Page 55 of With This Kiss
She wiggled a little, and I tightened my arms around her.
“Reign.”
I could hear the soft protest in her voice.
“Would you just stay like this with me for a while?” I asked softly.
She froze, her eyes moving over to mine. I relaxed my arms, leaving the decision to her. If she wanted to get off my lap, she could do it. Surprisingly, she relaxed against me until her back was pressed against my chest.
I leaned down and kissed her shoulder. “Thank you.”
She was quiet as I draped the blanket over us.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “Why did it feel like the mood changed completely? If you’re worried about Rose, don’t be. Just do what I do. Pretend she’s not here.”
I smiled a little at her words. “It’s not that.”
She was frowning when she turned to look at me. “Then what is it?”
I shrugged. “Just thinking about stuff.”
“Oh.” She turned back around and looked out at the nearly frozen lake.
“Tell me, where would you go?” I asked.
“What was that?”
“You said before you wanted to get out of here. If you had a choice right now, where would you go?”
“Switzerland.”
How surprising. I didn’t expect that. I wasn’t sure what I had been expecting to begin with, but Switzerland felt so specific.
“Why?” I asked, resting my chin on her shoulder. She didn’t flinch away from me.
“Because I saw a documentary about it once, and I just thought it looked…magical.”
“Magical,” I repeated. “Aren’t you afraid you would be all alone there? Away from your family?”
“My family doesn’t really need me here. I’m more like a burden than anything else.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“No, it is. I’m not just saying that so that you would refute me. I know it is. My brother and father… they’re so strong. And capable of protecting themselves. If they didn’t have me… they wouldn’t have to worry about their weakness walking out in the world. They?—”
She quickly closed her mouth, as if she had just realized who she was sharing all of this with. I didn’t tell her that it didn’t matter what she told me.
It wasn’t something I didn’t already know.
Jamie was the weak link in the Caparelli.
The Mahankov had no weaknesses. If I were to get captured by the enemy at this very moment, it still wouldn’t change anything for my father or brother.
“Well, Switzerland wouldn’t be so lonely if you had someone with you,” I said.
Her shoulders shook with laughter. “Are you suggesting you’ll come with me?”
“Would that be such a bad thing?” I asked.
