AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, for fucking starters, he’s the one dating Al,” I retorted.
“Fuck!” Rhett exclaimed. “Didn’t see that coming.”
“Yeah…” I chuckled sardonically. “And, not in so many words, Jay has encouraged me to foster those rumors going around about me and Al until they’re ready to go public with their relationship,” I said, thinking about my conversation earlier that day with Jay.
Rhett let out a low whistle. “Luke, mate, you really go all out for your job, don’t you? I could use someone like you on my team. Will you intercept James next time she comes after me?”
“I will not,” I said.
Lady James Morrigan and Rhett were very on-again, off-again. I was smart enough to stay out of it.
“And why not?” Rhett asked, as if offended by my answer.
“Because you deserve it. Speaking of which, why didn’t you bring James along?”
Rhett pursed his lips, tilting his head as if slightly browbeaten. “Turns out I may have pushed my luck a littletoomuch with her lately. I fear I have surpassed the line ofcharmingbastard and am now in the realm ofjusta bastard in her books.” Rhett tried to play off his comment as a joke, but there was an underlying tone close to regret in his words.
“Anyway, why bring your own cake to a party?” Rhett asked, back to his normal self.
“Andthat’sexactly why you deserve everything James sends your way, man.”
Rhett raised his eyebrows as if surprised, then decided to give up on the act and tilted his head from side to side in agreement.
When we arrived at my parent’s manor, the seat of the Silver Court, a host rushed out to greet us. My father was one of the last ones out the door.
“Son, I knew you wouldn’t miss a chance at a good party,” my father quipped by way of greeting.
My older brother, Brad, snickered, then covered his response with a purposefully unconvincing booming cough. I stared daggers at my older brother, who was dark in every way that I was light, having inherited his looks from our mother instead of our father, like I had.
“You know me, Father. Disappointing middle child and official partier of House Bellamy,” I replied dryly, walking toward the house.
My mother trailed along my side, her long, dark hair whipping behind her, as I made my way into the manor.
“Your father knows you do more than just party at the High Court,” she said.
“He has a funny way of showing it.”
“He’s just never been one to put much stock in the High Court politics. And after Jacob—”
“Mother,” I interjected. I did not want to talk about my younger brother, the one who had not made it home from the last war. “I know. You don’t have to keep making his excuses for him.”
My mother’s eyes cut to the tall blonde high fae lady who had just made her way into the foyer behind us. I knew my mother wanted to bring her up, so I just went ahead and asked. No matter how tired I grew of my mother’s matchmaker games, I had a soft spot for her.
“Who’s that?” I asked, not completely hiding my annoyance.
“Eliza Rafford,” my mother said cheerfully.
“I mentioned to her that you’d be here,” my mother said cautiously, testing my temperature.
I let out an exasperated chuckle. I had to admire my mother’s tenacity.
“Well, perhaps you could introduce us then?” I said, inviting the unavoidable.
I knew Eliza’s father was from several towns over and that he owned a port my father would very much like to have some involvement with. Like the woman before her and the woman before that who my mother had tried to set me up with, I wasn’t interested. I didn’t even like blondes—that was Rhett’s MO. For that reason alone, Eliza was very likely going to end up in Rhett’s bed, not mine, by the end of the weekend. But I didn’t tell my mother this.
“At the Winter Ball,” I said quickly to my mother, who was showing signs of wanting to push Eliza off on me at that moment. “We have to…” I failed to come up with an excuse, instead just grabbing Rhett and walking away.
“So, the blonde’s there for you?” Rhett asked.
