Page 96 of Impenitent Claim

“Isabella.” He placed a hand on my shoulder, bringing me into his frame for an awkward hug. “I’ll save you from the spider.”

Those thin arms wrapped around me like string beans as guilt surged through me, overwhelming my senses and making me choke for real. There was no warmth in his embrace, just as there was no comfort in the thin arms that could so easily be snapped.

Pulling back, I shifted in my doorway. “I’m sorry to worry you with my silliness. I didn’t think you left the wake yet.”

Alonzo tugged at the back of his neck. “The wake ended an hour ago, and the funeral home took the casket to the church for the morning. The don and his inner circle are holed up in the office. I came up here to, uh….” He sighed. “I can’t stand the drinking and remembering, the vows of vengeance, and the displays of apish bravado. The soldiers are just sitting around down there, waiting for directions, but a few were looking green around the edges. Like they ate bad food or something. Probably just too much alcohol though.”

Huh.They might be too drunk to realize they were suffering from a poison that mimicked food sickness.

“I was reading a book when I heard you scream. I’ve never heard you scream, but it sounded…weird?” he added.

Warmth flooded my cheeks. I needed to make him leave. But the knight in shining armor wouldn’t desert the damsel when distressed.

“Sorry again,” I muttered. “But I’m okay, really. I just need the vacuum.”

“Do you know where it is? The house staff left shortly after the wake. They’ll be here early to clean up after the carousing tonight.” Alonzo swung his arms back and forth as he followed me down the hall.

“It’s in here.” I tugged open a door near the back stairs where there were supplies for the upper level.

“And you know how to use that?” my fiancé pressed.

I gave him a flat look. “We might have grown up with servants, Lonzo, but I know how to use a damn vacuum.”

“That’s really—” He hesitated, seeming to want to reach for me, but thought better of it. His throat bobbed as he cleared it. “That’s really cool, Isabella. Maybe you could teach me?”

But…I don’t have to be with you.Those words hadn’t had a chance to sink in quite yet. Now, as I blinked at my fiancé, Irealized there could be an alternate future. One where I wasn’t tethered to this sweet boy. I could chooseme.

Realizing I’d been too long quiet, I barked a laugh to cover the pause. “You? Want to learn to clean?”

“Well, yeah.” He tugged at the back of his neck again.

“You know what, that’s a great idea,” I rushed to say.

The grin he gave me was blinding.

“It will be our secret.Don’tlet your aunt know!” I hauled the machine out of the closet, shut the door, and hurried back to my room. “Goodnight, Lonzo. I promise, there’ll be no more screaming.”

His hand shot out to keep my door from closing. “Aren’t you going to teach me to use the vacuum?”

He’d meant teach him now. Of course, that was what he meant!

“You know I’m not allowed to have men in my room, Lonzo.” I gave him what I hoped was a stern look.

“Oh, yeah, right.” He backed down.

And that is why you’ll always be the knight.We said goodnight once more, and I finally closed, and locked, my door. I wanted a man who broke the rules to be with me. Who wanted to be with me so badly that a silly notion like propriety wouldn’t keep him away. Hell! My fiancé was leaving me to hunt and kill the spider, just because he wasn’t supposed to come in here.

Whereas the monster hiding in the dark—

I cut a look to the bathroom, and there was no Ilya.

“Where in the hell?” I peered deeper into the shadows. My chest clenched tight. Did he leave? I turned on the vacuum, letting the noise give credit to the story that I was hunting an eight-legged fiend.

Strong hands grasped me from behind and tugged me backward. My pulse jumped as my wrists were caught in an unforgiving grasp. Something rough wrapped around them.

The protest on my lips was cut off when a soft cloth was shoved into my mouth. I moved to spit it out, but another length of cord was secured around my mouth, tied at the back of my head, which only served to pull baby strands of hair.

I struggled, trying to round on whoever was behind me, although my sixth sense knew exactly who was responsible.

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