Page 66 of An Orphan for the Broken Duke

Rhys was never one to speak about his feelings. He found that such things were better kept to himself. That way, he could pretend that they did not exist. That way, he could keep them from those he cared about…

However, the past week had been harder than he imagined.

It was spent alone in his office, purposefully avoiding Violet and even Lucy. He could only imagine what Violet was thinking about him, and he refused to even consider how confused Lucy must have been—that hurt as much as anything.

He stayed strong in his resolve. In time, he would reintroduce himself to them, slowly becoming a part of their lives once more. But not until Violet knew that they had no chance at repairing their relationship. Better still, not until she no longer wanted such a thing.

And if that did not work… there was one other option, but one he hoped he would not have to commit to.

Hopefully, she is so furious with me that she loathes me… possibly more than I loathe myself.

So bad were things that when his cousin, Sebastian, paid him an unexpected visit, Rhys felt no desire to send the man away. The truth was that he wanted to speak to somebody about what he had done. More than that, he wanted to be told that he had made the right decision.

What he should have known was that Sebastian would be the last person to tell him as such… which might not have been such a bad thing either.

“You are a darn fool,” Sebastian said without mincing words. “But I suspect that you already know this.”

Rhys scowled at him. “If that is your effort at giving me advice, I might ask that you keep your thoughts to yourself.”

Sebastian snorted. “And if you wanted advice, I might deign to give it. But I know you, Rhys, so I know that advice is not what you want. Not really.”

“Pray do tell, cousin, what is it that I want?”

“You want to be told that you were wrong,” he said with a matter-of-fact nod. “You want to be bullied into doing the right thing. As stubborn as you are, you need to be dragged kicking and screaming.”

“False,” Rhys scoffed. “Whatever you might think of yourself, believe this.” He leveled a glare at his cousin. “I care little about your opinion, so whatever you might think of me, it changes nothing. Really, I just needed someone to vent to, and as you are here…” He shrugged.

Sebastian sat across from Rhys in his office.

He was offered a drink, but Sebastian refused. He was offered a snack, but Sebastian refused. He was offered a walk through the garden, but Sebastian refused.

Likely, from the minute that Sebastian had walked into the office and seen Rhys’ state, he had understood just how pitiful the situation was.

And while Rhys dismissed his cousin, as was expected, deep down, he prayed that his cousin would not give up. He needed someone to stand behind him and push him in the right direction. He needed someone to remind him what it meant to fight for what you believed in.

“Oh, do I not feel so honored,” he said mockingly. “So, let me sum up, if you do not mind?”

“Do I have a choice?”

Sebastian ignored him. “I came here just now to see you, only to find that you were even moodier than usual. A hard task, I know, but somehow you have managed to achieve it.”

Rhys scowled at him but could not find the strength to argue.

“When I asked, much to my surprise, you told me the truth!” Sebastian threw up his hands. “And it could only be that, because you are not one to speak of emotions unless desperation has taken you. And from what I can see…” He looked around the dark office. “Desperation has been your companion now for some time.”

“Are you done?”

“Not even close.” Sebastian’s expression then softened, and he dropped the mockery from his voice, adopting an expression of pity instead. “To my surprise, you told me the reason you feel this way. Your dear wife who, according to you, had stolen your heart.”

Rhys scoffed. “It is hardly that serious.”

“He says now,” Sebastian sighed. “Rhys, I know why you are so insistent on denying how you feel. Believe me, I know. But the fact that you were so willing to tell me in the first place…” He exhaled and dropped his shoulders. “You like her, and you know that you do. To admit such a thing… to pursue it… It is not wrong of you to do so.”

Rhys spent a moment scowling in denial at his cousin, but it was a weak thing, with no fight in it at all. As Sebastian had rightly pointed out, Rhys was the one who had opened up to him in the first place.

“You are right, Sebastian,” Rhys sighed as the fight left him completely. “I… I do find myself caring for Violet. More than I thought was possible, and far more than I want to.”

“Then what is the problem?”