KNOX’S POV

She pulls back to look at me, her wide brown eyes searching my face.

“Knox… you can’t destroy your position for me. You can’t sacrifice everything you’ve built—”

“Watch me.” I cup her face in my hands, force her to see the truth in my eyes. “You are worth more than the crown. You are worth more than my position. You are worth more than every single person in that council chamber combined, and if they can’t see that, they don’t deserve the loyalty I’ve given them.”

Her eyes fill with tears. “You don’t mean that.”

“I’ve never meant anything more in my entire life.”

I kiss her...