The video my sister had mentioned. “I can explain that…”
“Of course, you can. I’m sure it’ll just be another lie that I won’t be able to prove. But I’ll be honest with you, I sucked Linc’s cock.”
She tries to make it sound like she wanted it. As if he didn’t blackmail her into it. I get it. She wants to hurt me like I hurt her. But she has no clue what I have and haven’t done.
“How’s that make you feel?” she barks out at my silence.
I step into her, pushing her back into the counter, and she sucks in a breath when I cup her face. “I watched you on your knees in your bedroom for him, Elli.” Tears start to fill her eyes at my confession, her lips beginning to tremble. “I know he forced your hand. And I know you did it for me.” Sighing, I add, “I’m sorry but I saw it after the fact. I’ll never forgive myself for not being able to protect you.”
Her teary eyes narrow on mine, and then she reaches up, slapping me across the face. “You son a bitch—”
“ENOUGH!” her father shouts, making her jump. I think she forgot he was present. I didn’t. I just don’t give a fuck if he knows or not. She’s mine. No one can take her from me.
She takes in a deep breath and her eyes meet mine, that first tear finally falling down her cheek. “I hate you,” she manages to say through gritted teeth.
The words mean nothing to me because it doesn’t matter. “Hate me all you want, I’m still your husband and no one can change that. Not even you.”
ELLINGTON
MARRIAGE?
I’m Mrs. Easton Sinnett?
He watched me suck Linc off in my bedroom? How?
My heart is pounding at his betrayal. At this point, I can’t tell what’s a truth or a lie.
“I think we need to sit.” My father breaks the silence and Sin takes a step back from me, giving me some breathing room, and I run a hand through my hair.
Following them into the living room, I sit on the couch, making sure there’s plenty of room between me and Sin. My mind yells at me that I should be pissed but it also says I told you he wasn’t done with you. I knew everything he said to me was a lie in his bathroom at the house of Lords. I was more to him than just a fuck. Wife never crossed my mind, though.
I’m married to Easton Bradley Sinnett. I wish I could scream it to the world. But it’s obvious we have to keep it a secret. I hope not forever.
Sin is the first to break the silence. “I spoke to Chance earlier. He’s calling off the wedding.”
I want to ignore him, but I can’t help but ask, “Why? You said we needed it to happen. Look believable.” My voice is soft. Shaking hands folded in my lap. I’m trying to calm my nerves. I want to slap him and fuck him right now. I’ve never been this confused in my life and that’s saying a lot.
“We did,” he answers. “But that was before your father was dropped off at our door.”
I look over at my father sitting across from us and he’s already staring at me. I drop my eyes, still not ready to tackle that situation. I tend to think I can handle a lot, but one thing at a time.
“Well, once I stopped Linc, I was going to make it a big scene, but things have changed.” He relaxes into the couch and jealousy makes my body heat rise at how calm he is right now after what we both revealed to one another in the kitchen. “A Lord is taught to show the world our power. That’s why we have confessionals at the cathedral. We string up those that do us wrong in front of our fellow Lords. And that was my plan for Linc, but now that’s no longer an option. We’ve got to do it quietly.”
When my father doesn’t say anything, I ask again, “Why?”
“Because to the world, your father is dead. We have to keep him hidden and make sure no one knows except the ones we want to know.”
“Which is no one,” my father states.
Sin frowns at him in question.
My father leans forward, elbows on his knees. “There were only two people who knew my brother existed and could have set up my death.”
“Who are they?” Sin asks.
“I’d rather not say just yet,” my father answers and Sin shifts, no longer comfortable.
“Are you serious?” he asks.
My father nods. “It would ruin several lives if I’m wrong.”
“Several lives have already been ruined,” I state, getting to my feet. Why is he here if he’s not going to help us? Who knows if he was even where he says he was for the last nine years. Who knows what he’s been doing? We may never know the truth.
“Elli?” Sin sighs my name.
“Forget it, Sin.” I wave him off. “He’s not going to help us. So whatever you did to get him out wasn’t worth it.”
My father jumps to his feet too. “Ellington,” he growls my name. “You don’t know what’s going on.”
“I know enough!” I shout at him. “I’m so fucking tired of the lies, the secrets. The Lords do nothing but fuck up everything. And all you guys do is make excuses and cover for them.” Turning my back on them, I head to the master suite. I slam the door shut and lock it. Not like it’s going to keep Sin out. If he wanted to, he’d kick it down.
Placing my forehead on the cool wood, I take in a deep breath and realize he didn’t follow me.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
SIN
I STAY WHERE I am, not done with my conversation with Nicholas, standing in the middle of the living room.
“Why did you trick her into marrying you?” he asks, not sounding mad like any caring father would.
I glare at him but don’t respond. See how he likes the silent treatment.
“Easton, things aren’t always what they seem. Especially with the Lords,” he says defensively as to why he wouldn’t answer my questions.
“You think I don’t know that?” I give a rough laugh. We’re not supposed to question them. Ever. We get assignments, we follow out the orders, and then we move on.
“They’ll test her,” he goes on. “A Lady has to be initiated.”
“They already have,” I inform him. “She passed.”
He bows his head, shaking it as if he can’t believe what’s going on right now. But he doesn’t bother asking what they required her to do in order to be my wife.
My phone starts to ring, and I pull it out of my back pocket. Seeing it’s Chance, I hit answer and walk over to the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Yeah?”
“It’s canceled. But just giving you a heads-up, Linc and Laura aren’t happy.”
“Of course not. They think you were their only option for her.”
“Yeah, well, just wanted to let you know.”
I can tell he’s still pissed at me. I hope he can tell that I don’t give a fuck how he feels about his situation involving my wife. “Thanks,” I say dryly and hang up. Turning around, I see Nicholas standing by the couch, holding a picture in his hand.
Sliding my cell into my back pocket, I stuff my hand into it as well and realize that he’s holding the picture I had of Elli that I found in the box in my father’s office. I rush over and yank it from his hand. It must have slipped out when I removed my phone. I’ve always got it on me, not wanting Elli to find it.