Draven watched me carefully, his silver eyes unnervingly focused, as though every expression on my face mattered more than classified information.
Then quietly, I asked,
"Do you even know what kind of marriage normal people want?"
"No."
The answer came immediately.
No hesitation.
No pride either.
Just honesty.
And somehow that hurt more.
My throat tightened slightly.
"A wife…" I whispered slowly, choosing each word carefully, "doesn't just want protection."
Draven stayed silent.
"She wants to be thought about even when she's not in danger." My fingers twisted together in my lap. "She wants someone who comes back to her because they want to. Someone who tells her things. Someone who makes her feel…" I swallowed softly. "Chosen."
The last word lingered in the room.
The silence in the room stretched tense and heavy until Draven finally moved.
He didn't speak.
