The Wild Heir(107)

I grab his hand, squeezing it. “I am so, so sorry I acted the way I did.”

“So am I. I don’t mind fighting with you, but I don’t want you leaving.”

“I know. I wasn’t thinking.”

“I know. Neither was I. You know I saw your wedding band. That fucking killed me, Ella. Killed me. I can’t stand to lose you like that. You’re everything to me.”

Oh god. More tears are coming. I blink them back.

“I’m not going anywhere, I promise. For better and for worse. I will never leave you. I will be a leech.”

“As long as you’re not a barnacle,” he says.

“And the ring, I always take it off to wash my face. I just forgot to put it back on. Believe me, the ring is pretty, but you’ve imprinted yourself on my heart and that’s something that can’t be taken off.”

The corner of his mouth tilts into a smile and he cups my face in his hands. “I think the greatest thing my father has taught me already is that I have a Viking heart. And with this heart, I can’t be afraid to love you bravely and boldly. Ella, I have fierce love for you, the kind that eats me up inside, the kind that influences everything I do. This fierce love might scare the both of us from time to time but it’s mine and it’s yours.” He pauses, his smile deepening. “Exceptionally yours.”

I laugh. “Not that again.”

“But doesn’t it make more sense now?”

I sigh happily and rest my head against his chest.

Everything makes sense now.





Twenty-Four





Magnus





Three months later





I run the silky blindfold through my fingers, biting my lip at how Ella is going to react to all of this.

She’ll never have seen it coming.

Literally.

“Close your eyes,” I tell her, standing right behind her.

“They’re closed,” she says as I bring the blindfold around her face and tie it behind her eyes.

“You can’t see out?”

“Not a thing,” she says.

“Perfect.” I grab her by the shoulders and turn her around. “God, you look sexy with that on.”

She grins, her cheeks making the blindfold rise. “I told you I was up for anything.”

“Okay, now I’m going to put you in the car.”

She flinches. “Okay. Wait. I thought you had a surprise for me?”

“Yeah, but you need to get in the car, so I can take you there. Come on.” I take her hand and lead her out of the parlor room and through the front door that Einar is holding open for us. I exchange a knowing look with him and he actually smiles in return.

It’s been three months since Ella and I had our first major fight, three months since my father nearly died in front of my eyes. Three months since both Ella and I have started to carve out a bright new life for ourselves.

Even though the shit with Heidi was crazy, it served its purpose. It brought us closer together, to know that even if something that destructive is dropped on our lap, we love each other enough to navigate through it. Our marriage might be new, it might have developed under unconventional circumstances, but it’s ours to mold and to keep. We may be young, and we may make mistakes, but we’re in it all together to the very end.

As for Heidi, well the last I heard she moved up north to Trondheim after a bout of psychological treatment. I don’t ask the prime minister about her often because she’s honestly just a speck inside my brain, but when I do, it also subtly reminds him that I’m not someone to be trifled with. Not even a little.

My father pulled through and had a kidney transplant just the other week. He’s back in the hospital over that, but he’s in great spirits and we’re all hoping this means he’ll make a full recovery. I’m just fucking lucky that I was able to tell him all the things I meant to tell him.

Of course, being my father, he said he already knew how much I loved him. I’m glad I’m not that hard to read. Sometimes being an open book is a blessing.

But I’m trying not to be an open book today, not with the surprise I have planned for Ella.

I help Ella down the stairs and get her in the backseat. Ottar and Lady Jane get in as well, but they don’t say anything. The point is for her to think we’re going alone.

Only half way through the drive into Oslo, Ella starts sniffing the air.

“I smell herring.”

Oh shit.

I think she’s gotten enhanced sense from the blindness.

Jane is wide-eyed in a who me? expression even though Ella can’t see it.

“Herring and Old Spice.”

Now Jane and I are looking at Ottar. He shrugs.

“Oh wait, now I smell…what is that…bullshit and lies?” Ella reaches out for me and manages to smack my thigh. “You told me we were going somewhere alone.”

“I had a change of heart. Just don’t lift up the blindfold, you’ll spoil everything.”

“Ottar, Jane,” she says. “That’s you, right?”

Jane tries to stay quiet, shaking her head but then bursts out laughing. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I had lunch right before, even though you said not to Magnus.”