Page 68 of Lady of Darkness
“Charles knew your father before we were introduced to him. They’d made the deal… just before our fathers died.”
Cecelia nods slowly. “Did their death have anything to do with Charles or my father?”
I shrug.Yes. Completely.I can’t tell her that, though. “It doesn’t matter. The point is, Charles tricked us just as much as he tricked you. I’m sorry you found out this way.”
She puckers her cheeks and shrugs. “It’s all water under the bridge without Charles.”
“He loved you,” I add, remembering how young he seemed when he’d been courting her. “Truly. Unequivocally.”
Cecelia’s eyes begin to water, and she wipes underneath her lashes as she sniffs. “I know. What we had was real. Despite my piggish father.” She turns her gaze to Harlow. “And what about you? How do you fit into all of this?”
Harlow stiffens. I nod, giving her a small smile.
“Um… I’m taking over for him. There are… we do… it’s complicated. But the job requires a blood relative to do it.”
Cecelia stares at her. “A blood relative?”
Harlow nods. “Like I said, it’s complicated. If you truly want to know everything–”
“I don’t,” Cecelia says quickly.
Harlow chews on the inside of her cheek. “Archie would’ve been the next heir if I hadn’t stepped up.”
Cecelia’s face pales. She turns and glares at me. “You will never touch him.”
I nod. “I know that. Harlow is a perfectly capable heir. She took his place after only knowing him for a couple of days.”
Harlow shrugs. “He’s my brother.” She looks at Cecelia and smiles. “We’re family now, right?”
Cecelia starts to cry again. Harlow goes and sits down next to her, rubbing her back and consoling her. They hug, and Harlow seems… peaceful. Maybe this whole ordeal is a good thing. Maybe Harlow needs Cecelia, just like Cecelia needs Harlow.
I hear Theo hiss as he glares at his phone.
“Fuck, what now?” I ask, glancing down at the screen.
“It’s Harlow’s friend, Gemma,” he murmurs, so that only I can hear. “She just bought a one-way ticket to London.”
I sigh, closing my eyes and running a hand through my hair. “When does she arrive?”
“Tonight,” he says.
We both look over at Harlow, who is holding Cecelia’s hand while laughing.
“When should we tell her?” I ask.
“Soon. One thing at a time.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY
Harlow
Theo pullsme off to the side after I’m done talking to Cecelia. I can tell by his expression that more shit has hit the fan.
“What is it?” I ask, my voice tinged with worry.
What else could go wrong?!
“Gemma is on her way to London,” he tells me, his voice low. “The security personnel I had watching over her flat told me she left in a hurry.”
