Kent's blunt question made my heart flutter, yet I forced a coy laugh, raising my fist, and pretending to hit him lightly.

"Should I castrate you?"

He held me close, nibbling my earlobe, and replied with a sly smirk,

"Nah. If you do that, how could you still be a happy woman? In the end, wouldn't it be you who loses out?"

His arms wrapped around my waist as his face turned serious again,

"I have no recollection of the incident. I was already framed when I woke up. But I think others in the Long family may not know about my feud with Jared, but Jared himself knows.

Given...