Page 70 of To Heist and to Hold
“Keely,” Ethan exclaimed, perhaps a touch too loudly, if the stunned looks the other men gave him was any indication.But in that moment he didn’t care that he was acting out of character, as long as the conversation turned from that one subject that gave him the most painful hope.He motioned expansively for the younger man to enter.“Come in.”
“Mr.Sinclaire, Mr.Sinclaire, Mr.Teagan, Parsons,” Keely said, nodding at each of them in turn.
“I trust you have news for us,” Parsons said, back to looking as imposing as ever.
“Aye.I saw the boat Mr.Copper was on set sail myself this afternoon.”
Ethan nodded, looking back to the casino floor, though he hardly saw it as the rest of the men talked behind him.He had expected relief at knowing Copper was well and truly out of the country.But he felt only a heavy sadness that it had all come to this.The four partners had discussed at length Copper’s fate—after giving the man the beating of a lifetime, of course—and had decided to a one that, to honor their long-standing history, a history that Copper himself had besmirched, they would not turn him over to the authorities.No matter what he might have done, they had no wish to see the man dangling at the end of a rope.And, as Isaac had so poignantly put it, Gavin would not have wanted such a violent end for him, either.
And so they had bought him passage to America, warning him never to return, and witnessed him boarding theship that very afternoon.They’d left Keely to keep watch, to make certain the ship set sail, to verify that Copper was well and truly on his way across the Atlantic.Yes, he should feel relief that it was over.But he didn’t.And as Keely departed and Ethan turned back to look at his partners, he knew they felt the same.
Teagan downed the remainder of his drink, pulling his lips back from his teeth in appreciation.“It was the best decision we could have made given the circumstances.”
“Yes,” Ethan replied softly before rallying and giving Parsons a wry glance.“Besides, if he had stayed in England, I do believe Parsons here would have finished the job he’d started and beat the very life from him.”
Once more Parsons’s lips quirked up at the corner ever so slightly—truly, this was a banner day for wringing emotion out of the veritable stone that Parsons was.“I was only finishing the job that Mrs.Marlow started.”
“If I had known the woman was as talented with a blade as all that,” Teagan murmured with a raised brow, “I would have snatched her up myself.”
Isaac chuckled.“It will be handy, having a sister-in-law with such skills.”
And so they were back to this, were they?Ethan bowed his head and sighed, even as his heart pounded out that damned hopeful beat again in his chest.“You won’t stop harping on this subject, will you?”
Isaac grinned.“No.”
Ethan pursed his lips, considering them all severely.“You truly plan to drive me to the brink of madness until I go after her?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Teagan drawled.
“And nothing I say will dissuade you?”
Parsons snorted.“As if we ever listened to you in thefirst place.”
That bit of unexpected sarcasm finally earned a bark of laughter from Ethan.But his humor was short lived.He expelled a heavy breath, rubbing at the back of his neck.“And what if she won’t have me?”he asked, the words low and harsh.
Isaac frowned, his confusion palpable.“What do you mean, what if she won’t have you?”
He gritted his teeth, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes.“It was because of the club that her sister-in-law was in danger, that she had to resort to an affair with me in the first place.I cannot imagine the fear she must have felt to do such a thing.How can affection grow from that?And even if, by some miracle, she could come to love me, would she be able to withstand the memories of what happened?I’ll be nothing but a source of heartache to her.No matter how deep my affections for her, no matter the future I may hope to share with her, I have to respect her choice.Even if that choice is to be without me.Though I do believe it will kill me if that is what comes to pass.”He sighed heavily.“I cannot ask her to live with those memories, no matter how much I may wish to.”
There was a beat of silence, the loudest silence he had ever heard.And then a voice so sweet filled the room, one he’d never thought to hear again.
“I can assure you,” Heloise said softly, “that the pain of those memories is insignificant compared to my love for you.”
He sucked in a breath, head jerking up, eyes scanning the dim suite, hardly noticing that Isaac and Teagan and Parsons had somehow quietly departed while he’d been pouring his heart out.No, the only thing he could see in that moment was a face incredibly dear to him.
“Heloise,” he breathed.He must be imagining things.She could not be here.But then she approached him, a nervous smile on her lips, and reached up to cup his cheek in her palm, and he knew his hopeless dream had somehow, someway become a beautiful reality.
It had taken every bit of bravery Heloise possessed to come to Dionysus and seek Ethan out.That hope that had taken root in her, after all, had taken a beating during the drive here, every possible reaction to her confession filling her mind, battering her with growing uncertainty.But she had done it, had entered the club and climbed the steps to that dark hallway and found her way to the suite.And there he had been, looking so magnificent she’d wanted to cry.
The last thing she’d expected to hear when she’d finally found him, however, was him pouring out his heart.
The partners had seen her immediately.With wide smiles—well, except for Mr.Parsons, though that little curve of his lips could certainly be deemed a grin considering how dour he typically was—they had crept from the room, leaving her alone with Ethan.Leaving her to soak in each and every tortured word pouring from his lips, filling her up until she thought she’d burst.And then she did burst, her confession spilling from her, her love for him unable to be contained any longer.
His eyes were wide and disbelieving when he looked at her, her name on his lips full of such longing it brought tears to her eyes.It was an easy thing then to walk across the room, to reach up, to cradle his face in her hand.
The breath left him in a rush, his eyes caressing her face as if he could not believe she was in front of him.“Heloise,” he said again.
“I’m sorry it took me so long,” she whispered.And then, the words stronger, filled with every emotion of their parting, “And I’m sorry I tricked you, that I betrayed you.I’m sorry I believed the worst of you.I’m sorry that I ever made you believe I didn’t care for you—”
