Chapter 3
Chapter Three
GRACE
Panic claws at my throat, and the only breaths I can manage are little sips of air that leave me lightheaded.
I can’t do this.
I’m only a monster when the moon is full.
It was said in jest but felt far too close to home for me to deal with calmly. The night the building collapsed, burying my parents in the rubble, was a full moon.
This is a terrible idea. I’m not strong nor cunning enough to pull this off.
We’re going to need to find another way to get at the truth, although I don’t know what that looks like.
Arron tried everything to break into Christian’s phone and emails, but got stalled at every turn.
Their encryption software must be insanely good, which is unsurprising when you think about it.
Getting close enough to Christian to search for evidence of his guilt was the only other plan we’d come up with after hours of brainstorming. This family is powerful enough to bury anything, including murder, and have it never see the light of day. We’re nobodies in comparison.
The police won’t listen; we already tried them. Our MP isn’t interested, replying to our letter pleading for him to investigate with empty platitudes and hollow sympathy. There are no other avenues other than the one we’ve spent more than six months exploring.
Pull yourself together, Grace.
I draw in a deep breath through my nose then let it out slowly.
In for three, out for three. In for three, out for three.
It takes a few minutes, but the hysteria that hit me as those words fell out of Christian’s smirking mouth recedes, leaving me with a clearer mind.
I can do this.
I have to. There are no other options. This all falls on me.
If I come apart at the seams, we’ll go to our graves never knowing what happened to Mum and Dad.
And look on the bright side. Not only did he not recognize me from the funeral, but he doesn’t appear to have pegged me for the woman causing the commotion at the restaurant, either.
It works in my favor that he’s clearly a self-absorbed prick.
Tinkling laughter drifts toward me. I follow the sound until I arrive back at the ballroom, where I scan the crowds, looking for Juliet, unable to see her anywhere.
While keeping my eyes peeled for signs of Christian, I skirt the edges of the dance floor.
I’m on my second circuit when I spot Juliet on the far side of the room standing on the periphery of a group of guests.
Relief floods through me as I sidle through the droves and touch her arm.
“There you are.” She frowns. “Why aren’t you wearing your mask?”
I thread my arm through hers and tug her a short distance away. “We have to go.”
“Why?” Before I can answer, her jaw slackens, and she whispers. “Oh, God, is your cover blown already?”
“Shh.” I glance behind me. “No, it’s not that. I just… I want to go home. Please, Juliet. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
“Enough said, babe.” She takes my hand, and we head toward the front of the house.
We’re almost there when a voice rings out. “Grace, wait.”
Christian’s hand grazes my arm, and it takes every ounce of self-control not to jerk away from his touch.
“Whatever I did or said to make you want to leave, I apologize. Please, stay for a while longer.”
“I-I’m sorry. I can’t.” I beeline for the door, with Juliet having to break into a jog to keep up. As the warm summer air hits my face, I almost sag in relief.
My relief doesn’t last long.
“The car. It won’t be here for another hour.”
“Cab it is, then.” Juliet says, digging her phone out of her pocket.
“I don’t even know if cabs are allowed on De Vil property. Won’t they get stopped at the security gate.”
“Yes,” a now-familiar voice announces behind me.
Well, one part of the plan worked. I came here to attract Christian’s attention, and I succeeded. Too well.
“Alan, please have a car brought round to take these ladies home.”
I pivot, almost colliding with his chest. I take two steps back, putting much-needed distance between us. “There’s no need, really. If you’ll just approve a cab to come onto the grounds.”
“I won’t, no. It’s either wait an hour for your car or take me up on my offer.”
Blackmail—something else I imagine this family is proficient in.
Staying here another hour isn’t an option.
I need space, time to think and process what happened tonight.
The truth I’m not willing to examine too closely is that until he said about being a monster, I almost forgot who he was.
I enjoyed talking to him, listening to his stories about swimming in the lake when he was younger.
The monster comment did me a favor. It reminded me who I’m dealing with.
I dip my chin. “Then, thank you. I accept.”
Less than thirty seconds later, a black SUV with heavily tinted windows pulls up in front of us.
Christian steps forward to open the back door.
I nudge Juliet, and she climbs inside. As I follow, Christian touches my shoulder again.
A shiver travels the full length of my spine, and the worst part? It isn’t borne out of revulsion.
“It was nice meeting you, Grace. I hope we meet again. Once more, if I said something that upset you, I’m sorry.”
The need for damage control forces a smile onto my face. “You didn’t say anything. It’s been a long day, that’s all. Thank you for showing me the gardens and the lake. You have a beautiful home.”
I slide onto the plush leather seat and close the door. Christian says something to the driver, but I can’t make it out. When the car moves away, I sag in relief.
“So, what—?”
I place my finger over Juliet’s lips. “Not now. When we’re home, okay?”
She taps her nose. “Gotcha.”
“Where do you need to go, ladies?” the driver asks.
“Bra—”
“Dunbrooke, please.” I reel off Juliet’s address.
She frowns, no doubt wondering why I’ve asked the driver to take us to her place rather than where I live in Brackley Combe, which is ten miles closer to Oakleigh than Juliet’s. I widen my eyes to send an unspoken message, then take out my phone and text her.
Me: Your place is my cover. Remember?
Her thumbs fly over the screen.
Juliet: Shit. Sorry babe. I totes forgot. Keeping up appearances is fucking hard.
Me: Tell me about it. I’m constantly crapping myself I’ll slip up.
She nods, and we fall into silence. The journey to Dunbrooke takes around an hour, and as the car slows to a stop outside Juliet’s apartment building, I unfasten my seat belt.
“Is this all right?”
I nod to the driver. “It’s perfect. Thank you so much.”
