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Fiore knew full well why Enzo hadn’t. The reminder stung nonetheless. A mere courtesan was obviously unworthy to grace the ancestral halls of Halcyon’s reigning prince. Enzo’s self-flagellation now would never change that, and frankly Fiore didn’t think he possessed the patience to listen to it.
Yet Enzo spoke on. “I shouldn’t have let my own distaste for these halls prevent me from offering you sanctuary within them.”
Fiore balked at the sudden turn. “Your what for what?”
Enzo grimaced. “I returned here after I was banished from university. I remained within its walls until… well, until shortly before I met you. The memories in between are by no means pleasant. I began to resent this house. I couldn’t imagine anyone feeling otherwise. Bringing the source of all my joys to visit the site of all my miseries… It repulsed me. I didn’t want to show you what I could only suppose you, too, would despise.”
Fiore stared at him.
“But,” Enzo added, a wan smile ghosting across his scarred lips. “Your presence here has greatly increased my tolerance for it.”
Fiore wanted to take the compliment in its intended spirit. “So… it’s not because I’m a courtesan that you didn’t invite me before?”
“What?” Enzo seemed genuinely astonished by the possibility. “No, of course not.”
“Then it’s doubly not your fault.” Fiore doubted any student of debate would follow his trail of logic. That mattered not to him now. He wanted only to dissuade Enzo from any sense of guilt.
All the while knowing how much worse it would be if Enzo knew the truth of all that had happened in the crypt.
“I’ve failed to protect you at every peril,” Enzo said, drawing Fiore out of his dire spiral.
“You’ve done more than enough,” Fiore protested, the words spilling from his heart rather than his head. “You rescued me from the catacombs—”
“It was my fault you were—”
“Few other gentlemen would bother to retrieve a captive courtesan, I assure you. Evenifthe courtesan’s captivity were their own fault.”
Enzo fell silent.
Fiore pressed his advantage. “And setting that aside—though I’m loathe to do so, for it’s no small thing—if it weren’t for you, I’d have died of infection in my quarters aboard theKingfishermonths ago.”
Enzo had no argument. A hard swallow travelled down his throat. His haunted gaze searched Fiore’s own.
“I owe you my life twice over,” Fiore insisted. The nearest thing to a smile since the night of the ball stole over his lips. “And I cannot imagine anyone I’d rather be indebted to.”
A pale echo of Fiore’s own wan smile graced Enzo’s handsome features.
Fiore had never been a word-smith. But there remained one language in which he felt not just fluent but eloquent. His gaze flicked to Enzo’s mouth and back again into the dark depths of his eyes. He tilted his head ever so slightly.
And, just as he’d hoped, Enzo bent down to meet his lips in a kiss.
Fiore had but to open his mouth to entice Enzo to devour him. Fingertips trailing along his jaw sufficed to drag Enzo down onto the sofa beside him. A hand on his thigh coaxed Enzo into straddling his waist. Fiore wished he had the strength to do all he desired. Kissing would have to sate him for now. They hadn’t kissed nearly often enough for his taste since his rescue.
Yet even as Fiore received almost everything he’d longed for, he knew one incontrovertible truth.
It wasn’t fair for Enzo to continue on in ignorance.
And so Fiore pulled away.
To Enzo’s evident confusion and concern, given his furrowed brow. “What’s wrong?”
“Before we…” Fiore trailed off, his courage failing him. He cleared his throat and tried again. “There’s something you ought to know.”
“About what?”
“About what happened.” Fiore drew in a tremulous breath. “Down in the catacombs.”
Enzo’s eyes flared wide for the barest instant. But he mastered himself quickly. He set his jaw and nodded for Fiore to continue.
