Amelia
"But you don't," I said softly, the realization dawning as I observed the tension in his jaw, the slight narrowing of his eyes, the way his hands had tightened almost imperceptibly on his desk.
"Want the alliance, I mean.” I added, my heart thudding with the weight of the words.
His gaze sharpened dangerously almost too much to bear.
"I didn't say that." He said, his voice low and rough. But it wasn’t just denial.
"You didn't have to," I replied quietly, meeting his stare despite every instinct that told me to look away. "If you wanted the alliance, you would have agreed already."
He leaned back in his chair, regarding me with new interest. "Perhaps you're not entirely without observational skills."
I felt a small bloom of satisfaction at the backhanded compliment.
"So wh
