Page 96 of Royal Beast
I tried to reach out, but Darcy brushed me off every time. I told myself to forget her, to move on. And I almost did. That is, until I saw her again.
She was walking down the street, her arms full of groceries, when one of the men her father owed money to stepped in her path. He had that smug look about him, the one that said he’d already decided she was his leverage.
I didn’t even think. I called him off, paid the debt myself, and made it clear that no one was to lay a hand on her. She never knew.
I’d decided then that if I couldn’t have her, I’d be her protector.
Back in the present, Darcy’s voice pulls me from the memory. “Kellan?” she says softly, her fingers brushing my arm.
“I get it,” I tell her, my voice rough. “You were right to keep her from me back then. I wasn’t someone she needed in her life.”
Darcy opens her mouth, but I press on before she can argue.
“That doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook,” I add, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “You should’ve told me. I deserved to know. But I understand why you didn’t.”
Relief flashes across her face, but it’s quickly replaced by something else. Uncertainty.
“I’ll tell you something else,” I continue, stepping back to give her space. “Since you’ve come into my life, you and Rose have been put in danger more times than I can count. I won’t do that to you anymore, Darcy. If you want out—if you want to be free of me—I’ll let you go.”
Her eyes widen, her lips parting in surprise. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I won’t force you to stay,” I say firmly. “I’ll make sure you and Rose are protected, no matter what. But I’m not going to keep you here if it’s not what you want.”
Her chin quivers, and she looks away, her fingers curling around her arm. “You’re serious,” she whispers.
“I am,” I say, though the words tear at something inside me. “I’m not the same man I was before. You deserve the freedom to choose.”
“No.” Her voice is firm now, steady. “You don’t get to decide what I deserve. I watched you today, Kellan. I saw the way you fought for Rose. I know you sent Miles and Brody after Guy, even though you didn’t have to. You came immediately when I called, even though you were busy, and I know you were dealing with some tough shit that day. Liam told me about it.
She pauses and bites her lip, then pulls me closer. “You’re not the man you used to be. You’re not the monster you think you are.”
Her words hit something deep inside me, a place I’ve kept buried for years. I open my mouth to respond, but she presses on.
“I know about the hospital bills,” she says quietly. “For Max. The administrator told me you paid for everything, all the cancer treatments, the respite care… Kellan, why?”
I glance away, swallowing hard. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does,” she says. “Why did you want this marriage, Kellan? Why did you choose this? Why us?”
The question pierces through my defenses. I take a deep breath, rubbing a hand over my face. “Because I’ve been watching you,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “Ever since that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. About what happened. And when I saw what your father was putting you through, I…” I trail off, shaking my head.
“You what?” Darcy presses.
“I wanted to protect you,” I say finally. “I thought if I could keep you close, I could keep you safe. But I didn’t realize that the person you needed protection from the most was me.”
Her expression softens, and she steps closer, leaving me with nowhere to go.
“Kellan,” she says, her voice gentle. “You’re wrong.”
She reaches for me, her fingers brushing against my jaw. I close my eyes at the contact, leaning into her touch despite myself.
“I love you,” she says softly. “You’re not perfect, but neither am I. If you promise to keep us safe—if you promise to be there for us, always—I want to stay with you.”
My chest tightens, something shifting deep inside me.
“Can you tell me you feel the same?” she asks, her voice trembling.
I open my mouth to answer, but before I can, a small voice cries out from the hospital room.
