Chapter 3 #3
“There was a time when we were boys, when we were so much more alike, and I thought that nothing would separate us. But soon, it became apparent how different our mother treated us, because I was the heir, and he was not. It hurt him beyond repair.”
His heartbreak felt so heavy. Like a yoke around his neck. It was unfair that he should carry some of the blame for how Connor turned out, but, knowing him, he always would.
After a few moments, the darkness in his eyes lifted a little. “You are astute to mention Purg, though, Chosen. I suspect he is involved in this somehow. He is perhaps the most knowledgeable expert on the Under, apart from his nephew.”
“Purg has been there, too?”
“Not completely, not in death like Nate has. But bear in mind that the Under is not just the place where lost souls reside, it is the place where unconscious thoughts linger. Your spirit can go there in sleep and in deep meditation, even though your body and soul remain anchored here in the physical plane.” He glared into the distance for another moment, deep in thought.
I could almost hear his brain ticking. “Speaking with you on these things does help to expand my mind. I wish to discuss this with you further. Will you take lunch, Chosen? May I escort you to dine somewhere?”
“I can’t.” I grimaced. “I’m having lunch with Juliette, remember? I’ll have to leave shortly.” My social circle nemesis had called me yesterday morning and begged me to have lunch with her.
“I do not know why you agreed to it. That woman is vile,” Donovan said in a low tone.
“Well… She wants to apologize, apparently. That’s what she told me on the phone, anyway. Now that Audrina’s gone home, and all Juliette’s gossip about me getting involved with the mafia and trafficking her has come to nothing, she says she feels terrible.”
“You believe she wishes to make amends? She has had a change of heart?”
“Oh, no. Of course not. Juliette doesn’t have a heart to change.
” I sighed. “I’m not an idiot, Donovan. She doesn’t want to apologize; she wants to get me alone so she can mine me for more gossip.
Since it turned out that she was wrong about me grooming and trafficking Audrina, it’s made her look a bit stupid.
She’ll make some fake apologies, beg forgiveness, and grill me about what’s going on in my life right now, so she has some decent information to peddle at her tennis club or at the next gallery opening. ”
He frowned. “If you know this, why are you still going?”
“I’m going along with it because I’ve got plans of my own for her.”
“I see.” Donovan leaned in a bit closer. “Tell me more of these plans.”
Good grief, his deep, rumbling voice was so sexy, the vibrations of his tone rolled over my skin, raising goosebumps. I caught a hint of his scent—that earthy, masculine, river-leather-and-sandalwood scent—and lost my train of thought completely. “What was I saying?”
“You have plans to vanquish your nemesis by accepting her invitation to lunch, then you will slit her throat.”
“Uh.” I coughed awkwardly. “Not quite.”
“You will crush her skull, then.”
“That’s not what I was planning, no.”
“No?” He cocked his head. “You will poison her instead?”
“I’m not going to poison Juliette, Donovan.”
“Good. Poison is a weak assassin’s tool.” He looked at me, his eyes darkened. “You are a woman who enjoys getting your hands dirty.”
I swallowed roughly. “I— Uh— Yes. I am very… hands on.” Why was it so hot in here?
My cheeks felt like they were on fire all of a sudden.
Was it menopause finally kicking in? Or was it the fact that my brain kept throwing images of Donovan bending me over this meeting room table?
I bit my lip, trying to chase away the heat.
“I do like getting my hands…” Oh, God. Finish the sentence without licking your lips, you hussy! “... Dirty.”
“I see.” He leaned in a little closer. “You will look her in the eye as you thrust a blade into her belly.”
Murder is not sexy, Susan, I chided myself.
It is when Donovan talks about it.
I took a deep breath to try and get a handle on myself. “Uh, no, Donovan. Not today. There will be no murder over mimosas.” I leaned back in my chair. “No homicide with my hot pot. I like to be a little more diplomatic when it comes to resolving conflict, remember?”
“Of course. You are a merciful Queen,” he murmured softly, his eyes still dark and glazed with lust.
I pinched my eyes shut and looked away so I could concentrate.
Damn it, I could still smell him. “I think you’re still giving me too much credit.
First of all, I’m hoping Juliette will drop some details about how Audrina is doing, because I can’t contact her directly.
And I have to be subtle about it. I can’t push for information, because then Juliette will know I’m invested, and she’ll use it against me somehow.
Secondly—and this is a longshot—but I’m hoping to try and push Juliette in a better direction.
She invited me to lunch so she can get some gossip out of me, which she uses as social currency.
I want her to think about using those social currency pennies for a cause other than boosting her reputation. ”
He nodded. “Go on. Why does this woman need these social pennies from you?”
“I’m the most interesting, I guess. My breakdown was the most scandalous thing to happen in our social circle in years.
Everyone talked about it for a long time.
” I didn’t even have to suspect it; I knew it for a fact—Bart confirmed it for me when I begged him for details on Vincent.
