by K. I. Lynn
One day I was going to set fire to the Binder of Doom and laugh gleefully as it became a pile of ash.
“Now what?” I whispered.
He let out a sigh. “Now, we be sociable.”
“Do we have to?”
A deep chuckle resonated in his chest, barely perceptible over the music thumping from the speakers and the dull roar of chatter.
“Come, let’s get a drink.”
He pulled us toward the bar, but we were stopped by a familiar face. While I’d only met her once, there was no way I could forget Elizabeth.
She smiled broadly at her brother. “Atticus!”
“Good evening,” he said before leaning in and placing a kiss on her cheek.
“I thought you would end up being fashionably late as usual.”
I narrowed my gaze at him, which completely unaffected him. “We could have been late?”
“No.”
“He could. You couldn’t after that little upheaval.” Elizabeth looked me up and then down before meeting my eyes. “You look very nice,” she said, and knowing her frankness, it was genuine.
I smiled. “Thank you. You as well.”
She pursed her lips and looked down to her stomach, which had grown quite a bit since I’d seen her at the family dinner. “As well as one can look while imitating a whale.”
“When are you due?” I asked. I’d asked Atticus, but he’d only stared back at me with a blank look.
“Not soon enough. Just wait until it’s your turn, and you’ll understand.”
My turn. My turn that wasn’t so far into the future. Though I was happy for the candid conversation, Elizabeth didn’t scowl at me before ignoring me like last time.
“Boy or girl?”
“Boy.” She rubbed her stomach and smiled. “My little baby Bennett.”
“Our little baby Bennett,” Preston said as he wrapped his arms around his wife, a huge smile on his face. “Atticus. Ophelia. How are you?”
“Ophelia was just telling me how she can’t wait to be pregnant,” Elizabeth said.
I did? I glanced at Atticus, a small smirk playing on his lips.
“You’re going to seal our fate with this man in charge?” Preston said with a groan.
“Well, when he asked, I figured why not. Sorry.”
That got Preston to full-out laugh while Elizabeth shook her head and rolled her eyes.
A flash of red caught my eye, and I turned to find Genevieve walking toward us in the most revealing and outrageous dress made of red lace and red straps, while a few patches of cloth holding the skirt section together left little to the imagination. In fact, if she wasn’t wearing panties, you’d be seeing all of her. The flat-panel front barely held her nipples from view out of stripes of lace.
“What the fuck are you wearing, Genevieve?” Atticus growled.
A smile brightened her face, and she held her arms out before doing a little twirl, catching more than a few eyes.
“Do you like it?” she asked, clearly happy with the reception she was getting from her brother.
“I believe there are crucial elements missing. It is not appropriate for tonight.”
She pursed her lips and straightened her spine. “Mother said that the hem of my dress had to be to the floor, and it is.”
For all the time I’d spent with Genevieve, I hadn’t really gotten to experience what made her earn the title of the wild princess, but between the dress and her obstinate behavior, I was beginning to see it.
Atticus’s hand rested on my hip and he pulled me in closer, like he didn’t want me getting too close to Genevieve. That, or he was extremely happy my soon-to-be sister-in-law didn’t help pick out my outfit. The skin under his touch resonated with warmth.
“Genevieve,” a deep voice boomed out, catching everyone’s attention.
I looked at her just in time to see the smirk form on her lips before she turned. “Yes, Father?”
Charles and Vera appeared, oddly arm in arm. It occurred to me then that I’d never seen them actually standing together, but even now, there was nothing in their touch more than formality.
They both looked regal, like royalty. The whole family looked so, but their posture was more rigid, and the air around them radiated with regality,
Charles’s gaze flashed to me, and the intensity of disgust that was aimed at me nearly had my knees giving out. I blinked at him and leaned in closer to Atticus.
He seemed to understand, his grip tightening. “Father.”
The unbearable weight of his scrutiny fell away as he regarded his son. “Atticus.”
“Refrain yourself from looking at my fiancée like that.”
Charles’s eyes widened, and his muscles locked down while all the blood rushed to his face. An explosion felt imminent.
“Ophelia, dear, we must get together soon to talk about the wedding,” Vera said, ignoring the temper tantrum the man beside her seemed to be gearing up for.
I gave her the best friendly smile that I could attempt under the pressure of Charles’s mood. “That would be wonderful. Please, contact me at any time.”
She gave me a polite smile before tugging on her husband’s arm. “Come, Charles. I find I am quite thirsty.”
“Well, he seemed even more lovely today,” I said as I watched them walk away.
“He’s angry with me,” Atticus said.
I turned back to look at him. “For?”
“For completely derailing his plan to bring Harris Hotels into the family.”
Harris. It had been weeks since I’d even thought of Amelia Harris and her hopeless tricks.
“I’m surprised he’s held a grudge this long.”
“He’s a de Loughrey. He can hold a grudge forever.”
“He’ll never like me, will he?” Though I wasn’t sure I wanted something like that.
“Trust me, it’s better that way. Because if he does like you, he’ll try to bed you, and I am not interested in jail time.”
“Jail time?”
He grabbed my chin and tilted my head back. “Do you really think I’d let him touch what’s mine?”
