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“No mercy, Polly.” The endearment her brothers use for her draws a lonesome heavy tear down one side of her face.
I want her to know who signed her death warrant as her blood chills in her veins. It takes a moment too long for her bloody sputters to wrack her body. I wait for that first drop of blood to run from her lips before I pull the blade from her and thrust it into her pelvis.
“No. No.” The guttural coughs spatter on me as I slit her open to the top of her sternum.
No. Fucking. Mercy.
The words scream in my ears, drumming relentlessly in my head while I watch her blood run black in the bleakness of the evening. And I drive the knife into her again and again before I cut her throat from ear to ear. My eyes on her eyes. Her blood on my hands. With another slash across her throat, I drop her quivering body on the ground, watching as her body drains of all life. Just as my father’s did.
I can hear him now, whispering in his grave. “Softly, softly, Henry. Softly, softly, catchee monkey,” he used to tell me when I was running out of patience with something. Just as I am now. I’m getting tired of waiting for Chapman to come out of his dark hole.
But I’ll only be done when his blood runs into the gutters of this city.
* * *
The music envelops me, haunting, alluring, and deeply touching. Countless times, I’ve watched Eve play for me, but this performance is breathtaking. Sitting taller in my seat, I release the tension from my errand and relish the warmth of pride unfurling in my chest as I watch Eve in her element.
“She’s very good,” Madeline whispers, leaning into me with a nudge of her shoulder.
“Exceptional.” A quiet giggle trills from her at my retort. “Don’t laugh at me.”
“I’m not,” she protests, peering up at me at the same time as I glance down at her. “Fine, I’m only laughing because it’s cute.”
“Cute?”
“The way you’re all googly-eyed for her. It’s sweet, and I like seeing you in love. It suits you.”
“Madeline—”
“Fine, I like seeing you happy. Is that better?” When I smile at her with a soft nod, she settles back into her seat. “She really is incredible, your girl.”
A proud grin tugs at my lips as I focus back on Eve. The gold beaded dress she’s wearing glitters around her, creating a most perfect halo around my angel. I can’t tear my gaze from her the entire performance, right until she walks off the stage with the rest of the Royal Conservatory Orchestra.
I find myself still glued to my seat when the lights slowly come back on. Madeline’s remark keeps going around in my head.
Am I in love with Eve?
I suppose the affection I have for her is love. I care for her enough that I’ll sit with her as she drinks endless cups of tea. The one thing I hate, yet when I’m with her, it doesn’t matter. Not the smell or the taste of it on her lips. In fact, I love the way it tastes on her tongue and the way it tinges her breath with extra sweetness when I breathe it into my lungs.
So, yes, I suppose I do love her. So much so that I can’t bear to be distanced from her. When we’re apart, I find myself distracted by thoughts of her. When we’re together, I can’t keep my hands off her. The door to the box closes behind, but before I turn, a small hand rests on my shoulder.
The large ruby ring glistens in the diamond halo setting as I peer down at it.
“She’s a beautiful girl,” Mother states in a clipped tone. “I can see why you’re so taken with her.”
Here we go. I suck in a breath and bite my tongue, giving her a chance to say what she’s got to say before I correct her. This is one of those times where my father would stare off into space and pretend he wasn’t listening to her talk me around to doing what she wanted. I wish he was here now to give me one of his useless winks as I endure her diatribe.
“Her talent is impressive, and I’m sure we can recommend her to the music director of the Royal Philharmonic…” Rounding my side, she sits on the chair beside me as her hand slips down my arm to my hand. “Or even the—”
“I’m sure the music directors saw it for themselves tonight.” I grip my armrests tighter.
“Yes, but a recommendation always helps.”
“What do you want, Mother?” We both know she’s not here to talk about recommendations or about Eve’s talent.
No, the Princess is here to remind me of the list she has with all the eligible ladies she would consider marrying me off to. The one time she showed it to me, I shrugged it off. A part of me knew that one day, I’d have to look at it again and pick the best of the lot. However, back then, I didn’t think I’d care for a woman the way I care about Eve.
“I would like you to consult me before you put the family jewels on a…”
