Page 110 of When Hearts Surrender

“This is just speculation from my end. But anyway, I came in here to tell you the result of the charity gala.”

My ears perk up and I spin around and face her, the excitement temporarily dousing the need to find Agnes and give her a piece of my mind.

Melody beams. “We raised ten million dollars for depression and anxiety research.”

I gasp. “Ten million?” It’s far more than I expected for one night of dancing and auctioning.

She nods and waggles her brows. “Just got the numbers from the accountant, so I had to tell you right away! I’ll send the results to Ms. Lana so she can tell the press too. This is such great news!”

I squeal, leap out of my chair, and wrap Melody in a hug. “Yes! This is awesome! Thanks for telling me!”

“It’s you, Belle! People loved how you stepped up on the stage for the speech and how Sir Maxwell came to your defense when your boss attacked you. Everyone is saying you two are the power couple and how brave Sir Maxwell was for stepping into the spotlight when he was obviously anxious about it.”

She pulls away, grinning as she traipses back to the door. “Congratulations on being asmashingsuccess.” Her voice takes on a very posh accent, as if she’s an amateur trying out for a British film. She gives me a thumbs-up. “And you look hot tonight! Sir Maxwell will absolutelydie. Have fun! And don’t mind what Agnes said. She’s just an old grouch.”

The floorboards of the hallway creak as Melody leaves.

I hear the now familiar moaning wails whistling down the empty halls and suddenly, a door slams in the distance.

I jolt, my fingers flying to my locket as I recall my previous conversations with Agnes, all her cryptic warnings and disapproving glares.

Silas whines and I look at him, finding him growling at the closed door, his lone eye fierce and teeth bared.

“It’s just the air and the old house, Silas,” I murmur, reaching down to pet him, even as an insidious thread of unease resurfaces.

Agnes is trying to scare me away. That has to be it.

Silas barks again, clawing at the door, his nails digging into the dark wood. I open the door and he darts out, disappearing into the eerie quiet, chasing an unknown phantom that has been lurking in the shadows.

It’s Agnes trying to scare me. Curses aren’t real.Goosebumps prickle my forearms, and the room swirls around me. Cold sweat dots the back of my neck and I grab the doorframe for support, my eyes closing until the black dots disappear from my vision.

Stress.That’s what the doctor said. I’m so firing Agnes for putting me through this crap.

Another haunting wail echoes from far away, followed by a damp chill running up my spine.

I clutch the locket tighter in my grip, the metal flowers digging into the flesh of my fingers as I heave in deep breaths.

There is no curse. There can’t be. But deep down inside me, a voice whispers,what if?

Chapter 40

I can’t stop staringat her during dinner.

The creamy swells of her tits are taunting me in this deep V-neck dress she has on. My cock twitches as I stare at her placing a small morsel of food in her mouth as we dine in a private room inside Carlisle’s, one of the restaurants we have within The Orchid.

She moans and the juice from her steak drips out. Then she dips her tongue to wipe it off.

That talented tongue of hers. My cock hardens when I think about the blow job she gave me this morning in the shower, the way that pink tongue of hers swirled around my sensitive tip while she sucked me like I was her favorite popsicle, her tawny eyes dilated, gaze drunk with lust.

I groan and clutch my steak knife and fork in a death grip.What the fuck is wrong with me?Before her, I could go months without sex and even when I had it, it was never this desperate craving I’ve had with her.

“What’s wrong?” Her brows quirk up in concern. “You haven’t really touched your food. Aren’t you hungry?”

My little muse is oblivious.

“You,” I rasp.

“Huh?” She looks adorably confused.

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