Chapter 13 - Rosalia #3
“We all have our part to play,” he said, “balance is everything. And physical strength doesn’t necessitate leadership. Felix is trying to show that. He wants Lola in the inner circle, as one of our leaders. If it’s something you want, then I’m sure he’d give you the opportunity as well.”
“Me?” Rosalia asked, her voice rising in surprise. “What could I do?”
Rick rolled his eyes, “Why do you think I’ve been giving you books on law and politics and the like? You have a natural talent for it. And diplomacy. Perhaps Accord meetings would be altogether more civilized without so many alphas trying to negotiate with the humans.”
Unbidden, tears pricked her eyes. “You…you really mean it?”
He seemed shocked at her sudden intensity, blinking at her. “Yes, of course I do.”
She rounded the desk, closing the distance between them, throwing her arms around his waist. “I would like that. I would really like that.”
He paused, and then his arms settled around her, heavy and comforting. “Then I’ll speak to Felix about it.”
They stood there for longer than Rosalia had dared hope he would allow, and she basked in the comfort he gave her. The warmth. Her heart fluttered, and she swallowed, her throat thick.
She didn’t know what she felt for him. Felt about him. But she didn’t want it to go away.
“Rick,” she asked, her voice small, “can I ask you something?”
He stiffened, and her heart jumped. She was playing with fire here, she knew. But she had questions for him. So many questions. And she wanted him to trust her enough to talk to her.
“Yes,” he said, his voice low and cautious.
She pulled back, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up at him, “Eva’s mother…”
His dark eyes flashed, a muscle in his jaw clenching, “Ah. That.”
He pulled away, and she immediately missed the warmth of his body against hers. Her anxiety told her to apologies, to take it back, but she sucked in a deep breath. If she wanted him to trust her, she would also have to trust him.
He paced in front of the fire, jaw working as he seemingly searched for the right words.
“Her name is Zara,” he said at last, almost spitting the word. “What do you want to know?”
She shrank at the venom in his voice, but remembered herself last minute. She didn’t need to fear him. She didn’t need to make herself small.
“You don’t have to tell me,” she said softly, “but I want you to know that you can. Talk to me, I mean.”
He searched her face, fists clenching. She had decided that he wouldn’t open up to her, not yet, when he sighed and let his hands relax, staring into the fire.
“She’s a member of a wolf pack out west. Another old bloodline from Europe. Distinguished. Eminent. Her father is a high-ranking member of the pack and often brought her to American Alliance meetings in the early days of my involvement in it. We began…courting, I suppose you could call it.”
Rosalia nodded, fighting down the surge of jealousy in her stomach. Of course, he had a past. He was nearly ten years older than her. He had a daughter, for heaven’s sake.
But still, she didn’t like the thought of him with another female.
“I made it clear from the start that I wasn’t interested in anything serious,” he said, “I was young, still focused entirely on politics, on establishing the New Guard as leaders of the Iron Walkers. Things were fraught in those early days. I can’t say I miss it, but there was a certain challenge that I can’t deny I enjoyed. ”
She chuckled. No doubt he was underselling it. If she knew anything about him, it was that he relished any opportunity to play his political games.
“I had just taken my father’s seat, and there were a lot of fathers with pretty young daughters they liked to flaunt in front of me. Zara was one such female. When I made it clear I had no intention of marrying her, she decided to take matters into her own hands.”
His voice turned bitter, and Rosalia had an unexpected flash of sympathy for this unknown woman. She would not like to find herself on the receiving end of Rick’s ire.
“She lied about her birth control. Thought that if she fell pregnant, I would agree to marry her. She was wrong.”
“She tried to trap you?” Rosalia asked, eyebrows drawing together.
He grunted. “I made an example of her. Exploited every single ounce of my legal knowledge to ensure that while she could remain Eva’s guardian, she’d have no real claim to her at all.
She took her pound of flesh, no doubt. Money and stipulations and damnable press coverage.
But as you can no doubt see, as soon as she realized Eva would not serve her in any measurable way, she decided being a mother was far too much trouble.
I’ve only seen her once or twice since the settlement was finalized, and all I can say for her is that at least she’s sensible enough to keep her distance. Things got…ugly.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Rosalia said, her voice small. “Is that why…when my father…”
“I don’t appreciate anyone believing they can control me,” Rick said, iron in his voice. “Anyone reaching beyond their station. But from the start, I knew our marriage was purely your father’s doing. I never held it against you.”
“You were so cold,” she said, glancing up at him, her throat painfully tight, “I thought that maybe…you hated me. Blamed me.”
He sighed and took her in his arms, pressing a kiss to her hair, “I won’t insult your intelligence by pretending that I wasn’t cruel. I know what I am, Rosalia, and I won’t apologize for it.”
Of course, he wasn’t one for flowery apologies, pretty words. He didn’t speak his affection, his regret to her out loud. Instead, he stroked the hair back from her face and kissed her soundly, his touch reverent and gentle. She melted into him, letting him demonstrate his feelings instead.
He picked her up, their lips not breaking, and carried her to bed.