Page 42 of Summoned
I don’t owe him an answer—it’s not his turn. But I grip the arms of my chair and say, “Haven’t you figured that out? If I leave, I lose my father’s connections. Connections I’ll need when I start building my empire.”
Something inside me flares white-hot.
Gaetano remains as still as a statue, only a faint flicker in his expression betraying any reaction. “You’re not going to build your own empire working under someone else’s.”
I try to force a dismissive smile, but I’m not sure I succeed. “I’m taking advantage of someone else’s while I can.”
“If you say so.”
I refuse to give him the satisfaction of showing how deeply his words affect me. Maintaining eye contact, I reach for the next card and flip it. A clock. Ornate, old, with long black hands and skulls in place of numbers. Above it:Il Tempo Perduto.
Gaetano tilts his head, the chain on his wrists clinking softly. “How unfortunate. That card means you lose your turn.”
I press my palm flat against the table, nails digging into the wood. “What?!”
“Don’t torment yourself.” He settles back into his chair. “The ‘Lost Time’ is actually one of the more favorable cards one might draw…”
“You rigged them.” I jab a finger in his direction.
He raises his chained hands in front of his face in atheatrical display of innocence. “I did not.”
I cross my legs and adjust the hem of my robe. “As if you couldn’t weave a spell without me noticing.”
“I could, but if I did, I’d forfeit the game. And I never lose.”
“Neither do I.”
His lips curve into a slow, self-assured smile that sends an unwelcome flutter through my stomach. Damn it, Gaetano is handsome. It’s infuriating to find one’s adversary attractive. I know, because I’m usually the one exploiting my appearance to gain the upper hand. Not that I would ever allow the Black Joker—or any man, for that matter—to affect me in such a way.
“Well, then…shall we proceed?” He reaches out and draws another card. I hope he pulls the Black Joker. But no such luck. The image is a face split in two: one side feminine and vibrant; the other, a skull. It reads:La Menzogna e la Verità.
“The Lie and the Truth,” he says, glancing at me over the top of the card. “I must now tell you one lie and one truth about myself. If you guess correctly which is which, you earn the right to ask me a question. But if you’re wrong… I get to ask mine.”
He places the card on the table and taps it with his fingertips. A glint of amusement shines in his obsidian eyes. “Well then, Baroness, are you ready?”
I cross my arms over my chest and lean back into the chair’s curve. “Go ahead. Lie to me.”
“With pleasure.” He smiles. “First: I have never been in love.”
His expression doesn’t flinch.
He drums his fingers against the edge of the table. “Second: If I had a choice right now, I wouldn’t be theBlack Joker.”
The air between us hums with unseen electricity. My gaze roams over his features, searching for the tiniest crack in that unshakable composure. If it’s true that he’s never been in love…then there’s no humanity in him. But there is emotion—I feel it with every fiber of my being. It’s impossible to believe he’s never loved. He admitted he gathers souls for the sake of a woman who was once his lover.
His confession about being bound against his will to the castle makes me think that, under different circumstances, he might never have been the Black Joker at all. No sane creature would choose to spend their days tormenting mortals and harvesting souls.
I draw in a deep breath. “The lie is that you’ve never loved anyone.”
He stays silent for a moment. Then, slowly, his smile broadens, and his fingers form a steeple in front of his lips. “You’re wrong.”
My stomach tightens. “So…?”
“It’s my turn to ask.” His tone drops lower, becoming almost intimate. “Tell me, Nicole…why, out of an entire club full of men, did you choose to flirt with the one your friend had her eye on?”
His previous answer still churns in my mind, struggling to take root. He really is a master of words. I wrinkle my nose at his question. “What? Are you talking about Branimir?”
“He’s the guy your friend liked at your birthday party, right?”
