Forbidden Fate (Crowne Point 3)

And West? The idea of West living in this house, even if it was far in the north wing, the one the maids said was haunted, made my throat burn.

It was still too close to Story.

“You’re my wife…what’s mine is yours.”

I glanced at the clock. I’d already wasted ten minutes. The sun would go down soon, and that was another night Story was out there.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“Are you really leaving me after I just lost my home?” She stared up at me, eyes wide.

If I could just find Story and calm the tempest inside my chest, I could handle this later. I could comfort her. I could.

I don’t know how she’s managed to hide from me.

But I know it’s not good.

Another stale silence passed; then my mother smiled. “Why don’t we have dinner, and we can work out the logistics? Will Westley be joining us?”

“He’s on his way,” Mrs. du Lac said. “He said he had some big news for us. What news can be bigger than this…I don’t know.”

A look flickered in Mr. du Lac’s eyes.

I found Lottie. “I won’t be staying for dinner.”

“Where are you going? What is so important you have to leave me?”

The mother of my child was missing.

I can’t breathe.

My grandfather watched, eyes sharp.

“Later, Lottie. I’ll talk to you later.”

I wasn’t even down the steps when my grandfather’s voice stopped me.

“Grayson.”

I paused, then kept going. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“You’re married now. You don’t get to be a playboy. You need to come into Crowne Industries and do the fucking work.”

“Later,” I gritted.

“I’m not going to let you ruin this family for some cunt. If you have to learn that lesson the way your father did, so be it.”

Ice cold in my veins.

I stopped on the cobblestone driveway, warmed in the golden autumn sun. When I turned, my grandfather was on the last step, only a few inches from me.

“And what lesson would that be, Grandfather?”

He gave me a cold smile. “You won’t have anything to risk it for if she’s not—”

Years of repressed anger and abuse came to the surface and I slammed my fist into my grandfather’s face.

Eighteen