The Duke's Bed Chapter 115: KISS HIM

Chapter 115: KISS HIM

Alina entered the east wing carrying a week’s worth of chaos in her chest. She suddenly had a lot going on in her life: the poisoning, Austin and Audrey’s broken friendship, Dorian leaving and the eting with blood ink pact.

And in the middle of it all: LOVE.

Everything had happened too fast that she hardly has the ti to sit with any of it properly.

Cecily looked up the mont Alina stepped inside.

"It looks like a lot is happening in your life right now," she said, reading her face.

Alina didn’t deny it. She walked over and sat on the sofa as usual.

"Austin confronted Audrey about everything she has done to ," she began imdiately.

Cecily’s hand froze over the dress she was folding.

"He ended their friendship, and...had earlier told

that he won’t marry her."

Cecily froze completely this ti.

"He will not marry Audrey?" she repeated.

Alina nodded. For a mont, she didn’t react. Then she laughed.

Alina frowned.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Austin has never made a decision that costs him politically," Cecily replied, setting the fabric aside. "Breaking the engagent? Even questioning the engagent is a politically terrible move. It weakens him at court. Not marrying Audrey is the worst decision he could make."

Alina didn’t know what to say.

"If a man like Austin is making such a decision then it only ans two things," she paused, looking at Alina carefully. "Either he has lost his mind or... he is in love."

Alina’s breath caught.

"And Austin," Cecily added, "is not a man who’ll lose his mind."

Alina looked down at her hands that were suddenly shaking. She pressed them on her thighs to steady them.

"He hasn’t said it," Alina murmured.

"He has said it in every other way," Cecily smiled. "He is screaming it, Alina...it’s just his language is different from the others."

"Then why won’t he say it?"

Cecily’s expression changed.

"Because of...our father."

Alina looked up at her in surprise.

"Your father?"

"Our father married his bed warr. At that ti, he was madly in love with her. But soon, after we were born...father began keeping mistresses," she smiled sadly. "And that eventually drove our mother to death."

A heavy silence settled between them.

"He is scared that he’ll beco like our father," she continued. "He doesn’t want to hurt you. But..Austin is like him, Alina."

Alina went completely still after Cecily finished. She thought about Austin and how lonely it must have been for him...to love soone and still not trusting yourself with that love.

A small, bittersweet smile touched her lips.

You really are an idiot, Austin. How could you think that your love might be dangerous when it is the only thing that had been protecting

all along?

Her heart softened at the thought. He could never be like his father.

You are a man who is so afraid of causing pain that you would rather deny yourself happiness than risk hurting the person you care about.

"He loves you. But he is afraid," Cecily said, bringing Alina back to reality. "So...I have thought of a solution."

Alina looked at her, listening to her carefully.

"Kiss him."

"WHAT?"

"He won’t do it," Cecily replied. "He can spend the rest of his life just holding your hand. Trust ."

"But...I can’t just..."

"You can," Cecily cut in. "You’ve done more difficult things than this."

Alina didn’t answer. But she didn’t reject the idea either.

She left the east wing with Cecily’s words echoing in her mind.

Kiss him.

It sounded absurd, reckless, and yet...simple.

Should I kiss him?? Should I make the first move?

She hadn’t an answer yet.

The sewing circle was in full swing when Alina arrived there after eting with Cecily. Work had piled up while she was ill. They were lagging. Marguerite had been holding things together with but the strain was visible on her face.

Alina sat down and began to sew. Her hands moved faster than usual. Marguerite sat beside her and noticed her for a while before speaking.

"You’re working like you’re being chased," she said.

"We’re behind our schedule."

"It’s okay. We can manage," she replied.

Alina didn’t answer. Marguerite kept watching her

"Sothing else is bothering you?"

Alina stopped and looked at her, as if thinking whether to say what she wanted to say or not. But then she gave up.

"If you had to do sothing difficult... sothing that could change everything... would you do it?"

Marguerite smiled.

"Absolutely," she replied instantly.

Alina glanced at her.

"Even if it could go wrong?"

She nodded.

"So things lose their aning if you overthink them," Marguerite said.

"How do you know when is the right ti to act?"

"You’ll know," Marguerite replied, casually. "As you knew sothing was wrong with the tea just after one sip. Trust the sip."

Alina laughed softly, and returned to her work.

Later, while returning from the sewing circle, Alina saw Austin in the castle corridors. He stood near a window, speaking to Harrington. The conversation ended quickly, and Harrington left.

Austin stayed there and stared out in the garden.

After a minute, she took a step forward to him.

"Austin."

He turned imdiately.

"You shouldn’t be walking this much yet," he said, his eyes scanning her instinctively. "You’re still recovering."

"I’m fine."

He didn’t look convinced.

"Where were you going?" he asked.

"Back to my room," she replied.

"Good," he said. "You need rest."

There it was again.

Protection.

"Do you ever get tired?" she asked suddenly.

He raised his brows.

"Of what?"

"Of always being careful."

Sothing unknown flickered in his eyes.

"I don’t have the luxury not to be," he replied.

"Maybe you do," she said.

He didn’t answer. So she spoke again.

"You think if you won’t be careful, everything will fall apart."

She stopped, looking at his reaction. But he didn’t give any.

"But Austin... being careful isn’t what protects people."

He sighed.

"And what does?" he asked.

"Trust."

"Alina...I..." he couldn’t finish.

Then his hand moved slightly, as if he wanted to touch her but he stopped himself at the last second. Then he turned and left, without saying anything.