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‘Actually yes, I think you do,’ she challenged.

‘Delusional as ever,’ he drawled. ‘You’ve been that fairy-tale princess in her fairy-tale castle for too long. Didn’t today teach you differently?’

She stared into his bottomless eyes and had to admit—again—that he was right. Today had taught her that Alex was more complex than she’d let herself consider. It had taught her to trust people even less than she already did. She’d thought she’d found balanced security but she couldn’t have been more wrong. She’d known Domenico had a ruthless streak, but not that he was that manipulative.

‘I should have left under my own steam instead of running to Erik—you—for help. It’s my fault for letting myself get into that position. I was useless.’

He tensed. ‘You weren’t exactly taught independence.’

Not the point. ‘I’m sorry I put you in this position.’

His eyes widened. No, apologising to Alex wasn’t something she’d ever thought she’d do either.

‘It was my idea, remember?’ he muttered.

To spite his father. That was what else today had taught her—the anger…she’d been wilfully blind to something disturbing there. ‘I’m turning it around. From now.’

‘We’re married for now. If we end this too soon, they’ll hound you more. It’s going to take time to set up the future.’

‘I’ll change my name and get a job working online—avoid people.’

‘Will it be that easy?’

‘Why are you turning doom merchant? Don’t you want rid of me?’ She suddenly grinned, unable to resist teasing him when she thought of a different plan. ‘I’m your wife, not your employee. I’ve not signed a pre-nup or an NDA.’

He remained unsmiling. ‘You’re never going to sell your story. Aside from the fact you would loathe that intrusion, you know I’d come after you and make you regret it forever.’

‘Threats. Nice.’

‘Facts. Simple.’

She shook her head ruefully. ‘You couldn’t make me regret this more.’

‘Sure I could. I’d just stay married to you. Refuse the divorce.’

She gaped—he was joking, wasn’t he? But something more than relief ran through her when he suddenly laughed—rich and warm, it reverberated to her bones.

‘This doesn’t need to be complicated,’ he said. ‘This whole thing can be easy.’

‘It doesn’t feel it.’

‘Why would you consider feelings?’ he murmured. ‘They come and go.’

‘I thought I was supposed to express them.’

‘In the moment, sure.’

Maybe he was right. Her mother’s feelings certainly faded, but her father’s had overwhelmed him so much that he’d chosen not to go on. Perhaps she’d be better not paying attention to her feelings, but to her future, building a life she wanted—not just immediate security. Trouble was there was a lot here in Montaurella that she loved—it was a beautiful place to live, and she’d adored it even before she’d moved to the palace. And the best thing about moving to the palace had been finding her job. If she’d actually got paid, her life there would have been almost perfect and that would have been good enough.

He was shockingly close. More shockingly, she had the yearning to move closer. No. She definitely should not consider feelings.

‘Is your hand okay?’ he said huskily.

‘Yes. Thank you. For dinner too—it was delicious.’

His eyebrows danced, but his intense gaze lingered on her lips. ‘Apologies and appreciation in the one night, Tilly?’

‘Miracles do happen.’ She felt a wistfulness flicker—for so long there’d been this enmity between them when maybe—if they’d worked the mess with their parents through sooner—they could have got along. Yet now she knew something else stood in the way of that. Something deeper and stronger and infinitely more troubling. ‘There’s no chance we’ll ever end up friends, is there?’