He leaned down, his lips ghosting mine.
“Ugh, could you please not do that, I might throw up.”
We turned to find Hamilton glaring at us.
“Do you have to start off the evening being a ruthless asshole?” Gen asked.
“Do you have to start off the evening looking like a whore?”
“Excuse me?”
“Come,” Atticus whispered into my ear, pulling me away from his siblings.
“Why is he always so hateful toward me? I mean, I get disinterested, but Hamilton seems to have a deep dislike of me.” Every time I went to the office he glared at me, and at the family dinner he had some of the hard hits.
“I long ago stopped trying to understand Hamilton’s pride.”
“You think it’s pride?” I asked.
“Atticus, my boy, it’s been a while,” a man said, drawing my attention. His brown eyes were honed in on me, and I didn’t miss his perusal of my body. He was decent looking, with dark hair and a strong nose, but something about him bothered me and I felt Atticus tense.
Atticus’s jaw clenched, and his grip on my hip tightened as he pulled me closer. It wasn’t the first time, and I wondered if he would ever let go of me, but I had to admit that I liked it.
“Whitaker.”
He looked from me to Atticus. “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me to this beautiful morsel on your arm?”
Atticus gave a tight smile. “Ophelia, this is my old friend, Whitaker James. Whitaker, my fiancée, Ophelia.”
“Ophelia, what a lovely name,” he said as he reached for my hand. He drew it up and placed a kiss to the back of my hand. “Pleasure.”
Atticus’s fingers flexed and his jaw clenched as he glared at his friend. He did use that word, but the look of fury on his face told a different story.
“No date tonight?”
He
glanced my way before meeting Atticus’s gaze. “I was thinking of picking up something tasty tonight.”
“Hmph. Well, we wouldn’t want to hinder your search. If you will excuse us, I need to speak to Rhys.”
Whitaker nodded and smiled, and I shuddered as he looked me over again. “I will await seeing you again.”
Atticus pulled me away, heading straight for Rhys who was standing on the edge of the mass of people.
“I’m not a criminal lawyer, so wipe that look off your face,” Rhys said as we approached.
I glanced up and blinked in surprise at the dark expression that had overtaken Atticus’s handsome features.
“I thought he was your friend,” I said in confusion. He’d been on the defensive from the moment he’d heard that man’s voice.
“Who?” Rhys asked.
“Whitaker,” Atticus bit out.
Rhys’s eyes widened, then a smirk drew his lips up. “Ah, I see now.”
“See what?” I asked.
Rhys’s gaze met mine. “Whitaker is a bit of a ladies’ man. Known to make women stray from their husbands.”
“Therefore, I don’t trust him within a ten-foot radius of you,” Atticus grumbled.
Oh, so he was a player who had a penchant for taken women.
“Do you think I’m so gullible and pliable?” I asked.
“You agreed to marry me with little thought, so yes,” Atticus said.
I rolled my eyes. “That was different.”
“How so?”
I reached up and cupped his cheek. “Once upon a time, you showed me a wonderful evening, and I wanted to meet that man again.”
Rhys let out a laugh. “Then you shouldn’t have insisted on…you know.”
I narrowed my gaze on Rhys before wrapping my arm around Atticus’s and pulling. “Away, ye snake.”
That lightened Atticus’s mood, and a chuckle left him. A glance back showed Rhys’s amusement as well. While the lethal lawyer had always made me edgy, he was also the only one to be nice to me from the moment we’d met.
“I wouldn’t do that, you know,” I said.
Atticus stopped and looked down at me. “Do what?”
“Cheat. I know our relationship isn’t conventional, but still. I’m…yours,” I said, feeling my cheeks suddenly flame.
I hadn’t meant for it to come out like that, but it did, and I refused to look anywhere near him for fear I’d embarrass myself more.
His warm hand cupped my jaw and tilted my head back to look at him. The softness in his eyes caught me off guard.
“Just as I am yours.”
My heart began beating wildly in my chest, and it felt like I was going to explode. Leaning down, his lips brushed lightly against mine before pressing down, adding a heat that seeped into me. It coiled and flowed, invading every inch of me.
When he pulled back, what felt like minutes had only been seconds, and I followed his lips, searching for more.
“Come.”
We continued our circuit around the space, Atticus introducing me to so many people I couldn’t keep track. It was hard enough with the de Loughreys that were everywhere we turned. Anyone else from the evening was in one ear and out the other.
An hour later, I glanced around and spotted Rhys arguing with the twins. He looked thoroughly sloshed.
“Damn it,” Atticus grumbled, obviously seeing the same thing. “Stay here. I’ll be back.”
With each step from me, my inadequacies grew louder and louder that I didn’t belong. I stood out, earning my attention, and I no longer had the shield that Atticus’s larger-than-life reputation afforded.
I watched as he approached Rhys. Something about Rhys’s behavior struck me, and not in the rage-fueled drunkenness of Lou kind of way. There was a darkness in Rhys, a pain so deep that leached out when his walls were down.
Most people were preoccupied, too stuck in their own bubble to notice, but a few caught a glimpse. I tried to seem inconspicuous, but it was difficult when I had no idea how to act and knew hardly anyone. Gen was the only one I was even remotely close to, but if I went near her, I’d face the wrath of Atticus.
