Page 46 of The Trick of It

He knew that would only irk her.

“Yes,” he said. “Why would I drop you off on King’s Road, round back to the Lanes, then return to King’s Road to tell you the outcome? This makes more sense.”

“I suppose it does if you assume your outcome has anything to do with me and my decisions,” she replied with a sniff.

And then he couldn’t help smiling just a little and making those odd duochrome eyes narrow at him.

It was her own fault.

“About Sarah,” he said—because he was an idiot.

She coiled tighter, her shoulders hunching up against her ears. “Rhys …”

“If you had told me your cousins were verboten territory, I would have respected it,” he continued, holding her eye. “One word from you, and I’d never have spoken to that girl again.”

She pressed her lips together, averting her eyes. “That isn’t the point. It wasn’t the point.”

“She doesn’t really look like you, once you’ve spoken to her,” he pressed, his heart twisting in coils around all the wet and sloppy tubing that made up his insides. He shifted, hating the sensation. “I’d have kept you any day of the week.”

“Yes, I know,” she answered, her voice half a whisper, eyes still on the scuffed toes of his boots. “That isn’t … It wasn’t … I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Then why did you bring it up?!” he asked, exasperated. “I am sorry. I did not know I was … I didn’t think you would … Seph!”

At that, she did look at him, her eyes snapping up to meet his. “Rhys!” she replied in a mimic of his own tone. “It’s fine. I don’t care anymore.”

“Well, I do!” he snapped, slapping his hands onto his knees. “You broke my damned heart that day. You humiliated me. And if that weren’t bad enough, leaving me standing like a fool on that stage for all the world to laugh at, once I found you again, you wouldn’t speak to me at all. For years. Do you have any idea what that does to a person? To be betrayed like that?”

Her jaw clenched, the delicate muscles beneath her ears twitching. “I have some idea,” she said tightly.

“Oh, just the same, was it?” he replied, incredulously. “I kissed some easy chit because I was young and randy and couldn’t have what I … What … It’s not the same at all, Seph.”

“Fine,” she said, scooting further down into the cushions and turning her back to him, her voice muffled as it bounced off the velvet upholstery. “I was wicked and cruel and evil. That’s fine. It’s been fine. I didn’t ask you to change it.”

He stared at her back, his hands flexing over his kneecaps.

She didn’t move a single muscle. She didn’t flutter or shiver or let her breath quiver with tears. She was stone. Coal and silver stone.

“Fine.” He flung himself back, his head opposite hers, arms crossed over his chest.

“Fine,” she agreed.

And then they both pretended to sleep.

Part V

Sleight of Hand

Chapter Fifteen

By sheer luck, they caught Julian Harcourt just as he was leaving for an appearance in court, striding out of his offices, silver-white hair glinting in the afternoon sun. As soon as his gaze fell upon Rhys and Seph crossing the plaza together, he visibly sagged, his arms going limp at his sides.

“Afternoon, Counselor!” Rhys called, waving at him as though the man didn’t look like he wanted to walk directly in the opposite direction.

“Mr. Caradoc,” he said, casting a weary, apologetic glance at Seph. “I have told you before, you cannot bring suit against Miss Boswell unless she is selling a trick you specifically patented.”

Rhys blinked rapidly, shaking his head and holding his hands up. “No!”

“You what?!” Seph exclaimed, uncertain if she was amused or offended.