He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest, his gaze sharp and unwavering. “We need to talk.”
I sat down, already feeling the weight of whatever was coming.
“What’s between you and Damien?” he asked flatly.
I hesitated. But what was the point of hiding now?
“I… we’re dating,” I answered, my voice low but steady.
King Thorne’s expression didn’t change immediately. But I could feel the heat simmering beneath the surface. “The same Damien you were sold to as a slave? The same man whose kingdom enslaved you and humiliated you?”
“He wasn’t the one who bought me directly . It was his father. And he—he’s not the same person anymore. He’s changed.”
“That’s not even the biggest problem,” he said, shaking his head. “You clearly don’t understand the weight of history. Decades ago, his f
