Page 45 of Promise of Punishment

She laughs again and swallows me in a hug, rocking us side to side. “There is no one else like you, Fable. No one in the world.”

I wiggle to get out of her embrace. “How can I fix this? I leave tomorrow and might not see him again. What if he decides to let me go after all? I really want to come back. You’re right. I’m only around old people, and after being here, it’s so clear I’m missing out on so much.”

She tilts her head with thought. “If Camila is with him, you’ll just have to hope for the best.”

I grimace.

“If she’s not, I could try to set up a run-in if he comes down from his room. I can have Gavin watch for him and text me or you. He’s working security tonight and owes me a favor. You could race downstairs and accidentally on purpose run into him.”

“Just so I could what? Apologize?”

“You could do it while taking off your clothes,” she says with a straight face.

I throw my towel at her.

She blocks it with her hand and laughs. “You asked.”

19

WANT TO SEE SOMETHING RUINED?

Fable

The Lord never came out of his room, according to Gavin. So I never got to apologize. I fell asleep dreaming about the Lord tying me to a bed and making sweet love to me. My skin was hot when I woke up, and my panties were soaked. I doubt he’d do anything sweet to me in bed, like in my dream, and that excites me even more.

The reality is, my time with him is over. I heard he’s leaving for London this morning. Camila is having his car brought around at 10:00 A.M. I check the time on my phone. That would be now.

My gaze strays to the mansion from where I hide in the line of trees bordering the nice lawn. I couldn’t leave knowing I might not come back without returning to the ruined part of the mansion for content. That would be a missed opportunity. Being extra careful, I took the long way here, entering the woods by the pool house so no one would see me journey to the west wing.

Humidity sits heavy in the air, promising rain. Hopefully not until I get back. I didn’t notice any dark clouds in the overcast sky. Thick grass rustles under my sneakers as I hurry now that I’m close. I stop a short distance from the hole in the building and watch for anyone. My black hoodie covers my hair, and the white mask conceals my face. The fog is thicker in the woods than near the house. I stop to record it and pan to the crumbled opening of the mansion, zooming in on the ivy clinging to the exterior wall. Beautiful.

“Beautiful.” The echo of my thoughts comes from behind me in a deep voice.

I flinch and turn, praying it’s Gavin.

A tall figure cloaked in black—tailored pants, fitted dress shirt, fedora cap, and plain mask—stands near the trunk of a huge magnolia tree with white blossoms.

Staff don’t wear designer clothes like that. Is it a Lord? If so, which one?

Act cool. I didn’t do anything wrong. I recorded the building, but I didn’t go inside. “Hi.” I wave like an idiot. “Morning stroll?” His clothes say no.

He doesn’t reply. From his height and build, he must be one of the triplets—as Noah sometimes calls the Lords who look alike. An idea forms.

“Can I ask you for a favor? It’s nothing big. It’s just a message for one of your friends. Another Lord.” Unless this is my Lord.

He nods, standing there all big and imposing like he’s a villain from a thriller.

“There’s a Lord with a Scottish accent. He wore a serpent mask last night and a wolf mask the night before. I don’t know if that helps.” I let out a breath, feeling like an even bigger idiot. “My name is Fable. I want to get a message to him and let him know that…” How to say this? “I interpreted something wrong, and I… I’m sorry. I want him to know I’m sorry for how I acted. If you could tell him that, I would appreciate it.”

He walks toward me with slow, deliberate steps that have me sweating. When he stops before me, I hold my ground. “Were you about to sneak into the west wing again?” he asks in a British accent.

It’s that Lord. Dammit. “No. I was out for a walk.”

“Like you were yesterday?”

I raise my chin. “I was keeping my distance.”

“You were hiding.”