Page 82 of The Immortal's One
Bella told me that while the mansion belongs to her and Thane, Eshe, Lome, and Des all have rooms here. Still, I can’t help but wonder if Des has another place to call home.
But I don’t ask about it.
Despite what Des and I both say, Bella, Lome, and Thane haven’t stopped their incessant innuendos about me being Des’s soulmate. I do my best to avoid bringing him up, not wanting to encourage their delusions.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
I tear my eyes away from the portrait and meet Bella’s gaze. Her eyes sparkle with curiosity.
I keep my voice steady. “I was just thinking Des looks happy in this portrait. The artist must’ve taken some creative liberties.”
Bella chuckles, but it’s tinged with sadness. “Not quite. Des was genuinely happy when this portrait was painted.”
“Oh.” I glance back at the image, trying to process this new information. “That’s… nice.”
Bella watches me closely. “I know Des can come off as abrupt and even callous sometimes,” she says, almost as if trying to excuse him, “but beneath all that, he has one of the kindest souls I’ve ever encountered, human or Immortal.”
Really?
My forehead furrows. “Then why is he so grouchy all the time?”
She sighs, pressing her lips together as if carefully consideringher words. “Des has not had an easy existence. I’d say he’s had the hardest life of all the Original Nine.”
I snort. I can’t help it.
How hard could the life of a powerful, wealthy Immortal be?
“I’m serious.” She frowns, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “There are things you don’t know. Des’s past explains why he is the way he is.”
It’s sweet that she’s protective of her brother-in-law, but she doesn’t need to defend him to me. I don’t care about him.
Liar.
“I don’t need to know about Des’s past,” I say, silencing my inner voice. “I don’t think he’s a bad guy, but based on how he’s treated me so far, he and I aren’t going to be friends anytime soon.”
Bella’s frown deepens. “You would change your mind if you knew the truth.”
“I’m not sure I would.”
She taps her fingers on her upper arm, then blurts, “Do you want to know why Des looks so happy in that portrait?”
Yes.
“No.”
I can’t let Bella or any of the others get the wrong idea. If they think I care about Des in any way, it’ll encourage them to double down in their belief I’m hisOne.
If I ever want to leave this mansion, I can’t let them think I have any connection to the grumpy, devastatingly attractive Immortal.
Unfortunately, Bella presses on, undeterred by my response. “That portrait was commissioned as a gift for a woman Des met during the opening ball of the London season in 1889.”
I blink slowly, digesting the information.
“I wasn’t aware Des dated human women.” I keep my words light, but my stomach clenches. I blame the fact I haven’t eaten lunch yet.
“He didn’t.” Her gaze sharpens. “Not unless that woman was hisOne.”
My eyes narrow. I wait for her to explain, but she just holds my gaze. “I don’t get it. Are you saying Des met his soulmate?”
