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His easy smile dropped. “Not so great, if I’m honest.”
“That’s to be expected. You lost your mom.”
He dragged in a shaky breath. “I miss her, a lot.”
I squeezed his hand. There was no missing the truth to his words, his aura spoke volumes. There was pain but also anger. All completely understandable. But with these families—the ones with power, money—it wasn’t the norm to share how you felt or show it. It was seen as a weakness. “I’m so sorry, Clay.”
He dipped his chin and visibly pulled himself together. “So I assume you invited me here because you have some idea who hurt her?”
“I’m sorry, no. I have no idea who hurt your mom or Magnolia. But I promise, I won’t stop until I do.” Though right now, I wasn’t sure how I would do that. They were using dark magic to cover their tracks—and breaking every one of our covenants in doing so.
Clayton’s brows lowered. “Oh, I just assumed…” He cleared his throat. “Well, I appreciate you taking the time to check on me.”
I chewed my lip and sat straighter in my chair. “There’s another reason I asked you to meet with me, actually.”
His head tilted to the side, his blue eyes meeting mine. “Oh?”
You’re doing this for Rose. Just say it. “The offer you made, is it still on the table?”
His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. “Of marriage?”
Everything in me recoiled at the idea, but then I thought of the way Rose had looked this morning, and I pushed on. “Yes.”
Color hit his cheeks and his eyes widened. “Truly? I just assumed…I saw the pictures on Nightscape. I thought you and the hound…”
“This has nothing to do with Warrick.” I couldn’t talk about him, not with Clayton, not at all. If I did, I’d run out of here and never come back.
“Okay.”
“Rose is…she’s really sick. We need help, Clay. That was the deal, yes? You said you’d get your researchers to help her?”
He nodded. “Absolutely.” He reached out, covering my hand with his. “I will put everything I have, every resource, money, research into finding a cure for her.” He gave my fingers a squeeze. “But I don’t just want a marriage of convenience, Willow. I want a real one. I want us to make a real go of things.”
“I can’t give you that, not yet. Maybe not ever. I’m sorry, but if we’re doing this, I want us to be honest with each other.” We were both getting something out of this—he, power and access to our cemetery, me, money and resources. As far as I was concerned, that was enough.
“I believe love can grow, if we both give it our all,” he said. “My parents’ marriage was arranged and they grew to love each other. It can be the same for us, if you’re willing to try.”
“I’m not sure I believe in love,” I said, even as something deep inside called me a liar.
“That’s because you’ve never been in love, Wills. I hope to change your mind about that.” A smile spread across his face.
“I’m not playing coy, Clayton. I’m not here to lead you on. This is a business transaction first and foremost.”
He took my hand again. “Will you at least promise not to close that door?”
It wouldn’t change a thing. I knew it down to my bones. There was only one male I wanted, would ever want. “Fine,” I said. It was a lie, and I didn’t feel good about it, but if that’s what he needed to hear to do this, so be it. “So you’re saying yes? You’ll help me, you’ll help my sister?”
He smiled. “Yes. It’s a yes to both.”
“Even if this thing between us is never what you want?” I couldn’t help pushing. I didn’t want this to be an issue later on. “Even if we just end up remaining friends and nothing more?”
“Yes,” he said. “But you will remain open to more?”
“I said I would.”
“That means we live in the same house; we work at getting to know each other again. That we attend functions as a married couple. To anyone looking, that’s what we are. And I get full access to your cemetery. This marriage is supposed to be mutually beneficial, after all.”
I nodded, my stomach in knots. “Of course. How soon?”
