Mr Spencer (Mr. 2)

“You’re just bored.” She sighs. “And I want you to break free, I really do.”

I smirk.

“To be honest, it’s time you broke out of Edward’s reign,” she continues.

Lara hates the way that Edward tries to control me, to the point they have had many an argument. I think they secretly like each other but would never admit it.

“Edward is…” I shake my head as I try to articulate my thoughts. “He’s at the height of his controlling phase.”

“Ha, what’s new?”

“William came home this week and Edward called Penelope a whore. They had a huge fight, and William took off back to Switzerland.”

“Penelope is a whore.” She screws up her face. “I wish she’d gone back to Denmark with that German she was fucking,” she adds. “If she just left William back then, he would be over her by now. Maybe he’d finally be with someone deserving.”

“I know, she makes me sick.” I sigh.

A comfortable silence falls over us, until Lara smiles at me, something clearly on her mind.

“What?”

“Why don’t you move to London?”

“Lars.” I sigh. “When are you going to give up on this?” She’s been trying to talk me into moving for about eighteen months now.

“Never.” She takes my hands across the table. “It’s not like you can’t afford it. Your trust fund is bigger than the English reserve bank. Look, just move there for six months, date gorgeous men, have fun, meet new people. Elizabeth is in London, and you can go out and meet new people.”

I stare at her.

“You are going to go crazy in that stuffy castle of a prison, Charlotte. You are wasting the best years of your life.”

“It’s not a prison,” I retort. “I live there because of my father, and it’s my home.”

“Bullshit. Edward will control you while you continue to live there, and you know it.”

I stare at her.

“He knows who you date, when you get home, what you are eating for dinner.”

I sip my wine. “It’s true, he does.”

“All I’m saying is that it’s great that you’re ready to start dating, but do it in London, away from your brother.”

“I love my brother, Lars. I know he’s just trying to protect us all after mum died.”

“I know he is, too, and he’s a good man. Just misunderstood.” She smiles as she watches me. “He goes away tomorrow for six weeks, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah.” I frown. “How do you know that?”

Her face falters. “You mentioned it the other week.”

I stare at her for a moment. I didn’t even find this out until two days ago, and I haven’t spoken to Lara in that time.

“What are you doing in town, Lars?” I ask casually.

Is she fucking my brother?

No. Don’t be stupid.