Page 69 of Lady of Darkness
“Fuck,” I mutter, shaking my head. “She’s probably distraught about Luka. They werein love.” My nose wrinkles at the thought.
Theo’s lips curve upward. “What’s wrong with being in love?” he asks, smirking.
“It’s just… so soon. She only met him a few weeks ago!” That has his smile broadening. “What?”
“You don’t think it’s possible to fall in love that quickly?” His icy blue eyes are twinkling with mirth, and my heart thrums against my ribs as he places a hand over my head, essentially pinning me against the wall behind me.
I shake my head. “No. I mean, I’m not a total grinch, but I know from experience that it takes more than love to sustain a relationship.”
My voice catches, and I swallow as Theo furrows his brows. “You mean because of your parents?”
I nod hesitantly. “Yeah. Gemma’s parents are always traveling together, but they never speak to each other. I think they’re only together for her. And for me, since they sort of took me in after my mom died.”
Theo continues to look at me, and I have to turn my gaze to his shirt. It feels like he can see right through me.
“And my mom… she pined for my dad for most of my life. I saw how devastated she was when he met Cecelia. And he did love my mom. I know he did. I could tell. But she wasn’t enough for him.”
Theo narrows his eyes as he runs a finger down my jaw. “Are you worried we’ll abandon you, little monster?”
I scrunch my nose up. “No. I just… no. This is about Gemma. Not me.”
He smiles and drops his hand. “I think it’s beautiful seeing two people in love.”
My stomach dips at his words, sending a cascade of butterflies through my core. These men are so contradictory to what I thought they would be. They’re not afraid to feel, not afraid to tell me how they feel, or what they’re thinking. Most men are mercurial, mysterious… but not them. They know how dark and deadly they can be, but they don’t mask their true emotions. I’ve never had to play games with them. And I knew I would never need to guess where they stood with me.
“Luka was a murderer,” I add, changing the subject. “What should I tell her when she gets here?”
“It’s up to you. Like we told you before, whatever you decide to share with people is up to you. To the general public, we are Lords and Ladies, but our close friends and family have every right to know. It’s not like our presence is a secret to our enemies.”
I twist my lips to the side. “Okay. I’ll figure it out. When does her plane land?”
* * *
I spendthe day at the gym with the guys, and then I help Cecelia with Archie’s dinner and bath. In between chasing a giggling toddler and eating his leftover fish sticks, I try to imagine this life in six months, a year, five years. Maybe Cecelia will still be here, or maybe I’ll be living in this house alone, just like my father, and his father, and his father…
Truthfully, it doesn’t scare me anymore. I can still take art classes here. I’ll insist on retaining that part of myself. And if the accountant was correct, I also inherited a shit ton of money when my father died, which means I can fly Gemma out any time I want to.
I was so afraid of giving in to this life, but it pulled me in completely, and now, it feels like home.Thisfeels like my life.
And I’m okay with that.
Around ten, I see headlights appear outside. Cecelia and Archie are already in bed, so I told them they could meet Gemma tomorrow. Theo promised me he’d send a driver to pick Gemma up. I can’t wait to hear all about howthatwent down, since I’m sure she probably thought she was being kidnapped. When I swing the front door open, I don’t expect the tear-stained cheeks or red lips. Gemma wobbles inside, and then she drops her bags and wraps her arms around me as she sobs.
When she’s done crying, she pulls away and looks at me with bloodshot eyes. “I think Luka ghosted me.”
I don’t have the heart to tell her the truth. A part of me wants to come clean about everything, but the other part wants to protect her–wants to keep her and New York separate from this life. If another one of our enemies finds her…
It’s safer to keep her separate.
I whisk her inside and make her a cup of tea. When we sit down in the living room, she looks around for the first time.
“Holy shit. You weren’t joking that your dad was some kind of…” she trails off.
“He was a Duke. And apparently, since my parents were married in secret, I am now Lady Blackwell.”
Her large, brown eyes widen as she sniffs. “For real? Like, all of this is yours?” I nod. “Jesus. It’s like the goddamn Princess Diaries.”
“Not quite,” I mutter.
