Page 60 of Wicked Queen

My blood froze and I found myself unable to move. Edward grabbed my hand and tried to pull me toward the gallery, but I was stuck in place.

“Oh my god, he beats you.” Sarah clapped a hand over her mouth, but instead of looking like she was horrified, it looked like she was trying not to laugh.

“Not like that, baby girl,” Jonathan sneered. “Alexander here likes to tie girls up and whip them. That’s why Daddy sent him to Afghanistan, isn’t it?”

“Is that true?” Sarah asked, looking at me like I was a complete stranger.

“It’s a dirty family secret. But, hey, maybe I’m wrong. I saw that pretty thing you used to mess around with is working your security. Maybe they’ve got an arrangement.”

Alexander’s fist cracked into Jonathan’s cheek a moment too late. I felt the crunch of bone like it was my hand making contact. The sound vibrated through me.

Jonathan reeled backwards, no match for Alexander’s strength.

But it didn’t matter, the damage was done.

Brex who’d kept to the side to allow Alexander to handle the situation, now stood open-mouthed. He was putting the information together. An uncomfortable silence descended, only to be broken by Sarah’s shrieks over Jonathan’s injury.

“Get her out of here,” I begged Edward. “Take her somewhere. Anywhere.”

“The Tower of London?” David suggested.

Normally, I would laugh at this but I was acutely aware of what Jonathan had done, even if he wasn’t. I didn’t care what people thought about Alexander and I’s private life. That was our business.

Sarah didn’t resist Edward when he pulled her toward the door. The moment he stepped through it after her, a new figure emerged. Georgia assessed the scene before her, not really knowing the true damage that had been done.

“What is this, Brex?” she demanded, strolling over to him, her eyes on Jonathan.

Brex’s dark eyes looked from Georgia to Alexander. He didn’t speak. Instead, he reached inside his jacket and unholstered his gun. Without a word, he dropped it on the ground in front of my husband and started to leave.

“Brex?” Georgia called after him, her voice quivering. He paused for a second then continued out the door.

Georgia might not do love, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel it. Her eyes sought mine, full of questions. I wanted to hug her, but I was pretty sure she’d like that even less than being called my friend.

“I’ll explain later,” I offered instead.

She squared her shoulders and addressed Alexander. “We’ve gotten nearly everyone off the grounds. We catalogued each person as you requested. Norris is wrapping things up.”

“Catalogued?” I repeated.

“My sister issued a blanket invitation to half of London. I want to know who was here.” Alexander rubbed his bloody knuckles. “Now get this one out.”

“Alexander—” Jonathan said, but Georgia grabbed his collar and hauled him inside.

We stood alone in the courtyard. I couldn’t think of anything to say. He’d faced an old friend who’d brought demons to our door. Another friend had just walked out. What could I ever say?

“I told him what Georgia was into,” Alexander confessed. “I warned him, but he fell for her anyway.”

“But you never told him how you knew?” I already knew the answer to that question. I wasn’t even certain why I asked.

“He knows now. He knows what I am.” Alexander hung his head. “Christ, it never occurred to me that people might think Georgia and me…”

“I don’t.” That’s what mattered. “I know you. The real you.”

“You’ve become close with Georgia,” he noted, lifting his head to regard me. “Ask her to show you her scars. You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

“You’re not going to scare me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. You say you love the monster—that you aren’t afraid. You should be.”