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“Or Hell,” I chimed in.
“Even better,” he lifted the champagne bottle. “Let the evil ones find a way out of their punishment.”
“You need to go,” I stated harshly, reaching my limit. “Now’s not the time.”
“Now’s theperfecttime,” he added, stepping toward me, trying to get in my face.
“Caius,” Celeste rasped out her interruption, and I immediately tore my attention away from my brother and onto her. Her eyes were glistening with an unknown fear, a deep trepidation, a growing hesitancy.
Because ofme.Because ofthis.
“Is all of this true?” Her hands crossed over her arms, shielding herself.
I chose my words carefully. “True to him. Not to everyone else.”
I watched as her eyes moved from Dey to me in an internal conflict that I couldn’t hear. There were thoughts bubbling to the surface that she was refusing to bring to life.
Moving away from my brother and stepping to Celeste, I stood in front of her. Her skin still held its glow, and her eyes still continued to shine even through the constant contention deep in her chest.
“I see it in you,” Amadeus started, speaking to Celeste from behind my shoulder. “I see your reluctance.”
Her eyes moved off of me and to my brother. I kept my gaze on her, watching her as she toyed with the words he was feeding her.
“It’s normal to feel the way you’re feeling, because all of this isn’t fucking natural. It’s manipulation for the innocent, and it’s concealment for the guilty.”
It took every ounce of power in me, but I managed to shut out my brother’s words. My eyes dropped to her throat as I watched her force down a nervous swallow. I lifted a finger to her arm, touching her hand in an act of sincerity. I didn’t want her to think this night was all for nothing just because someone else got in her head.
She’s a smart girl. She knows how to think for herself.
But in an environment like this, in a place full of unfamiliar unknowns, it was easy to get caught up in a false sense of security. One that isn’t real to begin with.
Celeste turned to whisper to me. “I need to go,” she hushed, her voice quiet enough to land on my ears only.
I nodded my head. Right now, the only thing I can do for her is to let her go.
But she’ll be back. I know she will.
“Lawrence,” I called, looking to him over my shoulder. “Escort Miss Castell to the valet and make sure she gets to her car without any issue.”
He nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
Her eyes found mine one final time as I dropped my hand from her arm. Taking a step toward me, she closed the space between us, leaned up, and planted her lips on my cheek. Her scent filled my lungs in an uncontrolled desire, a fragrance of bergamot and rose encasing me. I closed my eyes as I inhaled deeply, still aware of her embrace on me.
Her soul was still with me, despite her mind telling her otherwise.
And with that, she let me go. She turned away from me and followed Lawrence to the door. The white silk dress complimented her body beautifully, and my gaze remained locked on her effortless strides.
I turned back to Amadeus, who was mid-drink, his mouth suctioned to the opening of the champagne bottle.
“I don’t want to see you at another Open House again.”
He tipped the bottle to me, acknowledging my demand. “You got it, brother.” He held a sense of satisfaction, along with pride in the fact that he got through tosomeone.
Then, in a second, I heard a shocked gasp from the other side of the room. My head snapped to see Celeste, looking through the doorframe, her hand covering her mouth.
“Uncle Lucas?”
Celeste
