Deception (Infidelity #3)

“That’s what I mean. Does Cy know about you?”

“We’ve talked. He’s older. It was tough for him to come out too.” Patrick shrugged. “He doesn’t talk about it much, but he was married, to a woman,” he added.

“Did they have children?”

“No. It didn’t last very long. You don’t know what it’s like…”

My chest grew tight, listening to him discuss his own struggles both as a teenager and a young adult. We were pretty close in our young teens, yet I didn’t know. It was but another shadow that lurked the hallways of Montague Manor, dancing in the darkness around the Fitzgeralds. Despite Patrick’s insecurities, he always appeared the opposite: cocky and self-assured.

I settled back onto the sofa.

When he was done, he asked, “Did you never suspect?”

I nodded. “I did. I remember hating the things other girls said about you. With our age difference, I usually heard secondhand rumors, but it never seemed like the Patrick Richardson they described was my Pat.”

He smiled a weary smile. “I always loved you.”

“Past tense?”

“No. I mean when it was just the two of us, I didn’t feel the need to overcompensate. We existed in our own world whether at Montague Manor or at my house.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t as if our parents gave a rat’s ass what we did, as long as we didn’t interrupt whatever they were doing.” A smile grew on his face, causing his cheeks to rise. “The only one who knew what we were up to was Jane.”

The mention of her name loosened the boa constrictor I’d had wrapped around my chest and I grinned.

“The best part of my childhood,” I said with a sigh. “She’s still at the manor.”

“Really? I would’ve thought after you moved away…”

“I get the feeling she takes care of Momma.”

“That’s good. Aunt Adelaide needs someone in her corner.” His gaze narrowed. “Speaking of running into walls, I remember more than once when she’d been pretty clumsy.” He nodded his head toward my wrists. “I don’t want the same for you.”

Indignation rose. “Neither do I. Don’t worry about that. Nox would never—”

“I don’t know him that well,” he interrupted. “But I do know Spence. I never understood why you dated him for so long.”

Maybe it was the wine or my crying, but I didn’t understand the connection. “What do you mean? We were young.”

“But you’ve never really liked him.”

My shoulders sank. “I did… like him… as a friend. When we were young, other than you, he was the only one I ever saw, the only person close to my age. I was surrounded by stuffy adults. Jane was my nanny and playmate, but it wasn’t the same as being around kids. Since Momma and Suzanna were so close, Bryce was there a lot.”

He nodded. “I remember being thrilled when we’d go to your place and he wasn’t there. I think I even asked my mom once if he lived there.”

“See? He was my best friend.”

“Until he was your boyfriend.”

The thought churned the wine in my stomach. Bryce was my best friend. Isn’t that what a lover should be? Nox and I had never been friends. Maybe that was why I was able to walk away today, or was it yesterday? I picked up my phone lying upon the table. I swiped the screen to the clock—after midnight—and the icon that displayed missed calls.

I sucked in my breath. I’d had the ringer off. I’d told Nox the ball was in his court, and then I wasn’t there when he lobbed it back.

I hit the small icon. Two missed calls—Deloris and Bryce.

The boa squeezed tighter. Nox hadn’t tried to call.

A tear escaped my eye as I brushed it away.

I would call Deloris tomorrow… and Bryce?

What should I say? Hey, Bryce, I got your letter and it worked. I left Lennox. According to you, I’m safe. However, that’s only true if death by broken heart wasn’t possible.

I looked up to Patrick’s expectant expression. “Tell me he called. He did, didn’t he?”

My head moved from side to side. “Not him, his…” What was Deloris? “…assistant called.”

“Oh, yes. A woman—she said her name was Witt—called while you were changing clothes. I’m so sorry I forgot.”

“She called you?”

“Yes, she wanted to be sure you were here.”

I sighed and leaned back. “It’s suffocating, the driver-slash-bodyguard constant surveillance. I hate it.”

Ignoring my pleas to retire, Patrick poured more wine into our glasses. “I’d guess it has to do with his wife.”

“What?”

“What?” His eyes opened wide as he shifted on the couch. It was like Christmas-time secrets all over again. “You mean you’re assigned to someone like Lennox Demetri and you didn’t Google that shit?”

“I… we… we promised we’d learn about each other from each other.”

“And so he told you about the hit?”

The hit?

My heartbeat quickened, the rapid rhythm chasing away the constricting snake. “No… I mean… we haven’t discussed.”

“Oh, there are fascinating theories. See the thing is, no one knows for sure. It was all very hush-hush.”

“I’m not sure…”

His countenance fell. “Okay, I won’t say any more, but if Mr. Sexy is overly worried about your safety, from what I gathered, he has reason.”

“I don’t know.”

He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. “I can’t believe you’ve been with him for all this time and you don’t know.”

“Pat, you’re killing me. I want to know. I do. But it’s this thing we have. I mean, I wouldn’t want him Googling me.”

“Little cousin, you’re boring.”

“Hey!”

“I mean, sure, you’re all heiress and shit, but come on… I grew up with you. That house of horrors was real, but you survived. Millions of people have had childhoods not even as bad as yours and not come out nearly as unscathed.”

“Do I seem unscathed?”

“No,” he replied, “you seem battered and a little bruised.”

When his eyes went back to my wrists, I let out an exasperated sigh. “Not abuse, kink, and… well…” I felt the rush of crimson fill my cheeks. “…I like it. Now drop it.”

“My! We need more wine.”

“No. I need to go to bed.”

“Since this heart-to-heart is about to end, let me tell you what I’ve observed.”

My entire body relaxed as I emptied my glass and laid my head back on the top of the couch. “Fine. Hurry because I’m about to pass out.”

“Whatever Lennox Demetri did to upset you.” I heard his eyebrows wiggle. “And now that I know about some preferences, I’m less concerned and more intrigued. But I digress. Whatever he did to upset you hasn’t altered your feelings for him. You’ve defended him at every turn. I mean, I have heart-stopping information that may or may not be accurate and you’d rather abide by a promise than hear me out.

“Going back to him isn’t optional. He owns you for a year. The fact that he allowed you this temper tantrum shows me that he’s an all-right guy. He could’ve refused to allow you to leave.”

I opened my eyes and lifted my gaze. “And what, Pat, tie me to the bed?”

“Whoa,” he lifted his hand. “I’m still coming to terms with my little cousin and kink. I don’t want any more details.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Literally, no. Figuratively, yes.”

Before I could speak, he went on.

“Here’s one more observation. For some reason, Spence—Bryce holds a part of your heart. Maybe it’s because for a rich, spoiled princess, your childhood was pretty sucky and you associate him with the better-than-awful parts.”

I wanted to protest Patrick’s description of me as well as a few other parts of his statement, but he lifted his hand again.

“My point is that I was only one year ahead of Spence at the academy. You may not know this, but I threatened his ass when you two started dating.”

It was my turn for my eyes to open wide. “You did?”

“I did. He was jacking off his mouth about you, about things I wanted to believe weren’t true.”

My stomach turned. We never did anything. What the hell was he saying?