AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Fury radiates off of me the entire way back to our rooms. As twisted as Madame is, as much as she has hurt herchildren, I can’t stop thinking about another member of this stars-forsaken family. The brother.
I mentally tally all the matters of security I need to go over with Lawrence while words like “eliminate” and “sadistic rapist” echo in my head.
Whoever Damian is, I have no plans of letting him anywhere near my family.
When we’re safely ensconced in our chambers, I turn to ask the question that’s been on my mind.
“Is he the one who hurt you the night you were arrested?”
She nods, and I feel the blood drain from my face. Her brow furrows in confusion, then she holds up a hand.
“Not likethat. He overheard me admit to who I was, heard you refuse to marry me, so he tried to take me back to Madame. Normally, I could have fought him off, but…” she gestures to her feet, alluding to the macabre shoes.
“If he had dragged me back to her when I had rebelled against her and botched her mission, it would have been worse than whatever I faced in the dungeons.” Onyx eyes flick to my face before she seems to decide on something. “And if she thought we had a history that was getting in the way of what she wanted, she would have come for you.”
I freeze when I realize what she’s just admitted to. She faced death in those dungeons not only to avoid her own torture, but to avoid mine.
I meet her eyes, a suspicion forming in my mind. “Why are you telling me this now?”
Her gaze slides to the balcony before she looks back at me, and I answer my own question before she has the chance to open her mouth. The only reason she would bother to divulge this information is if she’s leaving again.
If she isn’t sure she’ll be back.
“You can’t seriously be returning to her now.” My tone is flat, which I suppose is better than revealing the panic threatening to beat its way out of my chest.
“You asked me to protect your family.” She levels a look at me. “How exactly did you think I would manage that if I disobeyed her orders?”
“So I’m just supposed to sit here while you waltz back to be tortured once a week?” I let her hear every ounce of disbelief in that question.
A small squeak of a yawn sounds from her purse and she reaches down to free the monkey inside. He clings to her neck, laying his face against her skin like he’s just as determined to keep her here as I am.
“She isn’t going to torture me tonight. It wouldn’t be good for the baby.” Aika has the nerve to smirk, and a traitorous part of me wants to mirror the expression.
“You aren’t funny,” I tell her instead.
“No one likes a liar, Remy.” Irony coats her tone, and this time, I can’t help but give her a small tilt of my lips.
Until I remember what we’re talking about.
“Speaking of liars…” I tilt my head at her. “You said you’d be safe last time you went, then you came back barely able to stand. Why is tonight any different?”
“She got what she needed out of me.” She turns to gesture to her laces, and I step forward automatically to undo them. We could wait for the maids, but I suspect she doesn’t want to deal with people tonight any more than I do.
“Which was?” I am not enough of a gentleman to avert my eyes from the smooth skin revealed with each strip of satin I tug.
“An explanation,” she murmurs over her unoccupied shoulder, her tone too carefully controlled.
“She knows you’re the vigilante and she let you come back here?” Was Zaina’s fire for nothing? Does it matter?
A snort escapes Aika’s lips, though. “No. I lied about that, obviously.”
“Under torture?” Even if I despise everything that’s led her to where she is right now, I can’t pretend I’m not a little impressed.
“Bent the truth would be more accurate.” She steps away once I finish with her laces, disappearing into the bedroom. Her voice floats through the open door, and I force myself to focus on that rather than the sound of fabric hitting the floor. “I convinced her of my loyalty, and made her doubt Damian’s.”
His name is enough to sour any thoughts I had about my pseudo-wife and her relative state of undress. “Who is now out, and free toeliminateyou.”
She emerges outfitted in a simple black dress and matching cloak with a bright spot of orange fluff on her shoulder, clinging to her hood. “Damian isn’t a real threat to me when I’m not wearing rapidly splintering shoes,” she assures me, and I can’t tell if it’s a lie.
