Page 69 of Lovely Deceit

She nods slowly for a little while. After glancing up, she says, “I don’t want to go back to Jarvis Hall. Can you take us to Oliver’s house?”

I raise my brows. “Oliver has a house?”

“Just a rental,” he explains before giving me directions.

I turn around, driving only a mile down the street before I pull up to a nice-sized estate.

“I’ve notified the servants of our arrival,” he says.

I stop the car, and the two of them start to get out. My body feels like a lead weight. I don’t know my place. I don’t know where I stand, and it’s a difficult pill to swallow. I’m the kind of guy who’s always on top of everything, so I don’t have these problems in my life. Yet, here I am, wanting to be a part of something but standing on the outside.

I clear my throat. “You said no more lies, right? No more secrets?” They both turn, and I lock gazes with Eden. “I want to stay with you.”

A flicker of a smile lights up her face before Oliver says, “I’ll tell the servants to ready one more room when we get in there.”

“Can you stop calling them servants?” Eden asks.

“Why would I do that? That’s what they are.”

“Just call them staff. Or employees.”

He rolls his eyes.

I get out of the car, and together, we walk up to the front door. An older man opens it just as we start up the steps. “Thank you, Staff,” Oliver states, a shit-eating grin on his face. “So wonderful to see all of you employees.”

Eden punches him in the ribs playfully, and he laughs. Two women who are walking through the main vestibule look at him like he’s gone crazy. “James, we’re going to need one more room. This is Professor Alaric Barclay. He works at Carnegie.”

James nods at me, and I greet him in the same manner.

Oliver leads us to a large room with a fireplace on one end surrounded by furniture. He sits, tugging Eden down with him, and I stand there like the third wheel.

“You sure you’re okay?” I ask as I figure out where to sit.

“I’m fine,” she says. “I can handle my parents and people like Leonardo Jarvis.”

She waves me toward her, and then takes my hand, leading me to the cushion next to her. She keeps her hand entwined with mine. “What do you think Vincent is going to do to Leo?”

I try not to cringe. In my estimation, Vincent’s been waiting to get at Leo his entire life. This could be a complete disaster. But I also think he’ll act accordingly to the favor exchange. I guess we’re about to figure out how badly he wanted the results of that paternity test. “Could be pretty bad. It depends on how much resentment Vincent has been holding all these years.”

“You shouldn’t feel bad,” Oliver says.

“I’m not saying I do.”

“Good. He deserves it.”

I know when they say that they’re talking about me, too. I bet they don’t even know the extent of the shit I’m in with my father. If they wanted revenge, they definitely got it, and I deserved every last bit of it. Eden’s right. If people don’t start speaking up, the Knights will continue on with things they’ve always done. Nothing will change.

We’re silent for a moment until Oliver breaks it. “I’m going to ask James to start a fire.” He squeezes Eden’s leg before leaving, and then it’s just the two of us.

I turn toward her. “I’m so sorry, Eden. I should’ve spoken up.”

“I know,” she says.

Cupping her cheek, I stare into her eyes. “I mean, I’m really sorry.”

“I know.”

I burn my gaze into hers. I need more from her. I need more from me. “I should’ve done so much more, and I’ll never be able to forgive myself for what you went through. I was weak and stupid.”

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