Page 36 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
The words didn’t necessarily catch her off guard. She could tell there was something he was searching for. Something beneath her mask.
“I’m protecting myself,” she responded too quickly.
His mouth twitched, but there was no humor in it. “Protecting yourself? You have no idea how more dangerous that sounds.”
When he took another step closer, she felt it again. That crackling tension in the air whenever they were alone. It was maddening, the way their thoughts always seemed to seep into the silence, as though speaking on their behalf. Worse still, the memory of the kiss flashed through her mind at that moment.
Magnus took another step toward her. She watched as his eyes slowly traced her face, trailing from her eyes to her mouth and back again.
Her breathing grew heavy. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” His voice was thick, like velvet wrapped with steel.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she whispered, trying so hard to keep her composure. “Not after what happened.”
He didn’t answer, only took a step closer like she had expected.
“You’ve been thinking about it,” he said softly.
It was a statement, not a question. As if he had read her mind all along.
“I haven’t.” She looked away defiantly.
“Liar.”
She swallowed. “You said it was a mistake.”
“I never said that.” He shook his head. “Yousaid it.”
She faltered because she knew she had no excuse. She could feel her pulse thundering in her ears.
“I came back from visiting friends,” she tried, her voice trembling. “Not to walk into another war.”
“Then stop fighting me,” he murmured, stepping even closer now. His tone was silky as sin, trying to lull her into thoughts she had no business thinking of yet his face remained teasing andplayful, like they were just having casual discourse. “And I will ask again.”
“You left out the part about me owning a gaming hell?” he repeated slowly, cautiously.
“Like I said, I didn’t think it was necessary.” Lily hugged her middle.
“Didn’t think it was necessary,” he muttered under his breath.
Lily eyed him for a moment. “Since you are bothered about it, I guess I was wrong to think you might appreciate me not spreading scandal,” she said carefully.
“It isn’t scandal to me, Lily.” Magnus shook his head slowly. “It’s life. Survival.”
Her eyebrows drew together at his words.
Why was he suddenly making an art out of a business that stole people’s money, assets, and lives?
“You mean to call a scam the most beautiful way to survive?” she scoffed.
He didn’t answer at first. He just stood there, his jaw working, his arms folding slowly over his chest.
“Do you know what it’s like,” he said eventually, his voice rough, “to grow up with the kind of responsibility beyond your lifetime?”
Lily blinked. But before she could answer, he continued.
“Cecilia was just a child when Father died. I was a boy. There was a particular time that was rough for both of us. I had onlya title men coveted yet I was saddled with debts I had had no part in making. Apileof them. And a sister who needed shoes more than I needed pride.”
