Page 23 of Shattered Vows

She follows me down the stairs and walks quietly beside me, but her steps almost skip as we make our way down the cavernous hallway. Her gaze pings along the walls, her eyes widening with each new item. She doesn’t even speak until we leave the north wing.

“How old is this place?” Her voice is full of awe as though she’s never seen anything as ancient as this manor.

I suppose she likely hasn’t, given that she was a prisoner in her own home.

“Old.” I pick up my pace, not trusting myself to be alone with her for longer than I have to be.

Jesus, if I can’t even handle walking down a hallway with her, how am I going to feign falling in love with her?

“Was it always your family’s home?” She seems particularly interested in the art on the walls as we pass through the rooms. If Rapsody had any idea how much it was all worth, she’d probably have another one of her anxiety attacks.

“My ancestors built it many generations ago. The Voss family has resided here ever since.”

She must sense from my tone that I don’t particularly want to talk about my family’s past, and she purses her lips, remaining quiet the rest of the walk to the dining room.

I didn’t tell anyone she would be joining us this morning. Wasn’t sure if I could go through with my plan. So it’s no surprise when we walk in side by side, the conversation comes to an abrupt halt, silverware clanking on plates as four sets of eyes stare at us in shock.

If things go according to my plan, then Rapsody will be intimidated and frightened by the three men sitting at the table and will seek comfort and safety from me, the only person she really knows here. Anabelle might be a challenge for me, with her nurturing side, but I trust that Rapsody will find solace with me.

It’s just another puzzle piece sliding into place and sealing her fate for destruction.

Chapter

Eleven

RAPSODY

Iswallow hard as the three men and one woman all stare wide-eyed at us. One of the men actually has a piece of cantaloupe on a fork frozen in front of his mouth. I’d been so excited to have some human interaction and get out of that godforsaken tower that I hadn’t thought about who I would be meeting and how I might be received.

“This is Rapsody.” Kol thumbs toward me and continues to the right side of the table. He sits while I stand rooted to the spot.

The woman is the first one to break the ensuing silence, pushing back from the table. “Rapsody, it’s wonderful to meet you.” She walks toward me and envelops me in a hug. “I’m Anabelle, Asher’s wife.”

Anabelle smells like the wealthy women at church, and when she pulls back to smile at me, I watch as her big brown eyes look me over.

I can’t help but return her smile. “Nice to meet you.”

She’s in a sophisticated dress one might wear to an office and her brown hair hangs wavy to her breasts, but she looks to be about my age. Though I can tell from how she carries herself that her twenty-three is much more worldly than mine.

“Rapsody, we’ve heard a lot about you,” the man seated beside Kol says.

It’s nice to hear people call me by my real name rather than Lillian, a name that never felt true to me.

He rises from his seat and makes his way over to me, but instead of hugging me like Anabelle, he takes my hand and brings it to his lips, pressing a kiss against my knuckles. My face heats when I meet his dark, penetrating gaze. A tattoo of a wolf peeks up over the collar of his dress shirt, and his dark wavy hair has been styled back away from his face.

I can only imagine what Kol must have said about me, so I answer with, “Not good things, I assume.”

The entire room breaks out in laughter—everyone except Kol, whose gaze I catch with questions. He seems perturbed by the comment, as if he didn’t expect me to speak during breakfast.

Then why did he bring me?

I may not be used to being social, but now that I’ve been given the chance to interact with other people, you’d better believe I’m going to. Who knows when I’ll get the chance again?

“I’m Obsidian, but everyone calls me Sid. Glad you’ll be joining us today.”

I smile and nod.

“I’m Nero,” a man on the opposite side of the table says, raising his hand in greeting. “It’s good to meet you.”

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