Page 29 of Unmasked

“You made a big mistake, Penelope.”

“Not as big as you.”

I didn’t wait. I ran right for her, but she was already turning and sprinting to the back wall.

The speed at which she ran was impressive. She used the small retaining wall as a step, springing to catch the top of the cement divider that secluded our garden. Before I could get close, she was up and disappearing over. I scanned the area about to step onto the divider, but air blew by me. Able passed at lightning speed, jumping up to the wall and looking over. His head turned back and forth, and he cursed as he held his place at the top of the wall.

“Hey!” He turned and pointed to an upper window where I knew one of the men were. “Son of a bitch. Where the hell did she go?” He climbed down, making his way back to me. “Inside.”

Able led me in, locking the door and yelling as he pushed me towards the stairs.

“Track her! I want to know where the fuck she’s staying. It’s not the townhome she was linked to before. Find her!”

“She’s a sneaky little devil, isn’t she?”

At Theodore’s question, I nodded.

“The worst.” I gestured to the sitting room, following him in there. He took a seat on an emerald-colored velvet settee, and I took the matching chair. “Tell me about the meeting with the king. What happened?”

“I do believe he doesn’t like me.”

I smiled. “Impossible.” I paused. “How bad was it?”

Theodore twisted his mouth becoming deadly serious. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen that expression on him before.

“Well, we were right that it was because of you. For a while, he just wanted information. What were your qualities. How was your temperament. Then, food. Hobbies. I shut him down. I told him I didn’t see how any of that had to do with him.”

“You didn’t.”

Theodore smiled, not full of mischievousness but with anger. Real anger. It was terrifying… Like looking at a stranger.

“He treated me like I was no one. Like what you and I shared meant nothing. Not that we do share anything,” he said, quickly. “But he doesn’t know that. It pissed me off.”

“So, what happened after you told him it was not his concern?”

Theodore’s face hardened. “He said I could be with anyone. I could find someone more… suited to my tastes.”

My eyes widened as he continued.

“The nerve. He then offered me a goldmine.”

“That much money?”

“No, the deed to an actual goldmine.”

“Oh.” My brow creased.

“I told him no thanks. So, then came the estates. I yawned.”

I smiled as Theodore rolled his eyes.

“At that point, I was just pissed. I told him I was late for an appointment and had to go. That’s when he said it.”

My mouth opened through the significance and Theodore shrugged.

“That’s when he said, you’re not even going to ask for your title back?”

“… Did you? What did you say?”