Page 44 of Cold Heir

But he was missing the point.

Being honorable had nothing to do with who he once was, but everything to do with the man I sat before today.

“So, if you weren’t always like this,” I dared to ask, “what changed?”

He’d done things for my team I’d never forget. All with there being no promise of a reward for having done them. It seemed worth inquiring why he was so different now.

When he peered up, the look said so much. “The only answer I have to that question is …you.I changed becauseyoucame along, and your nobility has bled into my life in ways I never imagined it could. And the strange thing is, I feel like I got a better understanding of who you really are while you were away, seeing and hearing how your team reveres you, how they’re always so sure of your honesty and loyalty toward them,” he explained. “Since I’m being frank, hearing them speak of you was humbling. In many ways.”

Liv only had kind things to say about he and Julian too, and I trusted her judgment perhaps more than anyone else’s. It was because of her take on things, combined with what I saw here for myself tonight, that I didn’t see a reason to hold a grudge. Regardless of how Silas viewed humanity in the past, there was no question in my mind that he’d grown to see the error of his ways.

Honorable was theexactword I would use to describe him.

Moving closer, I leaned in, took a leap of faith, and pressed a kiss to his mouth. It was my hope that he knew my interest in him had nothing to do with the few glasses of expensive wine in my system.

No … this was all inspired by him.

Our lips moved together slowly, and a surge of unexpected passion spilled from my heart. He took my chin in his hand, reciprocating the kiss as my mouth was teased open with his tongue before gently plunging it inside. Yielding to him, my head tilted and the tug on my emotions was dizzying.

There was this sense within me of being mindful of not tarnishing the sweetness of this moment between us, so I eased away. He was silent at first, and I imagined he, too, found himself wondering what this magic was that swirled around and through us.

“What could I have possibly done to deserve that?” he asked thoughtfully, as his gaze synced with mine.

“It was for reminding me that there’s still good left in this world. And also … because it was long overdue.”

My response brought out a boyish smile from him, and the sight of it moved me just like everything else about him.

“In no more than a week—once all our ducks are in a row—we’re going through with our mission,” I assured him. “And we’re doing ittogetherbecause, for what it’s worth, Silas, I trust you … with my life.”

And I meant every single word I’d spoken.

From the bottom of my heart.

Chapter Fifteen

Roman

“This better be good.”

From the apologetic look on Jon’s face, I guessed he understood how unhappy I was with having to postpone my departure. There was a private island awaiting me, and needless to say, I was in need of a lengthy getaway. If I was ever going to clear my head, devise a viable plan for how to move forward, I’d have to distance myself from the Dynasty’s chaos.

The driver and I had nearly made it to the jet, when my assistant patched Jon through with an urgent call. Now, here Jon and I were, standing face-to-face outside the hanger as rain pelted our umbrellas.

“Please, Your Highness, understand that I’d never dream of wasting your time with nonsense,” he assured me. “There’s been a new development, and I thought it best that we speak in person. And if I can trouble you with one other thing, I’ll need access to a computer to share my findings with you.”

Of course he will.

It was becoming difficult to hide my frustration, and even harder to hold my tongue. I would have thought he’d gotten the picture when I ignored the five phone calls that came through while I packed and made arrangements for this retreat. Clearly, that hadn’t been the case.

Gesturing for him to follow me, we crossed the runway and I took the stairs by two, entering the jet’s cabin a few feet ahead of my unwelcomed guest. In all honesty, I was growing weary of our communication. The more he pushed, the more uncertain I became thathisway was the best way to proceed.

Hence the unscheduled vacation, an attempt at finding much needed peace and quiet to think for myself.

Our last encounter left a bitter taste in my mouth. It wasn’t until I returned home later that evening that the tactics he employed really sunk in. Suggesting that Blackbird had been present when my sister, Regina, was killed was his attempt at manipulating me into following him blindly, and I had. But I was no one’s lapdog. If he hadn’t gotten that from how I distanced myself from my brothers—whom I even loved and cared for—he hadn’t been paying attention.

Had there been viable evidence to support his claim concerning what took place at the Dorchester Compound, I would be convinced we were still on the same team. Yet, it was beginning to feel more and more like Jon wasn’t playing onanyone’steam, but instead sought to further his career, regardless of who he dragged down along the way.

“Sit,” I commanded in a clipped tone, logging onto my laptop while he waited. As soon as I was in, I turned the screen toward him. “You have exactly five minutes to show me whatever you came to show me. I’m already behind schedule.”

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