We alight onto the pavement and wave as the driver moves off.
“Want to come in for a coffee?” Juliet asks as he rounds the corner at the end of her street.
“That’d be lovely.” I’m glad of the reprieve.
Facing Arron, and especially Uncle Daniel, and telling them I messed up isn’t something I’m looking forward to.
They’re relying on me to play my part. While I undeniably caught Christian’s attention, I didn’t handle our interaction well.
The idea was for me to wheedle a follow up meeting out of him, and I epically failed.
Juliet unlocks her apartment door, and we go inside. I flop into the nearest chair and pinch my nose between my thumb and forefinger. I catch the concerned look on her face and force a smile.
“I’m okay. Really.”
“What happened? Did he touch you? Scare you? Because if he did I’ll—”
“None of those things.” If I don’t interrupt her, she’ll carry on for ages, rapid firing questions at me until she runs out of things to ask—which never happens.
“He took me to their private gardens at the back of the house, and we talked.” I dig my fingers into my temples and take a deep breath.
“I’m ashamed to say that for a few minutes, I forgot who I was talking to.
I guess the masks helped. Then he removed his and asked me to remove mine. When I did, he said, ‘wow’.” I shrug.
“Of course he said wow. You’re gorgeous.”
“Guess we can put a tick in the box of ‘Does he find me attractive’?”
“Right, so it was all going to plan.”
“Yeah. Then I got your text and—”
“Don’t tell me I fucked up? God, I’m sorry babe. I looked for you, and when I couldn’t find you, I got worried.”
“You didn’t fuck up. Although if you could shut up and let me finish, I’d appreciate it.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Never could keep quiet. Remember in school, we’d get separated for chatting in class.”
“You were the only one chatting. I was the one kicking you under the table to tell you the teacher was coming.”
She giggles. “Fun times. Anyway, go on.” She motions with her hands as though I’m the one who’s stalled the conversation.
“I told him the text was from the friend I’d come with, and he said ‘Tell her you’re with me and you’re safe. I’m only a monster when the moon is full.’”
A frown drifts across her face. “Babe, I don’t follow. He was making a joke, right?”
“Yeah, he was. But… well, the night Mum and Dad died, it was a full moon.” I press both palms to my face and shake my head.
“It’s so stupid, but I freaked. Like, here I am, alone with the man responsible for killing my parents, or at the very least covering up what happened to them, and then he says something about being a monster and I just… I panicked and ran.”
“Oh, honey.” She grabs my hand and folds it inside both of hers. “Of course it freaked you out. None of this is easy, and it’s all falling on you.”
“Not all on me. Arron and Uncle Daniel are both playing their part. If it wasn’t for Arron’s IT skills and Uncle Daniel taking out a loan for the surgeries, I wouldn’t stand a chance at getting close to Christian.”
“Yeah, but you’re the one who had those surgeries. You’re the one who’s to get up close and personal with him. You’re the one who… and I hate to say it, babe, but if the plan works, you’re the one who’ll probably have to sleep with the man you hold responsible for what happened to your folks.”
“Well, safe to say I fucked that up royally. I left without securing any kind of follow up.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that. Something tells me he’ll track you down. A man like that doesn’t chase after a woman he’s only just met unless he’s interested.”
“Just as well we have the cover in place, then.”
If Christian does research me, Arron’s made sure there aren’t any gaps in my fake background. At least I hope there aren’t, or we’re screwed.
“I’m sorry I almost messed up in the car.”
“It’s fine. The entire time I was talking to Christian, I kept having to think before I spoke. It’s exhausting, and it’s only the first interaction.”
“Gracie.” Juliet tilts her head to one side. “Are you sure there’s no other way? I’m scared for you, and not just what he might do to you if he finds out who you really are, but for the toll this is going to take on your mental health.”
She’s not saying anything I haven’t thought about myself, but we’ve all gone over this a hundred times. There is no other way. The De Vils have enough power to bury this so deeply, the truth will never come out. Only by infiltrating their world can I find the answers my family deserves.
“There is no other way.” I squeeze her hand.
“I can do this. I have to.” I finish my coffee while Juliet calls me a cab, then walks me outside.
We hug and arrange to meet up in a couple of days for lunch.
She puts on a brave face, but as the cab moves off, her worry lines return.
I smile brightly and wave, but mine falls, too, the second she’s out of sight.
Twenty minutes later, I arrive at the home I’ve lived in all my life.
The living room light is on, and I trudge up the path and open the front door, bracing for Arron’s disappointment.
He can’t be any more disappointed in me than I am in myself.
For six months, I’ve prepared myself mentally for how tough this will be, and I fell at the first fence.
Arron switches off the TV when I step into the living room. Myriad questions race across his face, but he holds them inside.
“Want a cup of tea?”
I shake my head. “I’m good.” Flopping onto the couch, I close my eyes. “I messed up.”
“How?”
I run through the evening from start to finish, and he listens without interruption, nodding here and there, but the anticipated disappointment never arrives. My brother truly is the best. Uncle Daniel won’t be as forgiving, and I’m dreading recounting what happened for his benefit.
“There will be other chances, Grace,” Arron says when I fall silent. “I can make it happen.”
“I know, but…” I purse my lips and exhale a slow breath. “I set out to do something and I failed.”
Arron laughs. “Grace, you’ve always been the same. No one is harder on you than you are on yourself. You haven’t failed. What you’re doing… it’s fucking amazing. If he doesn’t call, I’ll engineer another meeting. Mum and Dad would be so proud of you. They were so proud of you.”
Tears rush to my eyes, but I blink them away. If I let grief consume me, I won’t be able to carry out this plan. There is plenty of time to grieve. First, I’m getting answers… and then I’m getting revenge.