Page 67 of Ruthless Reign

JULIA

“Do I need to kill him?” Leo asked, sitting across from me at the dining room table in his kitchen. He’d come to the Beacon personally to pick me up two nights ago, and I’d refused to talk more about it. Now, he demanded an explanation, and I didn’t know how to tell him it was my fault.

“No,” I said. “He didn’t do anything.”

My brother narrowed his eyes and drummed his fingers on the table while he took a sip of coffee. The glint of the silver on his rings reminded me of the monstrosity on my left third finger, the one I secretly loved, the one I hadn’t taken off yet.

“Then why are you here?” Leo raised his eyebrows. “Two weeks ago, you were keeping me awake all night. Now you won’t take his calls?”

“How do you know I won’t take his calls?”

Leo snorted. “He asks about you when I go to the clubhouse.”

That made the sinking feeling in my gut turn to lead, and tears built in the corners of my eyes again. I’d been crying for two whole days, and I felt so foolish.

Ididlove him, and being without him, even for only forty-eight hours, had carved out a giant chunk out of my heart. I’d gotten used to sleeping next to him, his massive arms holding me through my darkest dreams. Without him, they came back with a vengeance. I didn’t know how much I needed him until he was gone, and it was all my fault. My stomach had soured, and I’d done nothing but cry and vomit since I left.

“Mia sorella.”Leo reached across the table and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tenderly. “You look terrible.Helooks terrible. Tell me what’s going on so I know whether to change our plans. If I need to kill all the Roses, that is a different conversation with our uncles.”

“No, we don’t need to do that,” I said. “It’s nothing serious, Leo, honestly.”

“If it’s not that serious, tell me. Let me share this burden with you.”

I took a deep breath. “You’ll think it’s stupid.”

“Probably,” he said with a laugh. “Tell me anyway.”

“He told me he loved me,” I said.

Leo raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to go on. When I didn’t, he twisted his features in confusion. “Do you think he was lying?”

“No,” I said, sniffling while I wiped my face. “He meant it. He gave me this beautiful ring.” I showed it to my brother.

“Julia,” he said with a small chuckle. “What are you doing?”

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” I said. “Titus says Gabriella is bringing all her allies. We’ll be outnumbered. He’ll get shot. He’ll die.”

“You don’t know that,” Leo said.

“Hugo,” I said. “Vittori. They all died because of me.”

“Vittori died as a result of our father,” he said. “Hugo was because of Gabriella.”

“Because I loved them,” I said. “I loved them and they died.”

Leo took a deep breath and grabbed my hands again, holding them with both of his. “You must stop this madness. You’re married to him, and there’s no changing that.”

“I can live here,” I said.

Leo laughed harder, and I had to physically restrain myself from slapping him. “No.”

“What? Why?” I couldn’t believe this. My brother was my most trusted adviser, my best friend. Would he not have me?

“Because after the wedding, I’m moving back to our home andyouwill go back to your husband. You signed a contract saying you would live with him.”

My cheeks burned because he was right. That was something we’d had to agree upon.

“He will keep you safe.”

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