“And he means well.”
“I never said?—“
“You don’t want to marry him.” Her words are simple and matter-of-fact, like she’s listing groceries for an upcoming shopping trip.
“I mean, ah, I can’t say, we just?—“
“It’s fine, Talin, honestly. Why would you? None of this is exactly fair.”
I shake my head, cheeks red with shame. I know Riley better than her brother, and she’s always been nice to me, but we’ve never been close.
“It’s nothing personal. I mean, it’s not about him.”
She snorts, giving me a look. “Bullshit. That’s what I said about Alexan back in the day, but we all know that isn’t true.”
“But I don’t even know him.”
“And what are the chances you will fall madly in love?”
“Like you and Alexan did.”
She taps a finger to her lips thoughtfully. “Good point. I guess arrangements really can work out.”
“Are you trying to make me feel better?”
“Not really. I’m mostly trying to help you work up the courage to talk to him, because I promise, he won’t come talk to you.”
“Why not?”
“It’s just not his nature.”
“He can always change.”
“Sorry, Tallie, but that’s not likely.” She turns me toward where Brenden was standing, but he’s no longer there. “Rats, looks like he slipped away. Bastard probably knew what I was doing.”
“It’s fine, really. I’ll just… I don’t know… mingle?”
“With who? This party’s exhausting. Seriously, Tallie, this is hard, but take your chances when you get them, okay?”
She leaves me to stew. I grab a glass of champagne and think about what she said. Why wouldn’t Brenden come to me? After what he did in the office, I feel like he owes me that much at least. But the more I obsess about it, and the more I touch the twin lighters I have shoved into the small pocket in my dress, the more pissed off I become.
This is his mess too. I’m not in this alone. He’s marrying me and he should take some ownership of that. Did he know that day in the office? Did he know who I was the whole time and didn’t bother saying anything?
Maybe that’s why he was so forward.
He felt like he owned me already.
I need space. The party feels suffocating. I slip away into the house where the air conditioning cools the sweat on my skin and makes me shiver. I stalk down a side hall and into a quiet wing where guests don’t usually go.
I’m vaguely familiar with the mansion. I didn’t grow up here, but my father has been bringing us for visits throughout the years. I’ve explored all the rooms and side hallways and the strange hidden crevices with Sam and we’ve gotten in trouble more than once for getting into places that we shouldn’t. My cousins are all older than I am and I didn’t really know them growing up, but I’ve always loved this house. It’s so strange and big, a relic of another era.
I lean against the wall near a window and gather myself together. I can’t let Brenden fluster me so much, not when I don’t even know the guy. We had one interaction and nothing more. He went down on me, got me off better than I’ve ever managed it in my life, and convinced me to steal from an old couple of arms dealers. All in all, a fun twenty minutes.
I’m feeling better when I hear a noise in a room nearby. There shouldn’t be anyone back here. These are mostly empty guest suites. I’m pretty sure nobody’s ever stayed in any of them. I drift over to where I heard the bump and hesitate, listening at the door, and there it is again. A soft knocking, like someone’s banging against a wall with a muffled hammer.
“Hello?” I open the door and peer inside. “Is there anyone in here?” Thoughts of ghosts, of long-dead owners of this place, or maybe long-murdered victims of the Sarkissian family, make me feel jumpy. I know what the Sarkissians do, and there are some very nasty rumors about the brothers, especially the current Patron. From what I’ve heard, Arsen had a psychotic break and went crazy on some members of his family back in the day. I’m not sure how much I believe that though.
“Is that you, Talin?”