“Because you think I’m not strong enough to withstand his presence,” Raphael said softly.
Milan scoffed. “That’s nonsense and you know it. This has nothing to do with strength. You have enough of that for both of us. I just…I don’t want him near you. He shouldn’t even look at you—he isn’t worthy,” Milan said angrily.
Raphael’s face softened. “Be that as it may, I refuse to just…sit here, hiding, unsure and afraid like I used to be. I’ve had enough. Let us go to the ball—let us confront him. He will see what little control he has over us.”
Milan took Raphael’s hand, squeezing it. He wasn’t going to ask him if he was sure—he could see it in Raphael’s eyes.
Katerina clapped her hands. “Splendid! Oh, what fun—we will ruin him completely.” She practically cackled.
Milan laughed with her. “You marvellous witch.”
“Oh, and I saw the most magnificent cloth at the tailor’s—”
“Not another suit. I have enough.”
“Nonsense, you can never have enough. And, anyway, it’s for the good of the plan. You should get one too, Lord Raphael. Enough with the drab colours. We’ll get you both something to shine in,” she said gleefully.
Even Raphael was smiling. “You know—I haven’t bought a new suit in a while.”
Katerina clapped her hands as Milan rolled his eyes.
“You’re both conspirators. Fine. We’ll dazzle them all.”
Katerina grinned. “They won’t know what hit them.”
**********
Milan put his hands over Raphael’s chest, smoothing down the silky material of his jacket, a deep, wine red that made his pale skin glow. His shirt underneath, black with a bold geometric pattern, contrasted with the monochrome of the rest of the outfit.
“Katerina really does have a keen eye,” Milan said, looking at Raphael’s broad chest appreciatively.
“Yes, she does,” Raphael said, admiring Milan back, who was wearing a deep-blue—not navy—suit, a pattern imprinted across both jacket and pants, textured so that it seemed as if you could see the individual threads running across. At first, one might not know what that pattern was, but it would reveal itself to be snarling wolves.
They both looked like they were ready to spill blood.
“Ready?” Milan asked.
“Yes,” Raphael said, and the strength and conviction in his voice made Milan achingly proud.
*****
They held hands as they entered the ballroom, barely able to look around before Katerina and Gianna swooped down on them.
“Jack is already here, making an utter fool of himself,” Katerina said in disgust.
Gianna nodded. “He knows that he’s only here for the scandal he brings with him and is making the most of it. So uncouth.”
Milan snorted. “Let him dig himself into a hole. Our advantage is that he undermines and utterly misunderstands what Raphael means to these lands and her people.”
Milan remembered at the start when, no matter how miserable he was, people still told him Raphael was a good man. If anybody would win on good reputation, it would be Raphael.
They had agreed beforehand that Raphael could make the rounds with Gianna and speak as if all was normal with people—not that Raphael normally spoke to many, but they would all be eager to have a second of his time. Meanwhile, Katerina and Milan could do the dirty work, being much more adept at it. That way, if Raphael’s character was questioned, it could not be said that he had been bad-mouthing Jack. An exasperated husband would be quite different, however, and Milan could play the pitying Omega like no other.
And so Katerina and he glided around the room as if they were dancing with Jack—always keeping their distance, but muddying any trail he might have left.
“Oh, poor thing,” Milan would simper. “He came begging at the manor the other day—he’s been kicked out by his latest Alpha.”
Katerina would shake her head sadly and lean in. “Gambling problems,” she would whisper loudly, and all in attendance would shake their heads and tut.
“And Lord Ledford, with all he has on his plate,” one of the listeners would exclaim. “For shame.”
After a few successful conversations, and a glaring Jack across the room, Katerina and Milan smiled at each other widely.
“A drink?” Milan offered gallantly.
“Oh, please. I’ve just spotted Mister White—he’s a terrible gossip. Find me there.”
Milan laughed as they parted, making his way towards the refreshments.
If he could, Milan would ruin Jack’s life.
“Well, hello there. You look in good spirits,” Jason said, appearing suddenly. Milan jumped slightly before chuckling.
“I didn’t see you there. Yes, quite a splendid ball, isn’t it?”
“Well…actually, there is something I believe I should warn you about.”
Milan’s heart stuttered. “About?”
“Jack.”
Milan pressed his lips together. “How do you know about him? What do you know?”
“I’m afraid I will get in trouble if I tell you, Milan. He’s far more powerful than you think he is.”
No. What had they missed? “Please, Jason. You must tell me.”
Jason looked around. “All right. But, please, you must leave my name out of it.”
“Of course.”
“Quickly, then, before he sees us.”
Milan let himself be led out of a side door, but Jason didn’t stop there. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Safe? What do you mean?” Milan said, getting a sick feeling in his stomach. Something wasn’t right. He tried to turn around to look at Jason, who was urging him forwards.
“Just—please. Keep walking.”
“No, wait, are we even allowed here?” They were passing hallways and doors, all deserted. The sounds of the ball were falling away.
Something definitely wasn’t right.
Milan stopped walking, ready to demand answers, but all of a sudden Jason was pressed across his back and there was something sharp piercing through his clothes and being held just against the skin of his side. Milan’s breath stopped in his chest.
