Lacey sighed, thinking. "Julien, I'll be honest with you."

He rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand. "Yes, please do."

Lacey nodded, and then looked into his eyes. "Roth was horrible to me while we were growing up. Not only him, but all my siblings with Thorn and my mother. You already know that." She bit her upper lip and then released it. "But I don't think that a year is too much to ask to prove his allegiance to you, and to me." She placed a hand atop his, holding his ...