LEONE
A muscle twitches in my jaw as I consider how much to reveal, how far into my thoughts to let him tread. One misstep could send everything we’ve built into disarray. Milo deserves an answer; his loyalty has earned him that much, and he is half the reason I am keeping her. I won’t risk him taking off with her, yet by keeping her, I know I’ll need to share her if I want to keep the peace.
“My father wants me to marry, and I need an heir,” I begin, my words clipped, deliberate. “She’ll provide one.”
The air shifts. Charged with the implication of those words, I can almost see the cogs turning in Milo’s head. The calculations of risk versus reward, loyalty versus desire. My decision would test my friendship with Milo, knowing she is a woman he has longed for over the last five years a