“What—Jason. What are you doing?”
“Keep walking, Milan. And be quiet. I can’t stand to hear one more word out of your mouth. Do you have any notion of how tedious you are?” Jason said, shoving him forwards even as he kept the knife dangerously close to him.
Milan couldn’t think. He simply couldn’t draw a connection between Jason and Jack. How was this happening?
Finally, Milan was pushed into a library until the back of Milan’s thighs were pressing against a large, wooden table.
“What is this?” Milan demanded despite the knife that was being pointed at him. There was a mad light in Jason’s eye he had never seen before, making his heart race even quicker.
“Isn’t it adorable, how you thought I was interested in your friendship?” Jason sneered. “I had to sit there and listen to your inane blabber. Who cares about those blasted machines?”
“You were the one to approach me. Are you mad?”
“I approached you, yes, but believe me, it was not for your company.”
“Let’s leave the suspense behind then, shall we? Reveal yourself.”
“You should watch what you say, for it isn’t just your life in the balance,” Jason warned lightly.
Milan stilled completely.
“Here is what is going to happen—you help us gain Raphael’s estate, or we kill you both.”
He fought against the stunned fear at the notion of them harming Raphael. “How on earth would I do that?”
“Easy. Raphael is about to arrive with Jack. You’re going to tell him that you’ve been fooling him all along.”
Milan shook his head, but Jason didn’t stop.
“We’ve been watching your every move. We knew everything there was to know about you even before you arrived
. You’re our golden goose, dear friend.”
“No. I can’t. I shan’t. What purpose would that even serve?”
Jason laughed. “Oh, you will, or I will gladly kill you. I am embroiled in this now—there is nothing I can lose. And you—you’ll tell Raphael you’ve been plotting against him, and he will never be loyal to you again. He will throw you out, just like he did Jack—and isn’t that curious? Two Omegas in a row? And, of course, there is the matter of the neglected bond.”
Milan gasped. “No.”
“Yes. An abuser, a scoundrel—we’ll be able to prove his poor character in court, and Jack will gain half the estate. I will get my share and you—well, you can go back home. We all win.”
Milan shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. He couldn’t do that to Raphael. For him to believe that Milan had been manipulating him all this time, to become another one of his abusers…
“No. Please—I can’t. I have money, I can give you—”
Jason laughed. “Please. The only way this works is because the moment the seed of your deception is planted in his head, Raphael will never believe a word you say. He’ll never let you near him again, just like he did to Jack. Then it won’t matter what you do—it’ll be us against him and, believe me, we will win.” Jason turned his head slightly towards the door as voices could be heard in the hallway. He grinned. “Now, dear friend. It’s time to act.”
Suddenly, Jason pressed against him, the knife between them. “I promise you—if you do not follow my instructions, I will slit his throat in front of you,” he said before taking a brutal kiss from him.
Milan wanted to struggle, but fear had paralyzed him. Even when he heard the door open and the voices suddenly stop, he could do nothing.
He couldn’t let Raphael die. Jack was sure to be armed, and they weren’t—they would be easy to overpower. Even if he lied to Raphael, maybe he could find a way to make him trust him again, a way to prove himself. If not, he could still testify in favour of his character—unless he told his solicitor not to deal with him, of course.
Milan couldn’t breathe until Jason finally let him go. He took great, gulping breaths, trying to steady himself.
“Oh, dear. I’m afraid you caught us unawares,” Jason simpered. Milan could do nothing but look at Raphael’s blank face, staring back as if he had never seen Milan before.
A wave of pain hit Milan then. Jason was right—whatever happened, Raphael would never trust him again. This was the end of the future he had finally started to see.
“Oh, Milan,” Jason said, pouting as he stepped away from Milan, knife held behind his back. “Look at his face. Dear Lord—did you really think he loved you?” He turned to Jack. “Should I tell him, or do you want to do the honours?”
“Oh, it’d be my pleasure,” Jack said, moving so that the three of them were facing Raphael—all against him. “You really did, didn’t you, my love? You thought it was real.”
Despair shredded Milan’s chest as it all seemed to dawn on Raphael, his face crumpling. Very suddenly, the bond cut completely from Raphael’s end—not even a sliver of light passing through.
Milan cried out, clutching his chest. Bile rose in his throat at the sudden hollowness, just managing to keep it down. Jason was still talking.
“All those times you thought he was with Katerina—even when he told you he was with Jason, you thought nothing of it, did you? When he looked at your accounts? When he let you fuck him?”
Milan looked down. He couldn’t stop the tears that welled in his eyes, for them to sully every perfect and intimate moment with Raphael.
“Even after you almost killed him? It was easy to get him on our side. Between me and him—do you think your reputation will survive accounts of abuse from two Omegas? We’re going to leave you with nothing, my love.”
Raphael understood. Milan didn’t even have to look at him to know—maybe a part of him had expected Milan to betray him all along.
There was a long, crushing silence until, finally, Raphael spoke. “Is this true?” he asked softly, and there was no doubt who he was talking to.
