Page 44 of Dark Consequences

“Raphael, please.”

My eyes shift to my brother, and the misery there on his identical face makes my heart sink and my resolve falter.

“I need him gone, and I know you need the same even more.”

“Rose is still having nightmares?” I assume.

Michael drops his eyes and kicks at a pebble. “Yeah.”

“Fine.” I cave.

My brother looks up with expectant hope. “Fine?”

“I’ll talk to Lily.” Michael’s mouth drops open, but I continue before he can say a single word. “But I’m not guaranteeing anything.”

“I’ll take it.” Michael smiles and reaches out to clap my shoulder before he turns away to continue back down the trail.

I catch up to him, and as we round the last corner, the main house comes into full view. I wonder if Lily’s awake yet. She spent all damn day yesterday with the other women in the house, and when dinner came around, Dad pulled Michael and me away for a meeting downtown. By the time I got back, she was fast asleep, curled up with Mei. I desperately wanted to wake her up, but I couldn’t imagine disturbing her sleep when she looked so peaceful. I hate the idea of bringing Xiao up even more when she’s working so hard to move on, but Michael’s right. This is bigger than her tortured past and my anger.

Speaking of. “Have you confirmed if Lily came from the same auction as Rose?”

“Nothing yet,” Michael answers with a hard sigh.

“What about Connor?”

Michael shakes his head. “He’s exhausted all of his contacts related to the auction Patrick sold Rose to. They’re dead, or they’ve disappeared, or they know nothing of worth.”

“I’ll ask Lily if she remembers anything else about the auction too.”

Michael clasps my shoulder as he passes by me into the house foyer. “Thank you, Raphael.”

I watch him jog up the stairs before heading toward the kitchen at the back of the house. This early in the morning, I expect to find the room empty, but it’s not. Instead, a pretty little flower sits on a barstool, reading the newspaper while sipping on a cup of tea from the smell of it.

Leaning against the doorframe, I cross my arms over my chest. “Good morning, Lily.”

As I expect, she jumps in her seat and nearly spills her tea with a startled gasp. Spinning around, Lily levels me with a glare I suppose is meant to be intimidating.

“You scared me, Raphael,” she snaps with little heat behind it.

My eyes drink the sight of her in the morning light. Pleasure skirts down my spine to gather in my groin when she does the same, her brilliant blue eyes snagging on every swell and dip of my muscles on display.

I run my tongue over my bottom lip when she meets my eyes. When her lips fall open and her tongue flicks out to lick them, I have to fight back the immediate urge to storm over and devour her mouth for breakfast.

Lily clears her throat and stammers, “Wha-what are you doing up…so early?”

“I was out for a run with Michael,” I answer. “What are you doing up so early?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“You couldn’t sleep? So your first thought is to come downstairs, make yourself a cup of tea, and read the newspaper?”

“No. My first thought was to come find you, but you weren’t in your room.”

“You went to my room?”

“Yes. I thought you could—” She stops midsentence, her cheeks exploding red before she jumps off the stool and hurries toward the first open door she sees, which leads to the pantry.

I follow her before she can turn back around.

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