“I was the talk of the whole city for months. I was the corporate high-flier who went nuts and tried to kill her handsome artist husband.”
Donovan clenched his fists, his expression suddenly furious.
“The injustice burns me, Chosen. I do not know how you stand it. If you had tried to kill him, you would have easily succeeded.” A muscle in his jaw ticked, making it look squarer, harder, more brutally masculine.
“You would not even have to try hard. You could flay the skin from his skeleton in your sleep.”
“As far as injustices go, that one is near the bottom of the list. Anyway, my point is the gossip was only just starting to die down when we showed up at the Professor’s manor house together, and suddenly, I own a multi-million-dollar building and I’m dating a mysterious handsome foreigner who may or may not be a member of an organized crime family.
And suddenly everyone is talking about me again.
Juliette, who usually has her finger on the pulse, messed up and spread some rumors that turned out to be completely untrue.
Thanks to Martina planting information on the internet, you’ve been confirmed by multiple sources as a reclusive Italian royal.
Audrina was never trafficked—she just ran away.
” I shrugged. “Juliette was wrong, so her reputation has taken a hit. She’s no longer the gossip queen.
She needs something to help redeem herself, and I’m going to give it to her. ”
“You will give her something?” Donovan raised an eyebrow. “Chosen, you are too benevolent.”
“I’m only serving myself here, Donovan. I need her to switch her focus away from me. But, I suppose, in the end, I’m trying to help her too.”
“How so?”
“I’m giving her a purpose. Juliette doesn’t really understand that what she did was wrong.
She was only serving herself when she spread ugly rumors about me to Audrina’s mom.
If I can get it through her thick skull how much she hurt me, it might occur to her that maybe she could use her powers for good.
She should be devoting herself to finding out the truth before she runs her mouth off.
Then, she could help people, and not hurt them.
” I gave him a sheepish smile. “I’m going to poke her in the direction of the Andresanos.
Martina will kill me if I say anything to anyone about the pending lawsuits, but if I can push Juliette to do some digging into the whole Vincent and Seraphina affair timeline, she might find out more about why they went scorched earth after my breakdown.
I was arrested, drugged, silenced, and incarcerated so quickly, none of my old friends even got a chance to speak to me, but they all knew the Andresanos were behind it, and some of them commented how extreme it all was. ”
I still didn’t know exactly why they’d done it.
Vincent wasn’t even hurt that badly; he caught a brick to the head and got a mild concussion and a couple of stitches, but nobody thought to question the fact that I was covered in cuts and bruises from the falling bricks, too.
The Andresanos were stupidly wealthy, so I doubt they’d risk their reputation just to take my beautiful heritage-listed dream house from me.
And if it was just because I couldn’t give Vincent a baby, then I would have assumed Delilah would have been pushy about us doing IVF, but she never even mentioned it once the whole time we were married.
“I’m still not sure why Gordon and Delilah hate me so much,” I said.
“Perhaps they are threatened by your power,” Donovan rumbled. “They could not control you in the same way they control the mistress.”
I chewed on my lip for a second. “I’m not sure they'll be able to control Seraphina in the end, either. I saw how she cracked on the steps of the Clarendon Club. She’s not what she pretends to be, and now she holds a lot of power of her own.
It’s growing right there in her belly. The Andresanos won’t push her too far while she’s got their heir still inside of her.
But instead of putting their energy into making sure Seraphina bends to their will, they’re still gunning for me, and I don’t know why.
It’s about time I started returning fire, so I’m going to use Juliette to do it. ”
“You move your pawns like a seasoned general,” Donovan said. “It is… most alluring.”
More heat pooled in my core. An alarm on my phone went off, and I scowled down at it. “I need to go. Bart is waiting downstairs; he insisted on walking with me to meet Juliette for lunch. She’s taking me to Cloud.”
Some of my bad mood evaporated. Cloud was the most exclusive restaurant in the city.
It was almost impossible to get a reservation, and even if you did, you had to sign a twelve-page document pledging to give up your first-born child if you so much as dared think about canceling.
I’d never been before, and since my fall from grace I never expected to be able to.
“I must also depart. While Nate is trying to get word from the Under, Eryk is scouting a handful of Middle World portals—we are trying to deduce which spark stone Connor might target next. If we can anticipate his next move, we may be able to set a trap for him.” Donovan’s dark emerald eyes bored into me.
“If I cannot take you for lunch, I insist on having you to myself for dinner. You and me.” His voice deepened.
“Alone. This is a formal request, Chosen.”
My belly burst into flames. Heat crawled up the back of my spine, sending little tingles all through my body. God, I wanted this man.
But did he really want me? Or was this just him doing his duty, mixing business with pleasure?
The honorable Susan cared about the distinction. The Susan who hadn’t had sex in over two years didn’t give a shit.
I swallowed. “I would love that.”
I just had to make it through lunch.
And then, Donovan could have me for dinner.