Milan took a shaking breath. Jason’s knife glinted behind him.
“Yes.”
Milan couldn’t breathe; he couldn’t look up. The air around him was pressing down, squeezing, suffocating.
He screamed the truth across the bond, but there wasn’t even an echo back.
“I hope you are all very happy together,” Raphael said, voice blank and empty before he turned around, breath hitching, and left.
After a moment, Jack moved towards the door, making sure that Raphael really was gone before he started laughing.
“I almost feel sorry for him,” he said with a smile on his face. Milan raised his head to look at his gloating face, wishing he could strangle the life out of it.
“Are you really so desperate for money? That you would ruin our lives?” Milan snarled. Jack and Jason shared a look before they rolled their eyes.
“Darling,” Jack said, “I’m doing you a favour. He’s dead weight. Don’t worry—you’ll get some of the money by law.”
“I don’t want money!” Milan screamed.
Jason’s eyebrows jumped up. “Give it to me then.”
Jack laughed.
Milan shook his head, incredulous that such evil could exist without a shred of guilt.
“What are you going to do to me now, then?” Milan demanded. “Lock me up?”
“Dear, you are dramatic. Why would we do that? Now, you’re going to run to dear Raphael, make a scene at the manor. He’s going to shout at you, even hit you, if we’re lucky. The staff will be witnesses—another nail in his coffin. Everybody will think you’re a poor, scared Omega if you speak in favour of him. The facts will damn him.”
Milan curled his lip in disgust. “You’re mad.”
Jack shrugged. “I like to see it as genius.”
“I’m not going to let you get away with this,” Milan promised darkly.
Jack smirked. “Oh, I can’t wait to see you try.”
Knowing if he remained there a minute longer, he would lunge towards one of them and damn the consequences, he walked out of the room with their laughter ringing behind him.
It took him a long while to get back to the ballroom, unable to get his bearings. He couldn’t stop crying, the empty ache in his chest like a hole he was being buried in, but he knew he had to stop the flow of tears before he entered the ballroom.
Just five minutes. Find Katerina, and then you can fall apart.
With a deep breath, he joined the music and the crowd, the noise an assault on his already dizzy head. He rudely pushed through groups of people until finally—there.
“Katerina,” Milan said desperately, pulling her away from whoever she had been talking to. Katerina made a disgruntled noise but stopped cold as she saw his face.
“What has happened?”
“Please—I need your crawler. I can’t explain now—Jack’s plot was far different than we expected. Raphael thinks I betrayed him—please. I need to find him.”
“Let’s go.”
They rushed outside, where Katerina had someone call for her driver and crawler. Milan was barely holding himself together.
“Come on, get in. I’ll accompany you there.”
“You can’t—I have to do this alone. If he sees you, he might think…”
“I’ll leave after, but you look as if you’re about to faint, Milan. Come on, I’m not leaving you alone.”
Despite Katerina’s company, Milan was barely cognizant during the ride. All he could feel was the sway of the crawler and the empty space where Raphael’s side of the bond should be.
“I can’t feel him,” Milan whispered brokenly. “I can’t feel the bond.”
Katerina clutched his hands. “Look at me, Milan.”
Dazedly, he did so.
“You have told your husband to trust you in the past, have you not? Now, it’s time for you to trust him. He loves you�
��you know he does. Whatever has happened, it will not break you apart. It cannot break you apart.”
Milan shook his head, feeling a sob block his throat. “I’m afraid that this just might.”
Milan only came back to himself fully when the crawler slowed to a stop. He looked out the window at the familiar sight of the manor and almost threw himself out of the crawler, but Katerina held him back.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to wait here? I won’t leave the crawler.”
Milan shook his head. “No, I just can’t…I’ll send a note to you in the morning, I promise.”
“Do, or I will come find you myself.”
“If I’m not here, I’ll be at the village inn.”
“Milan…”
“It’s all right. Go. I’ll be fine.”
Katerina pressed a kiss to his cheek before letting him go.
As eager as he had been a moment before to enter the manor, he waited until the crawler started scuttling away before facing the large front doors.
He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to face the end—but what else could he do?
With a shuddering breath of frigid air, he walked up the steps and opened the door.
Warmth. Silence. Stillness. The familiar smell that Milan now associated with home. And then, rushing towards him—Raphael.
Milan almost flinched away, but his confused body took a step closer instead. If only Raphael would let him explain.
Milan expected to be grabbed by the collar and thrown out the door. Instead, Raphael grasped the sides of his arms, his eyes filled with concern. “Are you all right?” he asked frantically.
Milan stared at him, completely thrown by the question. Was Raphael playing with him?
Raphael squeezed him a little tighter. “I’m sorry I left you—please tell me you’re all right. They didn’t hurt you, did they? I thought they were sure to if I stayed.”
Milan started crying. He didn’t know what was happening. “It’s not true. What they said—please, Raphael, believe me, it’s not true. I would never, I would—” Milan choked, gripping his chest as Raphael’s side of the bond flooded back into him. The world washed away for a moment, replaced by love and relief.
Honeythorn: Alpha/Omega Page 18
