Don't Tell (Don't 1)

“She doesn’t have a choice. The entire country watched while she received you. If she dissed you in front of them, she’d look like a bitch. She has to be nice to you. That probably just pissed her off.”

“The rest of them didn’t act like that.” Although, I didn’t have a good read on Dominic.

Brooklyn shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s their brother. Not their first son. My mom is ridiculous when it comes to my brother. You know that. Thomas this. Thomas that. He is the definition of the prodigal soon.” She looked up. “Well, until I met these guys.”

I laughed. “Ok, good point. Thomas has always had it easy and your mother never likes the girlfriends. Valid example.”

“Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” Brooklyn’s face turned white.

“What is it?”

She cowered in the corner, trying to hide behind me.

“Him.”

“Who?”

“From the gala.”

I thought she was talking about the MC. “Yeah, I know. He’s the royal announcer apparently.”

She shook her head. “Not the old guy. Him.” She pointed carefully. “Sebastian R

oux. The duke. He was the one.”

“The one you went home with at the gala?” I questioned.

“Yes,” she eked. “Shit. What if he sees me?”

“Is that bad?”

I still had no idea what happened the night of the gala. We had managed to be so short on time it wasn’t discussed. I assumed I would get the details eventually, but not like this in a room full of hundreds of people.

“It’s terrible.”

I looked at Brooklyn. “Did he do something?” I was worried. “Did he hurt you?”

“Oh God no. Nothing like that. No, he wasn’t like that.” She gulped. “He saw me. He’s coming over.”

There was no point in trying to conceal my best friend. I saw the man she was talking about and he was on a mission. He was headed straight for us.

33

Damon

“You realize this is beneath you.” I stared at my mother. She hadn’t softened since she left Freychon.

“It’s certainly beneath you,” she snapped. “She’s not crown material. You know that. She will disgrace your father’s legacy.”

I leaned toward her as if I was going to kiss her cheek and smiled. “I am my father’s legacy. And I have chosen her.”

I took a step back. There were too many ears in the vicinity. Too many bullshitters who would eavesdrop and gloat over our family squabble. Happy that we were broken since my father died. One more sign the House of Sauvage should hand over the royal reins to another family.

My mother clicked her tongue. “Looks like Sebastian has the same taste you do.”

I rotated in time to see Roux’s hand land on Molly’s wrist. She tried to shake him off.

I cut through the dancefloor.