Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Are you hungry?” he asks, his voice gentle.
I shake my head automatically, then pause, my stomach twisting, a low growl betraying me. I’d starved myself all day to fit into this dress, skipped breakfast and lunch, barely sipped water, and now I feel quite faint; the wine’s buzz is no help. “Actually,” I say, my voice almost lost in the music, “I’m starving.”
He nods, and it seems as though he’s a little bit amused at my admission. His gaze, though, remains steady, and it makes my chest ache.
“Do you want to stay here longer?” he asks, leaning close.
“No, no,” I reply. “Somewhere quieter. A restaurant, maybe.” I need air, space, a chance to think, to sort through the mess Meredith left.
He rises, offering his arm. “Let’s go then.”
His hand hovers near my elbow, not touching but close enough for me to feel its warmth. We step into London’s night, the city sharp and alive, and the air cool against my bare shoulders. His car pulls up to the curb and in no time, we are in the thick of the restless city.
He takes me to an exclusive place called Pepisco, its subtle black signage glowing softly. Inside, it is a grotto of warmth: with stylish aubergine walls, their edges softened by sprawling ivy, and candles flickering on every table, casting golden pools that dance across cream linen and catch the delicate glassware like prisms. A saxophone’s mournful hum weaves through the air. Like VIPs, we’re ushered to an intimate corner, a window framing the street’s quiet glow, the world outside a blur.
More obsequious staff appear to serve us. Bending and bowing, their speech a reverential murmur. Nothing is too much trouble for the Duke of Beauclerk. Complimentary champagne cocktails are quietly produced as a menu without prices is respectfully handed to me.
I scan it. It is a parade of decadence—seared Scottish scallops with saffron foam, risotto with Lombardi truffle, succulent grass-fed lamb with rosemary jus. Everything looks like it would taste amazing to my sluggish mind, but eventually, I settle on a roasted duck breast, drawn to its promise of crispy skin and a tart cherry glaze. It is paired with herbed gnocchi, and I have always loved the soft and comforting feel and taste of well-made gnocchi.
Hugh chooses the rib-eye steak, and asks for an unpronounceable bottle of wine. Something that sounds French, but I can’t be sure. I’m not good with European languages. The snobbishly erect sommelier gravely nods his approval.
“Very good, Sir.”
The wine comes, a solemn, almost religious ritual in itself. Once it has been tasted, and approved, it is carefully poured by a man in white gloves into tall wine glasses. Its deep ruby catches the candlelight, and I sip the velvet liquid, aware that this much attention and courtesy must be costly. Very costly.
The candles flicker, softening Hugh’s face, the sharp edges blurred in the glow, and I feel it, the pull to let go, to sink into this night, into him.
The food follows, steaming, fragrant—my duck rich, its skin cracking under my fork, the glaze a burst of sweet and sharp, the gnocchi melting, pillowy, each bite a small salvation.
Hugh’s quiet, his eyes are on me, steady, searching, and the setting wraps us in something dangerous—romantic, undeniable. My heart whispers to live, to savor this fleeting magic, to hell with tomorrow. But Meredith’s voice claws me back—trash, like the rest.
I tense, my fork pausing mid-air.
I want to trust him, to believe in the man who flew a singing star across the world for me, but fear holds me, a cold claw around my heart. I’m caught, torn between falling and fleeing. My heart says enjoy, live for now; my head says, guard up, don’t fall.
I cut another piece of duck, the knife gliding smoothly. He must not suspect the war going on inside me.
Chapter
Thirty-Two
HUGH
The candlelight casts soft shadows across Lauren’s face. Her lips are stained faintly red. I can’t shake the unease curling in my gut—something shifted after she came back from the Ladies’ room, her brightness dimming, her smiles tighter, like she’s keeping a secret from me.
It’s unnerving how attuned I am to her, how every flicker in her eyes pulls at me. Of course, I’ve always read people well—business demands it—but with her, it’s as if I’m wired to her moods. When she’s lit up, as she was earlier with Raye, I feel it like a warmth spreading through me. Now, though, she’s quieter, her gaze drifting, and I feel in my gut that something is up. I need to know what’s wrong and fix it. I’m not used to caring this much. The rational part of me hates her pull, the way she makes me feel alive, unguarded, chasing her every shift like a melody I can’t predict.
Her fork glints in the candlelight as she cuts into the duck breast, the crispy skin giving way with a faint crackle, revealing the tender, glistening meat beneath. I’m trying not to stare, but it’s impossible. Lauren is a quiet storm across the table, her every move tantalizing me. The red dress clings to her, her bare shoulders catching the golden glow of the candlelight. A stray curl has slipped free, and it brushes her cheek softly. My fingers twitch with the aching need to reach across and tuck it back, to feel the softness of her skin.