Page 28 of Claimed By the King's Gamma

“Actually,” he admits, scratching the back of his neck, “that was a lie.I don’t need anything from town.”

I stare at him, caught off guard.“Then why would you take me?”

He shrugs, his expression unsure.“I wanted to spend time with you.”

“Why?”I ask, raising an eyebrow.

He hesitates, looking almost sheepish.“I don’t know,”

“Hmm.Well, it saved me from walking,” I reply, stepping past him toward the store.

Gannon chuckles and follows me, taking the basket and marking off everything on Clarice’s list.Once we finish, he leads me to a small shop with garment bags hanging in the windows.The bell above the door jingles as we enter, and moments later, a woman appears from the back.She greets Gannon warmly, like they’ve known each other for years.

She disappears briefly and returns with a suitcase.

“Pressed and folded, ready for the king’s trip.Measurements should be spot-on—I checked them myself,” she says.

Gannon thanks her, and we leave.As we head toward the car, he tugs me toward a candy shop.

“Liam ate all that licorice already?”I ask.

He laughs.“No,” he says, pulling me inside.He buys a bag of strawberry clouds and chocolate Freddo frogs, handing the bag to me.

“You didn’t have to buy sweets,” I tell him.

“You like them,” he says simply.

“Well… what do you like?Do you like flowers?”I ask, curious about his strange behavior.“Everybody likes flowers,” I add quickly.

“Not everyone.I don’t.Pollen makes my nose itch,” he replies with a grin.

“Then what do you like?”

His expression darkens slightly, and he smirks.“Probably best if you don’t know what I like.It might scare you,” he says.

The way he says it sends a shiver down my spine, and I decide it’s probably best not to push for an answer.

Back at the car, Gannon opens my door again.I climb in, shaking my head at the thought that he might think I don’t know how to open doors myself.Once he’s in the driver’s seat, he glances at me.

“So, what did you and Ivy do for fun at the orphanage?”he asks.

I think for a moment, memories flooding back.It wasn’t always bad.We loved the kids and their paintings.I loved drawing, and Ivy used to sneak me paper whenever she found some the kids hadn’t scribbled on.I also enjoyed baking, though we rarely got to try the treats we made.

“I like drawing and baking,” I say with a shrug.“Mostly, we played with the kids.”

“You like kids?”Gannon asks.

I nod.“Yeah, they were great.When Ty—” I stop, my throat tightening.Just thinking about him makes me want to cry, and I don’t want to risk any lashings for showing tears.

“I like these,” I say quickly, pulling a cloud from the bag to change the subject.He stares at me for a moment, but I focus my gaze out the window.

Gannon touches my hand gently, making me jump.“Are you okay?”he asks softly.

“Yep.We should get back.Clarice is probably wondering what’s taking so long, and I still have linens to hang,” I reply.

He looks like he wants to say more but stops, starting the car and driving us back.

Once we return, I thank him before rushing to the kitchen to put away the groceries.Afterward, I head to the laundry, unloading the washers into my basket and starting another load.When I reach down to grab the basket, it’s gone.

I glance around and spot Gannon standing nearby, holding it.The man moves like a ghost, appearing out of nowhere.I stare at him, then at the floor wondering how I didn’t see him grab it.

“Come on, I’ll help you,” he says, and I chew my lip, glancing toward the kitchens.I wonder if I’ll get in trouble with Clarice for letting him help; he is the king’s guard, not a servant.

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