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O’Brien sucked in an angry breath. “What do you suggest we do?”
“I thought we might go wake up Ness as well,” Drake said with a hint of a smile. “Perhaps he’s up for a few houseguests, and I don’t think anyone would think to look for us there. We’ll be safer in a pack until we sort this all out.”
Chapter Nine
Heather followed Allisonnumbly through the house toward the servants’ quarters, still in a state of shock that she and Drake had somehow managed to escape. Allison was uncharacteristically quiet, but she doubted that would last long.
Sure enough, the moment they were safely ensconced in Heather’s lovely little suite of rooms, Allison whirled on her. “You were kidnapped with Drake Blackstone? You spent days alone with him?”
Heather winced at her friend’s shrill voice and dropped heavily onto her comfortable bed, wishing mightily that she could just crawl into it and sleep for days. What little rest she’d gotten the last few days had been far from relaxing, and everything that had happened had mentally exhausted her. She didn’t think she was ready for Allison’s interrogation.
“It’s not like I got to choose my cellmate,” she replied tiredly.Although if I had, I definitely would have chosen Drake.
Allison seemed to suddenly realize the gravity of the situation and thankfully let the subject of Drake go. “Are you all right? I was so worried about you. At first, I was afraid The Viper had gotten you!” She shuddered and placed her hand on the slight swell of her stomach, then visibly tried to calm herself. “What do you need right now?”
Blinking up at the ceiling, Heather sighed. “I don’t really know. Sleep probably. Mostly sleep.”
Allison sighed, plainly sad to be denied the details of Heather’s adventure. “Of course,” she said, smiling ruefully. “You can tell me all about it tomorrow.”
“I will,” Heather promised as Allison left the room, although for once, she knew she wouldn’t. She’d kept her relationship with Jacob a secret from everyone, and now she certainly couldn’t talk about him, about the danger he posed to her and others, or about the terrible things she’d done with the misguided impression that she was doing some good in the world. She swallowed convulsively as she remembered Drake telling her that some of the people injured in the explosion had later died.
So much had happened since she’d heard that she hadn’t truly had time to process it. How could she ever live with herself, knowing that she’d played a part in those deaths, no matter how small?
With a heavy sigh, she got off her bed and strode to the window, hiding behind the curtain as she peered down at the street far below. Were Jacob and his men down there even now? How could she simply go to sleep, knowing the danger he still posed to her and everyone she held dear?
She bit her lip, wondering if she should steal away tonight to keep Allison and Quinn safe.
But where would she go? Her lack of friends and family had never been more clear to her. Allison and Quinn were really all she had, and she wasn’t even their equal. She was simply a too-familiar servant. She hadn’t minded that much before, but ever since she’d told Drake the secret of her paternity, regret and anger had been churning somewhere deep inside her. Why hadn’t she and Allison ever talked about the fact that they could be sisters? Did Allison even know? Was that why she’d been so good to her? Had she been trying to make up for their father’s cruelty? Somehow, that seemed even worse.
Tears stung her already swollen eyes, and she rapidly tried to blink them away. She couldn’t believe that she’d broken down in Drake’s arms so completely, nor how tender and comforting he’d been. He’d done everything right throughout their time together. She couldn’t have asked for a better protector.
What she really wanted was to fall asleep in his arms and drift off with the knowledge that he’d keep her safe no matter what happened while she slept.
She shook the thought away, knowing that they’d probably never cross paths again. He’d seen her safely home and that was likely the end of it. He didn’t belong in her world, and she certainly didn’t belong in his. He had said he’d take care of things, that he’d make certain she was safe, and she believed he would. But he’d never hold her again, not now that they were back in the real world where he was the son of a marquess and she was... nobody.
Before her tired thoughts could go any further, someone tapped at her door.
