Forbidden Fate (Crowne Point 3)

My eyes cut to his. “Must be hard for you. That’s the only way you know how to solve your problems.”

I’d spoken out of turn, stepped over the line. Instead of looking furious, his eyes ignited.

“Snitch—”

“Grayson?”

We both froze; then he quickly left. Left without saying another word to either of us, shoving another sucker in his mouth.

I stared after him.

It felt like she’d caught us fucking or something, but all we’d done was talk.

I put Lottie’s tea down, and as she drank, I adjusted her big straw hat in silence.

I was ripped in two.

If Uncle would leave, I could leave. I wouldn’t be here, behind her.

I wouldn’t be here, seeing him.

“Do you wear lip gloss?” Lottie asked suddenly.

“Uh, no.”

“ChapStick?”

“No…”

She exhaled as though my answer was incorrect. I reached for the final touch to her outfit, white pearls. She was classy, elegant, looked as though she belonged at an English summer wedding.

“You can wear mine today.” She handed me a gilded, ornately designed tube.

“I don’t understand, Mrs. Crowne.”

“There will be plenty of press today,” Lottie said lightly. “You’ll need to look your best. But it should go without saying…” She lifted her eyes to mine in the mirror, barely visible beneath the big visor of her hat. “Stay away from them.”

“Of course, Mrs. Crowne.”

GRAY

* * *

That honesty.

I missed it like air.

Did Story know how badly I wanted to rip tha

t tray out of her hands and rip her to me?

Across the lawn my grandfather approached me with a man who looked only a few years younger. I drank my whiskey lemonade, unsure where the fuck this was headed, but certain it was somewhere bad.

“Grandfather,” I said when they approached, inclining my head to the new asshole.

“I thought it time to introduce you to Roger. Or, as you know him, District Attorney Millard.”

I shook his hand, eyes cold on Grandpa. “Nice to finally meet.”