Page 4 of Midnight Secrets

“Florence says that Papa is involved in the mafia and that his brewery is a ruse.”

Madison’s eyebrow arched. “Then Florence better watch it, or she’ll be sleeping with the fishes.”

I giggled and Madison settled herself beside me on the bed. “I got you some stuff for your studio,” she said. “Just a few bits and pieces that I saw another designer use on YouTube.”

I bit into my cookie and moaned with pleasure. Raspberry with white chocolate was my favourite, with a sprinkling of cinnamon in it and brown sugar on the top. She spoiled me and I loved every minute of it. Madison was the only person in the world who knew about my passion for jewellery.

My travel bag lay at the bottom of the bed, and I grabbed the handle to pull it toward me. “I got you something.” The opal sat in a satin box to keep it safe. “I thought I would make it into a ring to match your necklace.”

Her finger traced over the smooth surface of red with amber flashes in it. “It’s beautiful, but you shouldn’t be spending your money on me.”

I waved her comment off. Papa gave us a generous allowance that I rarely used. Madison gave me more than money could ever pay for. Together, we entered my studio and I looked at the different tools she’d bought me. It made me want to sit down and start work straight away.

Later that night, Xavier, Jordan, and Ash arrived. The first two men had black hair, but Ash had dark blond hair with blue eyes with the longest eyelashes I’d ever seen on a man. My heart beat frantically in my chest and I could barely string two words together. The men laughed over dinner, but I was acutely aware of every gesture Ash made. They engraved themselves into my mind to join the others. I would be able to read him without any words.

“You finished your GCSEs this year, didn’t you?” Ash asked, staring directly at me.

My heart stopped beating for several beats and I wasn’t sure where to look. “Yeah. Last one was two days ago,” I replied in a low tone.

“You got a plan for the future yet?” he asked.

“Lucrezia is going to be a socialite who flits through parties until she catches the eyes of a very rich man,” Jordan intervened with a wink. “There’ll be a fight over who gets to claim her as a wife and she can enjoy the rest of her life spending her husband’s fortune.”

My cheeks burned at his description because that was exactly what some girls at my school planned as their career. Instead, I envisaged myself surrounded by beautiful stones that I helped tell their story in an exquisite piece of jewellery.

Madison’s fire opal spoke to me of loyalty and love, of sacrifice and devotion. It belonged in a knot because she held this family together in the palm of her hand. Mama died a long time ago, and Papa still mourned her every day, but Madison had taken three scared and lonely little girls and raised us.

“Maybe I want to get myself a job so that I’m independent,” I replied to Jordan, meeting his grey gaze. “I don’t need a man to support me if I have my own career.”

Ash watched me intently, his eyes sharp and intent like an eagle scrutinising its prey. “My mother would agree with you. She spends her time helping different charities because she likes to keep busy.”

“My girls will want for nothing,” Papa said from the head of the table. “They can live their lives in luxury.”

“Papa!” Sofia snapped. “We are not dolls to be groomed. I will be going to university next year to study for my architecture degree.”

The scowl on Papa’s face said otherwise. I doubted Sofia would ever be allowed to go to university since there were so many dangers. Many of us at school had security details, but there were too many variables in an open learning environment. The stubborn set of Sofia’s shoulders matched Papa’s. It would be an interesting holiday if the two of them couldn’t control their tempers.

Ash studied me and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. He was a man of the world and seven years older than me. He never looked uncomfortable in a situation and always appeared to be in control. “So what career would you prefer?”

I wanted to tell him, to get his advice on my aspirations of designing jewellery, but there were so many people at this table and every one of them would have an opinion. Instead, I tucked my hair behind my ear and shrugged. I wasn’t prepared to expose my dreams.

His head canted slightly to the side as if he could see directly inside my head, and that excited and terrified me in equal measure. I wanted him to see the real me, not the scared little schoolgirl who was hopelessly devoted to him. At the same time, I never wanted him to see my fantasies I created with him in a central starring role. All I had to go on was my imagination and the books on my Kindle that sparked that imagination. He was my very own Mr. Darcy that I’d evolved in my mind.

In my version of the classic tale, Ash would come swooping in and steal me away from this life. He would tell Papa that I belonged to him and brand his ownership on me. In my sketchbook, I’d already started the design for my wedding dress and ring. If dreams came true through the power of want and lust, Ash would belong to me.

Jordan said something that distracted Ash, and I watched more of his reactions, cataloguing them in my mind until the day he would finally realise that I was more than Lucas Black’s daughter. I would wait until he realised that I belonged to him and he was mine.

Two weeks later, we were visiting Rome as Papa had a business meeting and Sofia wanted to study some of the architecture there for a project she was working on. Xavier had stayed with us as chaperon, acting as our tour guide and carrying our purchases.

We were heading to the restaurant to meet up with the others. A low, female laugh caught my attention. I would know that dark blond hair anywhere because I had committed it to memory. He pressed the woman into the wall, his face lowering to hers. In my head he belonged to me, but reality was a horrible bitch who punched you in the stomach.

“Hey there, little one.” Jordan arrived beside me and put his arm around my shoulders. “I know you might not want to hear this, but you are like a baby sister to me and the guys. Staring at Ash with hearts in your eyes is only going to end in heartbreak.”

My gaze moved back to the scene unfolding in front of me. The woman wrapped her arms around his neck and her leg came up to snake around his thighs. Nausea burned a trail up the back of my throat while humiliation thrummed deep in my chest.

All my hopes and dreams curled up and died in that moment. The visions of our future faded to dust in my head. They say your first love cuts the deepest. One kiss hadn’t cut me, it had killed me.

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