The Forgotten Heiress novel Chapter 68

Nick watched her intently; he didn't miss the fast pace throbbing of the vein in her neck. "Jessica, look at me." She did so slowly and when she did, he leveled a look at her and asked, "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me you were innocent?"

She shrugged before admitting. "I don't know." The truth was that she'd been uncomfortable admitting to him that she was old fashioned. He quirked an eyebrow and remember what he'd told her about scenting lies so she told him some of the truth. "I guess I didn't want to be a prize. I wanted you to want me for me, not for what I would be giving you; I never want to be a trophy."

That brought him up short.

Remembering why he'd approached her in the first place, he realized that he would have to be tactful when he clued her in on her true identity. He knew it would have to be soon too, it was going to be hard to explain his reasoning but he could start by clarifying one thing now.

"You are not a prize."

And she wasn't, not in that way, not anymore, not after he'd gotten to know her. Somewhere along the line his feelings had shifted, just like his life and his priorities. It no longer mattered to him who her father was and he could foresee a long uphill battle trying to prove it to her. One thing he did not foresee was losing her, they were mates now and he refused to let her go.

Tormented just from the thought, he swooped down and kissed her, trying to convey all the feelings that he could not put into words. He'd never been good at talking about his feelings, growing up the way he had no one could blame him. His home had been a cold one, to the outside world they had seemed like the perfect family, but behind closed doors it was a different story.

His parents married for mercenary reasons, they cared little for each other and much less for their children. Growing up people claimed that his parents were soul mates. He was ten when his mother ran off with another man leaving him and his sister at the mercy of a cold hearted pure blood lunatic.