Page 2 of The Cruelty of Thorns

The drinks arrived and Kristin pushed the glass of wine in front of me with an arched brow that dared me not to drink it. I took a sip, hid my distaste, and shifted my attention to the front windows where a steady stream of people, most of them young and probably students, drifted by. The girls at the table were chattering on about some show they were watching on Netflix, their conversation blending into the white noise of the room.

And that’s when I saw him.

He was standing on the sidewalk outside; tall and pale, with cheekbones like cut glass and a tail of long brown hair that shimmered in the soft glow of the old-fashioned streetlights that dotted the area. An air of aloofness set him apart from the tide; that and the fact that unlike the casually-dressed students, he wore a well-cut dark suit that showed off a lean physique.

When he turned and faced the window, I felt my breath hitch. He had the most arresting eyes I had ever seen, and they were staring straight at me. How he could see into the dimly-lit bar I couldn’t say, but I was sure he had caught me watching him. As if to confirm this, his full lips curled up in a slow smirk. I felt my skin flush and tore my eyes away, feigning interest in the conversation at the table. Still, I couldn’t help but watch out of the corner of my eye as he entered the bar and made his way toward the back with a sideways glance in my direction.

I picked up my glass and took a healthy swallow, nearly gagging on the alcohol as I watched him approach the far end of the bar and lean over to say something to the bartender. He was even more impressive from this vantage point, and as much as I might have feigned no interest in men, I found myself thinking he was the most beautiful one I had ever seen.

Two of the girls from our table were just coming out of the restroom and passed by where he was standing. The tall one, Lisa, was a beauty with long black hair, almond-shaped green eyes, and a body that most men would kill for. The man turned as she walked by and watched her with an almost hungry interest in his gaze, and something about that look stirred an uneasy jealousy in me. Fool, I scolded myself. As if someone like him would be interested in you.

The man stood with his back to the bar for several minutes, looking over the room without ordering a drink, then walked slowly back outside, where he disappeared into the night. I wasn’t sure if I was happy about that or not, and once again I was cross with myself for even entertaining those kinds of thoughts.

“Just another pretty face,” I murmured under my breath.

Kristin looked over at her. “Did you say something?”

“No. Talking to myself.”

My roommate’s eyes dropped to my almost-full glass of wine with a frown. “Are you going to drink that?”

“Probably not.” She reached over and grabbed the glass, pouring the remaining wine into her own. “By all means, help yourself.”

Kristin ignored the barb and looked around the table. “Everyone else ready for another round?” When she got an enthusiastic yes, she motioned to the server. I noticed with satisfaction that this time she ordered a Coke for me.

When the drinks arrived, I tried to join in the conversation, but my mind kept going back to the mysterious man in the suit. I had never had that kind of reaction to a man before, and it bothered me. While I may have considered myself a romantic at heart, that was mostly in literature. I had never carried those flights of fancy into real life, but I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering back to him. I could still see his face and feel the effect of those eyes when they met mine. Who was he, and why had he come into the bar tonight only to leave a few minutes later? I had no answers, but I had a feeling that wouldn’t stop him from populating my thoughts.

CHAPTER 3

INTERLUDE

Innocence lost

I WAS EIGHTEEN when she found me, still young enough to be captivated by her cruel beauty. It was the Feast of San Giovanni Battiste and the streets of Genoa were alive with revelers. I was following the parade with my usual companions, Francesco and Gianni, sharing a bottle of wine and looking for entertainment that didn’t involve landing our necks in a noose when I spotted a dark-eyed youth watching me with more than random curiosity. He was slight, thin and pale, though dressed well, as though he came from one of the better houses. I dismissed him at first, but when he continued to observe me a few blocks later, my own curiosity was piqued. I excused myself from my friends and walked over to him.

“Is there something I can help you with?” I asked him.

He looked down, avoiding my eyes, and spoke in a halting voice barely audible above the chaos of the street. “Not me, sir, but my mistress is very much interested in you.”

I glanced around; I didn’t see anyone else near him. I was hoping to spot a young maiden too shy to approach, though most of the girls of high station here were either accompanied by family or chaperones. Not that I was being picky; I’d take a servant girl or a prostitute tonight. Anything to while away the hours before dawn.

“And who is this mistress of yours?” I asked.

“The Contessa Anastacia.”

A Contessa? “What does she want with me?” I wondered aloud. Had I somehow offended this woman? She couldn’t possibly be interested in me as a companion. While I knew my way around a bedroom, that was mostly with girls my own age. On occasion I had been told I was handsome, but I was still in my youth.

The boy continued to avoid my gaze. “I am not privy to my mistress’s reasons, only that she asked me to fetch you to her.”

Why not? I was looking for adventure tonight, and this sounded just interesting enough to qualify. “Let me tell my companions–”

“You cannot say anything about the Contessa,” he was quick to interrupt.

I stared at him, curiosity momentarily supplanted by caution. “Unless she has a couple of ladies for my companions, I will have to take my leave of them.”

The boy nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Of course. I will wait for you over by the fountain.”

He ducked into the crowd while I made my way back to my friends, who I noted with amusement hadn’t even noticed my absence, so intent were they on watching a group of beauties gathered outside one of the shops.

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