“She’s having it renovated so she’s brought most of the stuff over here,” he says.
Come to think of it, that was where I saw this teapot. And that swan wicker basket.
“Wow,” I say. “So if not for her, we wouldn’t have met.”
“I guess,” Gavin agrees. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to forgive her, though, not after all she’s done.”
Me? I’m not sure. Like I said, forgiveness is earned. Maybe I can forgive her in time. But not now.
I look at Gavin. “What do you think the Council will do to her?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Gavin
“Fiona will spend the rest of her life locked up,” Thomas assures me. “I won’t say where, but you can rest assured that she will get what she deserves.”
“Even though she was your girlfriend?” I ask.
Thomas makes an expression of disgust, like he’s just eaten something bitter.
“No one in the Club has any sympathy for her,” he answers. “No one.”
“And Owen Reed?” I ask.
“Owen Reed is no longer a member of this Club,” Elias says as a nurse wheels him into the room.
I look at him. “Shouldn’t you be resting in bed?”
“Yes, shouldn’t you be?” Thomas echoes.
Elias snorts. “I’ve rested enough. I’m all better. Anyway, as I was saying, Owen and Fiona will never be seen again. That you can be sure of.”
It’s vague, but it will have to be enough.
I nod. “Then you have my gratitude.”
“You have ours,” Elias tells me. “If not for you, this Club would have gone to hell. Who knows who could have ended up dead next?”
“And all because she wanted to be on the Council,” Thomas says. “When her husband died, she wanted his seat but we didn’t give it to her.”
“Because she was a woman,” I say.
Thomas nods. “She took it hard. She thought that if she couldn’t have power out in the open, then she would just pull strings from the shadows. And that’s what she did.”
“She was trying to control the members of the Club through the prizes,” Elias says. “Those she couldn’t control or who weren’t of any use to her, she decided to get rid of in one way or another.”
“Like she tried to get rid of me,” I say.
Elias nods.
“Well, maybe if the women are made to feel as much a part of Ambrosia as the men are, this won’t happen in the future,” I go on.
To my surprise, Elias gives another nod.
“I have been thinking of that,” he says. “I think it’s time some changes were made in the Club.”
“Change can be good,” I agree.
“You can make suggestions, of course, especially now that you’re a member of the Council,” Elias adds.
My eyebrows arch. “I’m sorry?”
“Elias and I have talked about this, and we think you should occupy the vacant seat on the Council,” Thomas says. “The other members have agreed.”
I place a hand over my chest. “I’m honored.”
Elias smiles.
“But I have to decline,” I add. “In fact, I was thinking of not actively participating in the Club for a while.”
“What?” Elias’s jaw drops.
I bet if he could, he would get out of that chair.
“I’m going to be busy, I’m afraid,” I tell them. “With new business deals, and also with my family.”
“Family?” Thomas’s eyebrows crease.
“Leah is carrying my child,” I announce. “As it turns out, she was a waitress at a masquerade party some months ago. I met her there, and well…”
“You bid on her not knowing she was carrying your child?” Elias asks me.
I shake my head. “Needless to say, she will be keeping the child.”
“Of course,” Elias says. “Fate likes to play tricks, indeed.”
“Indeed,” I agree.
“Well, we understand,” Thomas says. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I answer. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I’ll be going back to my prize.”
I have something important to tell her.
~
I find Leah in one of the guest rooms at the apartment. She’s standing in the middle of the room with a hand on her hip and another on her chin, deep in thought. She’s so absorbed in her thoughts, in fact, that she jumps when she hears my voice.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
She places her hand over her chest. “Well, I was thinking about the nursery and…”
She stops. Her eyes grow wide as she finally looks at me.
“You shaved.”
“I did.” I stroke my smooth chin. “I got that deal with Lawson’s son today, so I decided to finally lose the beard.”
Leah walks towards me and touches my chin. Her smile returns.
“You look good.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “You think so?”
She nods. “I’m surprised, but yeah, you look… nice.”
I grin and touch her cheek. “Well, that’s not the only surprise you’re getting.”
Her eyebrows crease.
I go down on one knee in front of her and take the satin box out of my pocket. Leah gasps.
I open the box so she can see the diamond ring inside. She clamps both hands over her mouth as her eyes glisten with disbelief.