And I really didn’t want to disappoint him again.
“You seem out of place,” a deep voice called, and I turned to find a stunning man with blond hair and the face of a god.
Why did everyone in this world have to be so beautiful?
“Hello,” I said. An awkward feeling rolled in my stomach. I was certain Atticus would know who he was, and I desperately wished he’d return.
“I’m not sure I’ve seen you at one of these gatherings. You look out of place, and I feel it is my duty to make sure you are well taken care of.”
“She is.” The deep timbre of Atticus’s voice sent a shiver down my spine that was electrified when his hand rested on my hip and he pulled me back into him.
The man blinked. “Mr. de Loughrey, what a pleasure it is to see you tonight.”
“Go away, you toad, before I have you thrown out.”
He nodded, then sauntered away.
I turned in his arms and was met by that dark look again. My brow furrowed as I reached up and poked his cheek, his gaze angled down, directing his glare at me.
“That’s scary. I like how you called him a toad, though.”
“Why was he over here?”
I shrugged. “He just appeared.”
“Next time, turn and walk away.”
I furrowed my brow. “That would be rude.”
“Then be rude.”
“Is that proper de Loughrey behavior?”
The crease in his brow deepened and he scowled at me.
“That look is definitely not de Loughrey approved.” A small laugh left me, but as he looked at me with that overbearing intensity it died away. Why would he look at me like that?
“Are you…jealous?”
His gaze narrowed, and I would truly be frightened of the expression he wore if I didn’t sense that my intuition was correct.
“You are, aren’t you?”
He looked away, refusing to answer. “Come, we need to find our table.”
“What was that about with Rhys? He looked like he was hurt.”
“Rhys has his demons, like we all do. He just hides his very well until he can’t anymore.”
A gasp left me. While Atticus’s description left much out, it told me all I needed to know.
There was so much to each member of the family that it would take years to understand them all.
As we approached our table, a familiar blonde was heading toward us.
Penelope and Elizabeth were the siblings I’d seen the least of. She held a quietness about her, but that silence wasn’t due to shyness. She had a confidence and air along with a wall, much like her brother. The long-sleeved, high-neck, short black dress covered in rhinestones with knee high boots was another indication of her bold fashion sense.
“Pen,” Atticus said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Att.”
Att? It was the first time I’d ever heard a nickname for Atticus. It felt weird. And very informal for a man like him.
“Your dress seems short.”
She gave him the same neutral expression he wore. “My boots are tall.”
“Have you seen Gen?”
She nodded. “And when she tried to throw a fit, I pointed out that I was showing far less skin than she. Even Mother couldn’t complain.”
“Hmm.”
“Yes?”
“It’s very you.”
She gave her brother a slight smile. “Thank you.”
Most of the time a smile so small would seem disingenuous, but the reserved air that surrounded Penelope made it a beaming expression. It made me curious what had stunted the younger de Loughrey. Was she always so silent in her presence? Or, did it have to do with the title I’d heard—the tainted princess?
None of my research had pointed out why or how she received such a brand. Then again, the Binde
r of Doom was focused on Atticus.
Another beautiful creature with dark hair and a soft, glowing smile stepped in our direction. She wore a mermaid-style dress covered in a smattering of blue, green, and gold that reminded me of the ocean. The blue in her dress made her matching eyes almost glow.
“Georgiana, you are looking stunning, as always,” Atticus said, earning the sweetest, most beautiful smile I’d ever seen.
“So kind of you, Atticus.” She turned her stunning blue eyes to me, nearly knocking me over.
Atticus was regal like a lion, but Georgiana was regal like a goddess.
“And you must be Ophelia. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” She took my hand in hers. “Are you enjoying yourselves?”
I nodded. “Very much. You’ve done a beautiful job on everything.”
“It isn’t all me. I’m merely the face. There are dozens of volunteers that put in tireless hours to our cause.” She turned on a laser beam of a smile, a conspiratorial glint in her eye. It was the look of a salesman hooking their next target. “You know, we are always looking for volunteers if you’re interested.”
My mouth popped open, and I blinked at her. It was an idea I’d had, and this was my perfect opportunity.
“Yes, I would be.” I glanced to Atticus and blinked at the confusion etched across his face. “Would that be okay?” I asked, doubting myself.
He swallowed and nodded, pulling my hand up to his lips. “I think that would be wonderful.”
My reaction seemed to make him happy, and that made me happy. Plus, it would give me something to do other than waiting for the hours to pass.
“Wonderful,” Georgiana said with that dazzling smile.
Once again, a de Loughrey I didn’t understand. Her expression seemed completely pure, so unless she was a top-rate actress, Georgiana really was happy about me joining.
“Oh, there is my cue. Excuse me,” she said before popping away.
“She is…perfect,” I said to Atticus after she stepped away.
Atticus chuckled. “Georgiana, our little debutante. The only one that doesn’t cause me problems.”
I opened my mouth to say something, then quickly closed it.
“You were going to say something along the lines of they can’t all be that bad, weren’t you?”
