Kerrigan’s eyes widened to saucers. She was frozen in place as she stared at the man who had been her betrothed and her worst nightmare.

When they had been children, March’s family had been the closest to Kerrigan’s home, Waisley. Their parents had tied them together as soon as they legally could do so. A year of courting when they came of age would still be required, of course, but it was known from day one that their bloodlines and money would stay together. They would stay together.

But though Ashby March was the handsomest child with round baby cheeks and irresistible charm that got him whatever he wanted, there was something wrong with him. And his parents refused to see what was right there. That he learned early on where to give bruises so no one but her bathing attendants would notice. She stumbled upon him in the woods between their two properties, skinning a squirrel. The poor animal was still alive. She cried all the way home, and no one believed a word from her.

She’d been left at the House of Dragons soon after that. A blessing. A curse.

Even in her final test before she’d matched with Tieran, March had been her biggest fear. The one thing that she could never live through.

And now, he was here.

As if he was drawn to her presence like a magnet, March found her face in the crowd. Those endless ocean-blue eyes locked on hers, and a corner of his mouth twisted upward. She couldn’t move. Gods, she’d seen that look from him before. She’d seen it that day when he looked at the squirrel. Only now, she was the squirrel.

A flurry of debs rushed to his side, eager to gain the attention of the most eligible bachelor at the party. Not to mention, one of the handsomest. He had grown into an exceedingly stunning man. His round baby cheeks hollowing and those eyes almost throwing a glamour across the entire crowd. He was tall, strong, regal. Anyone would be lucky to have him. Anyone but her.

March said a few words to the debs and then brushed through them as if they no longer existed. He strode right to Kerrigan’s side and bowed deeply at the waist. “My lady.”

She stood, stunned. A curtsy was the appropriate response. Instead, she blurted, “What are you doing here?”

His nostrils flared just slightly, and then he smoothed it over. “My darling, how could you expect anything otherwise? I came as soon as I heard.”

“Heard?”

“That you had returned to us, of course.” He plucked Kerrigan’s hand out of the air and pressed a kiss against it.

She nearly wrenched it back. The thought of his lips on her person made her physically recoil. She managed to slowly withdraw it. “I’ve been here all along.”