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“Possibly.” He tilts his head in thought. “Most probably. His brother was an asshole.”
My eyes widen. “So is mine, but I wouldn’t murder Cain for being an asshole.”
“No, I must admit it must take a kind of person,” Isiah says, as the town car comes to a stop.
“The kind of person I don’t want near my sister.”
“He might be good for her.”
I clench my jaw as I don’t know how a man guilty of fratricide could be any good for my mentally fragile sister. “We’ll have to agree to disagree on that matter.”
The driver opens the door and I slip out, closely followed by Isiah.
“And yet, you are with a man who intended to murder your whole family,” he mutters into my ear.
“Intent is a little different that actually carrying out the act.”
He kisses my neck softly. “Very true, love. Come on, let’s put on an act.”
Isiah leads me into my former home, and it’s never felt less like home before. The cold stone and gilt entryway gives off an air of unwelcoming grandeur, as if the house is telling us it doesn’t want us there. Beneath my feet, the marble floor feels icy cold through the soles of my shoes, adding to the sense of foreboding, and yet I’d never noticed any of this when I lived here.
“Has this place always been so...” I trail off.
“Hostile?” Isiah finishes for me.
I nod in response.
“Yes, it was the first thing I noticed when I stepped foot in here the night after the party.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I can hardly believe I lived here most of my life. It feels so foreign to me now, which makes no sense. It’s only been a few weeks since the wedding.”
Isiah kisses the back of my neck. “Don’t worry, you’ll never have to live somewhere like this ever again.”
I smile at him, and that’s when the maid comes to greet us. “Everyone is gathered already in the dining room. If you’d like to follow me.”
I swallow hard and Isiah gives me a gentle nudge, forcing me to follow her. My stomach flutters with butterflies as I dread the idea of seeing my dad. The maid, as usual, announces us as guests, and it feels utterly odd being on the other end of the announcement.
“Mr. and Mrs. Darcy,” she announces.
Dad gets to his feet almost instantly, walking around to welcome Isiah. If only he knew the truth, he wouldn’t be so quick to welcome a viper into his home. And yet, the true villain here is my dad.
“It’s so good to see you, Isiah.” He glances at me. “Bella.”
I glare back at him, about to say something when Isiah cuts in.
“It’s good to see you, too. We apologize for not coming by sooner, but you know how it is when you are newlywed.”
Dad’s eyes flash and he smirks. “Indeed.”
I should have known his depravity ran far deeper than I ever believed when he belittled me for being taken against my will. The man is a disgrace.
“Well, please take a seat and join us. Cathal is here tonight as well.”
Isiah and Cathal shake hands, but then I notice James Wick is here. “Good to see you,” Isiah says.
Cathal nods. “And you.”
“Come, have a seat,” Dad says, placing his hand on Isiah’s shoulder.
