"No," Thomas said, bitterness cutting through the exhaustion. "I never thought that."
Marianne stilled.
Daniel's gaze sharpened, quiet and attentive.
Thomas looked toward the door Sylvia had been taken through, jaw tight. "But my relationship with Sylvia started as a temporary situation. Andrea tried to use her as gossip, and I would have hated myself if I let her become entertainment for others."
Marianne said nothing.
Thomas's fingers curled against the armrest. "At first, it was easier to keep it private. She was beta. She was close to Dean. She had no reason to be dragged through Rohan court because I enjoyed her company and wanted her in my bed."
Daniel's brows rose slightly.
Thomas closed his eyes. "That sounded worse than intended."
"It sounded honest," Daniel said.
Marianne's face did not soften, but her anger dimmed with understanding.
Thomas opened his eyes again. "Then it stopped being temporary."
The words sat heavily between them.
