Page 75 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
A beat passed. The two women stared at each other for a long moment.
Until Magnus spoke, his voice lower. “Would you excuse us?”
Lily and Theo looked at him, but he was watching Cecilia, the look in his eyes gentle.
“Can I speak with my sister alone?” he asked.
Without hesitation, Lily nodded.
And without another word, she turned and left first, before Theo made his way out through another door.
The door had barely clicked shut when Cecilia crossed her arms, turned to face her brother, and narrowed her eyes like a soldier preparing for a final standoff.
“Well,” she said, “now that we’re alone, are you going to pretend you care about my honeymoon just to change the subject, or will you tell me the truth?”
Magnus exhaled through his nose. “I was going to ask how Venice was—a harmless nicety. But I see you’re in no mood for niceties.”
“Don’t patronize me,” she warned sternly.
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. That tone. That passive, world-weary ‘I’ve done nothing wrong but everyone’s so upset with me’ voice—don’t use it on me, Magnus.”
Damn, she knew him so well.
Magnus moved to the hearth, folding his arms across his chest. “You’re being dramatic.”
“I just found out that my brother owns a gaming hell and won my best friend’s childhood home in a bet!”
“That’s not exactly?—”
“Do you have any idea how utterly mad this sounds to anyone who isn’t… well, you?”
He turned to her, his jaw tight. “I didn’t plan this.”
“You never do. You just end up in the middle of everything, covered in sin and smugness, and act like it was fate.”
He winced at the harshness of her words. “Not entirely wrong,” he joked.
She sighed heavily and began pacing the room. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t think it would matter.” He faced the fire.
“It does.”
Magnus watched the flames for a long, quiet moment. Then, in a voice far softer than earlier, he asked, “Do you think I’m a monster?”
Cecilia stopped pacing.
It was so odd hearing those words—words seeking judgment—coming out of Magnus’s mouth that she paused, shocked. Then, she turned around.
“What?”
“You do not seem all too pleased finding out that I am married to Lily.” Magnus turned to look at his sister. “So I’m asking you, do you really believe I would ruin her just for sport? Am I that… heartless?” He raised an eyebrow.
Cecilia sputtered, “You hurt people, Magnus. Sometimes without even realizing it.”
“I know,” he said.
