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“I want to kiss you, of course—how could I not want to kiss those raspberry lips of yours when they look so delectably kissable?—but not for my Christmas present.”
“Fine.” There’s a slight flush in her cheeks now, but she doesn’t move away from me. “What is it?”
“I want your first book.”
She frowns. “What do you mean?”
“You said you dream of being a writer, no?”
“Yes—I saiddream, not that I was one. I’ve not written any books.”
“That’s fine—whenever you write it, then I want that book.”
“I can’t give you a Christmas present that doesn’t yet exist.”
“I’m happy to wait.”
“Fine—what do you mean, you want the book? You mean a copy of the book? First edition, likePeter Pan?”
“No. I want the book. I don’t want a copy of it, I wantthecopy of it. I want to own it.”
“You want to steal my intellectual property?”
“I want you to gift me your intellectual property, yes.”
“And what if my first book is just a single page that reads ‘Zachary Blackwood is a thief’ over and over again?”
“Then I’ll be its proud owner.”
She finally moves away, sitting back into the cushioned window seat. “I wouldn’t do that—it would feed your ego too much to have a whole book written about you—even if it was only a page long.”
“By all means, then write something else.”
She purses her lips thoughtfully. “Maybe I’ll write a book just likeThe Pirate Lord’s Captive Bride. Something like…The Buccaneer Captain’s Stolen Fiancée.”
“You’re too mature and sophisticated to be so obsessed with pirates.”
“You’re too mature and sophisticated to be so jealous of a fictional character.”
“Jealousy? The green-eyed monster that mocks the meat it feeds on? Not I, no.”
“Very well. You are far more mature and sophisticated than I gave you credit for.” Theodora stops for a second to eat the forkful of pancake and blueberry I point at her mouth, then carries on. “Then it’s decided. Your Christmas present shall be my first book,The Buccaneer Captain’s Stolen Fiancée.” She taps her fingertip on her lips thoughtfully. “Maybe the stolen bride will have blue eyes and long hair, and maybe the Buccaneer Captain will be tall and sullen with shorn hair and tattoos.”
“I cannot wait to read it,” I lie in my most courteous tone.
Later, when Theodora goes for a walk with Zahara and I sit in the Blue Parlour with Iakov while he silently chugs eggnog and plays video games, I spend the whole time fighting the childish urge to hit him on the back of his head.
Chapter 35
Prison Cell
Zachary
TwodaysafterChristmas,the guests leave, and soon after, my parents set off to Edinburgh for Hogmanay, which they religiously attend every year, and Zahara sets off with Iakov to meet her friends in Paris.
The house, once they’re all gone, is eerily empty. Normally, I, too, would be leaving at this point, sometimes heading to the south of France to celebrate New Year’s Eve with Sev, other times to meet Evan in New York. This year, though, Evan has invited his former friend, mortal enemy and reluctant tutor, Sophie Sutton, to stay with him at his home in the UK.
I’m surprised she agreed to do so since the two of them never miss an opportunity to drag each other’s name through the mud—but I know better than to get in their way.
