Page 28 of Sinful

I cast a sideways glance at him. “Are you saying I can’t trust you, Augustus?”

He chuckled. “No. I am just saying that perception is everything, and some outsiders may perceive my word as untrustworthy, given my position in the community along with my past issues regarding the…” He trailed off, smile fading. “The accusation. About your mother.”

Anger flared in my stomach again. I had to change the subject before it was written all over my face. “That makes sense,” I said evenly. “You said something about a feast tonight. What’s that about?”

“Ah, yes. As I told you earlier, we always have community feasts on Saturdays, but tonight is extra special. We are holding a proving ritual for one of our young men to see if he can be cleared for the outside world. He wishes to study to be a healer.”

“Am I allowed to attend?”

“Yes. It is just a minor ritual.” He clapped a hand on my back again. “Just remember. No recording.”

“Of course.”

I smiled thinly as I spoke. The only thing Augustus was concerned about right now was the possibility of me exposing one of the Covenant’s rituals to the world with a secret video recording. He would eventually discover that that was the very least of his worries, but by the time he finally came to that realization, it would be too late.

By then, his darling Rosamund would already be gone.

8

Sebastian

“Mister?”

I looked up to see the teenage son of the tavern proprietors standing at my door. “Yeah?”

“Governor Trudeau is here to see you.”

I rose to my feet. “Thanks, my guy.”

He dipped his chin in a brief nod, turned, and scurried back downstairs. I leaned down to lace my shoes up, grabbed a jacket, slipped a knife inside the left pocket, and trudged down to the first floor, eyeing the talismans hanging on the banister as I went.

Despite the creepy symbols everywhere, the tavern was a nice little place overall, run by a couple and their two kids who lived in a house attached at the back. They’d all masked their surprise quite well when Augustus informed them of my stay, and since then, they’d been friendly yet reserved.

I hadn’t missed the pointed glances the couple exchanged when Augustus mentioned my mother’s name, though. They knew something. Everyone in this fucking village knew something.

When I reached the landing, I saw Augustus and Rosamund standing at the tavern’s threshold, deep in conversation. Augustus’s brows were drawn into a frown, and Rosamund’s eyes were wide.

“Don’t worry, Papa. I understand,” I overheard her say, lowering her chin in a deferential gesture. “I won’t tell him anything about that.”

I shifted where I stood, trying to stop the rush of blood to my cock as I stared at her. Christ, she was truly stunning. Not a stitch of makeup and still prettier than the models I saw in Manhattan clubs every weekend.

Beautiful, vulnerable, and untouched—the holy trinity of temptation.

Augustus spotted me, and his demeanor instantly switched from tightly wound to friendly. “Ah, Sebastian. Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you ready for dinner?”

“Yes.” My eyes lingered on Rosamund. “I can’t wait.”

“I’ll actually have to go ahead of you, because I need to speak with the other elders,” Augustus said. He looked at his daughter again. “You can show Sebastian around by yourself, can’t you, dear?”

“Of course,” she said, cheeks flushing slightly. “It would be my honor.”

Augustus bade us goodbye and strode out of the tavern. Rosamund shifted nervously and addressed me, not meeting my eyes. “I hope you’re hungry, Mr. Thorne. There’s a lot of food at the feast.”

Oh, I’m hungry, sweetheart. Just not in the way you imagine.

I smiled and patted my stomach. “Starved. And I told you earlier—call me Sebastian.”

Her lips curved in the faintest of smiles. “All right. You can call me Rose, if you like. Everyone does except Papa.”

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