I would be lying if I claimed Damien wasn’t beautiful. His otherworldly beauty was borderline dangerous. I knew it the first moment I laid eyes on him. And after this moment, as my heart pounded to the beat of a thousand drums, I knew things would never be the same. I’d just gotten myself into something I couldn’t talk my way out of. My eyes widened as I stared upinto his obsidian gaze that was full of wonder and loathing. I wondered if that loathing was aimed at me or at himself. Or possibly the circumstances. Either way it was there, and it was strong.
He leaned back a fraction. “I promise to not show anyone,” I said carefully, my mouth brushing against his. I refused to make him any other promises, though. I couldn’t. All I wanted to do was get back home. Falling for Damien wasn’t part of my plan. It never was.
“Good girl,” he murmured, caressing my cheek and brushing my hair back.
Those two words did something to me that I don’t think I could ever explain. I was frozen in place, swallowing tightly as my mouth dried up and my heart started to beat wildly.
That was when I knew Damien and I could never bejust friends. We weren’t enemies, but we certainly weren’t friends.
Far from it.
20
CAT
The next morning, Maeve and I arrived at the beach house to find Garrick in the living room surrounded by dozens of chests bursting with gold coins.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
Garrick smirked. “I found your coin, my lady.”
“I can see that.” Striding to the nearest chest, I dug my hand inside and cupped a fistful of gold leaves. “This… is a lot.”
“By the immortals, Arya…” Maeve stepped around me to get a better look, her eyes like saucers. “No wonder she spent coin the way she did!”
“Of course,” I snorted. “She was loaded.” I turned my attention back to Garrick, who calmly sat on a closed chest. “Where did you find it?”
He waved his arm in the air. “The floorboards, the attic, inside the walls, you name it. It was hidden all over the place,” he grunted. “It’s too much coin to keep in one place.”
“Can you protect it?” It made me nervous to have all this money sitting out in the open instead of locked up in a bank vault somewhere.
Garrick nodded. “Of course, my lady.”
“My lady!” Maeve gasped. “Don’t you want to give it to Lord Zacharia?”
I frowned. “Why?”
“Because he’s…” She looked over at Garrick and back at me, spearing me with a knowing look, unwilling to announce the Ryders’ dire straits.
I knew what she wanted to say. Because he was going bankrupt, I should use this money to help him.
I shook my head. “No, Maeve. While this may look like a lot of money, it’s not enough to help him. Lord Zacharia needs more than this,” I said softly so only she could hear.
She furrowed her brows, unable to understand my reasoning, and I felt a flicker of worry. She seemed like the type who would go and tell Zacharia about this money, thinking she was doing the right thing. I had to stop her before she did anything stupid. As long as I was in Elaria, this would be enough to sustain me and hopefully keep most of Arya’s money intact. It was her money, whether dirty or not. We shouldn’t give it away without her permission.
“Hey, Maeve?” She ripped her gaze away from the chests and looked over at me. “Can you go upstairs and look for a thicker cloak? I’m a bit chilly.” I rubbed my arms for added effect.
She nibbled her bottom lip and nodded. “Of course, my lady.”
Once I heard her step onto the floor upstairs, I rushed over to Garrick. “I need another favor.”
He raised one brow and smirked. “You want me to erase her memory, don’t you?”
My eyes widened. “How—?”
“I might be blind in one eye, but I’m not deaf, my lady. I heard your conversation clearly, and your facial expressions give you away. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of Maeve,” he said calmly.
“Do you know?” I murmured carefully, not wanting to give away the truth.
