The look on the redhead’s face contorted from confusion to outright anger the more Anthony spoke, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to shut up. She needed to know what he’d been thinking! Now that it was all pouring out, he was desperate for there to be truth, honesty even. It had to be better than this icy tension between them. She shoved him off however and Anthony frowned, rolling to the side, as Victoire skittered away from him like a bee in a shaken jar. The following few seconds were painful, even for him, as she bolted up and then crashed noisily into one of the crates. He sprung up after her to help but froze a good distance away as she nailed him to the floor with her tone.

Words finally began to flow and Anthony frowned, brow pinched in confusion, as he tried to follow what she was saying. Assumptions? What assumptions? That she didn’t want to be made into spoiled goods?! Wasn’t that supposed to be every man’s assumption of women? Anthony felt his defensiveness rise but he held his tongue, waiting for her to finish. In the end, he realized she was more offended about being ignored, of having decisions made on her behalf, than she was about being potentially ruined and he wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it.

“Of course I don’t,” the brunette responded, trying to keep any heat from his tone. “But you have to understand, I don’t— I’m not—“ He ran a hand through dark curls in frustration. I’m not that kind of man, seemed just so pretentious to actually say! And he didn’t want her thinking he assumed she was, either. “I want to make sure we’re on the same page is all!” Well at least that much was true. “What would you have done if I went through with it? If I ruined you right here just like that, without a single thought to either of our futures?” He gestured to the spot on the filthy carpet they’d just been sprawled across. “You bloody well know I wouldn’t walk away without claiming responsibility!” And there was the bubbling anger from before, making itself known. “Would you marry me, Victoire?” He demanded. “Without even knowing a single thing about who I really am?”

---

---