when she lived here too. There has to be something.”

I can’t help but reach out to him, taking his face between my hands. I pull him in for a quick kiss. “Who’s Hayden?”

“Colin’s wife.”

Colin was—still is sometimes? —Fiona and Saoirse’s bodyguard. I know he now works sometimes for Bennett Baxter, one of Louisiana’s senators and a member of the Landry family.

Cian gives me another kiss, then heads out the door.

I decide to save a little time and stand, stripping out of my clothes, then padding into the bathroom.

I stop in the doorway and take it in. It’s gorgeous. It’s almost as pretty as the bathroom at the hotel.

Dark gray tile covers the floor, the countertops are a lighter gray granite, and silver fixtures gleam in the soft light.

The tub is less a hot tub and more a Jacuzzi.

I grin as I approach it. Oh, this is definitely big enough for the two of us. Hell, we can invite guests.

I giggle. Not that I’m into that.

Sure enough there are water jets in various positions around the perimeter of the tub, and once we’re inside, the water will easily come up to my shoulders.

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