AVALINE

He had gone stiff. His arms around me were no longer gentle. He held me tighter as if he wanted to stop me from bolting. I won't run away.

"Czar."

Seeming to notice my discomfort, he loosened his arms.

"Who told you?"

I bit my lip. "I..."

He moved away from me to see my expression. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"You what, Avaline?" His patience surprised me. If we had this conversation at the beginning of our marriage, he would've snapped at me by now.

"I called my father. That's why the ...