‘Nothing.’Not a lie,nothing did happen.
‘Why did you throw up?’
‘I haven’t eaten enough.’Not a lie,he knows he hasn’t.
‘Bodyguard.’
You are mine, Lachlan.
His balance pitches to the side, knees gone unexpectedly weak which is insane, ridiculous, what the fuck is even happening?Lachlan catches himself on the door when Jules starts forward, alarmed.
‘Are you hurt?’
‘No.’Not a lie,he’s not hurt, he’s not,he’s not,he’s notbecause nothing can hurt him, and no one can touch him, and he became who he needed, he became the man who might have kept him safe had he been brave enough to ask.
‘Tell me the truth.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Yeah, except I know whatfinemeans,’ Jules hisses, feeling Lachlan’s forehead with the back of his hand.‘You’re burning up.’
‘I just need some water.’
Jules is searching Lachlan’s face for the truth.The boy is rendered in softer,sweetershades of his father from only minutes before.Lachlan can’t stand to see resemblance between them in any degree right now.
‘He did something?’
‘No.’Not a lie,he didn’t do anything.‘I’m just tired.’
‘I’ve been telling you to sleep.’
‘There’s no one else to take over.’
‘Lachlan, it’s safe here, OK?It’s completely safe,’ Jules tells him, a little impatient.‘They’re all incredibly private people.They wouldn’t let a fucking pleasure yacht sail on by with a telescope, so a full-on attack isn’t—’
The door opens.
‘Oh my, I’msosorry.I didn’t realise this room was occupied,’ Madeline Delacroix simpers with poorly concealed glee as she stands in the doorway for several excruciating seconds.‘Carry on.My mistake.’
Lachlan watches her go, breathing slow.
‘Don’t worry about her,’ Jules says.‘My father hates the twins anyway.’
Lachlan nods, physically pulls himself together and that means pulling away from Jules.‘I’m fine.Just need to change my clothes.’
‘Why?Please tell me.I can help if you let me.I can—’
‘Get out of myface, Julian!’Lachlan snaps.
Jules steps away, shuttered.‘Fine.’
?
The party is held inside the mansion, but it freely spills outside too.
Balloon arches rise between pillars of white marble, glittering streamers catching the lights while crystal trays drift endlessly through the crowd loaded with champagne, edible gold and diamonds worked subtly into jewellery, glassware and even the table displays themselves.
Savannah Alderwyck wears a white silk dress and a ruby necklace around her throat.Guests orbit her constantly, offering gifts, embraces and words of affection as the night stretches on.
