Page 63 of The Devil's Pawn

A little devil on my shoulder gives me a nudge, and before I know it, I’m in my bathroom, gathering what I need.

Alexander is still unconscious when I return. The mattress dips beneath my weight as I sit beside him once more, but he doesn’t stir.

“Dearest husband, there’s a price to pay for everything, and I’m cashing in.”

“More coffee, Mrs. De Vil? Breakfast won’t be long.”

I smile at Lauren, a new member of staff that’s been assigned to Alexander’s part of the house. “That would be lovely. Thank you, Laur?—”

“What the hell is this?” Alexander bursts into the dining room, his jaw clenched and neck taut. His amber eyes blaze with barely contained fury, and his hands are fisted by his sides.

I smother a smile that’s desperate to break free, and narrow my eyes, pretending to give his question due consideration. “Hmm. It looks like a wax strip to me.”

“A… A what?”

“A wax strip. Sorry, did I not say it right? Must be my American accent and all.”

A muscle ripples along his jawline. “How do I get it off?”

How interesting, or maybe worrying, that he doesn’t ask who put it there. He knows it’s me. The question now is what will he do about it?

“You pull it. I’d do it fast if I were you, though. A bit like ripping off a Band-Aid.”

With a venomous glare aimed in my direction, he grips the edge of the strip, pulls…and yelps. “Shit! JesusChrist!”

I smile. “Welcome to womanhood. Fun, isn’t it?”

Storming over to the mirror that hangs above the fireplace, he inspects the damage. “My eyebrow is gone!”

Faking compassion, I press my hand to my chest. “Oh, no.”

“Imogen, this isn’t a game!” he roars, yet the angrier he gets, the funnier I find it. “I have an important meeting in London this morning. How am I supposed to go looking like this?”

After pretending to consider his question for a few seconds, I say, “Think of it as a talking point.”

“My meeting is with the king’s private secretary.”

Rubbing my lips together to stop the laugh that’s waiting to burst out of me, I brandish my arm in the air. “Aha. I’ve got it. Get it tattooed back on. I hear that’s all the rage these days.”

Yep. He’s close to bursting a blood vessel. This is even more fun than I thought it would be. The only downside is that he still looks hot, even with one eyebrow missing, and the memory of pressing my lips to his last night warms me from the inside.

He bounces out of the room, narrowly avoiding a staff member carrying a plate of eggs and bacon for me. I catch Lauren’s eye, and I grin and wink. She barely hangs on to her composure. The stuffy butler standing in the corner clears his throat and sends a warning glare her way. She ducks her chin, but if I’m not mistaken, there’s a slight shake to her shoulders.

I’m not sorry for the lost eyebrow. He had it coming. Maybe having to explain to his father, siblings, and his business associates what happened to it might give him a little humility. And perhaps, if I’m lucky, it’ll give him a good old shove toward the divorce courts. That’s still my aim, after all.

I wash breakfast down with a third cup of coffee, then head back to my rooms. It’s gorgeous weather again,perfect for a walk outside. I may even take my drawing pad and sketch whatever I come across. I’m best at buildings, but I can draw a pretty decent landscape if the fancy takes me. It’s the first time I’ve felt like drawing anything since I got here, and a sudden rush of happiness courses through me. If I’d known bringing Alexander down to earth would have this effect, I’d have waxed his eyebrow a long time ago.

Grabbing a hair tie from the bathroom, I scoop my hair into a high ponytail, slather on some sunscreen, shove my phone into my back pocket, and slide my feet into a pair of sturdy boots. They’re a recent purchase made with my new credit card. In a corner of my mind, I’d half expected the online retailer to decline the card. It strikes me as something Alexander would do for fun, but the purchase went through without a hitch, and the next day, the boots arrived.

I pick up my pad when a blaring alarm sounds. I drop it, a jolt of adrenaline rushing through my veins.The intruder alarm!Charles told me about this the first day we arrived.

Oh, God, what’s happening? Who would dare break into Oakleigh, and for what purpose? My mouth’s dry, and my heart is double-timing it as I yank open the door to my bedroom and sprint for the panic room at the far end of the hallway.

The door is open. It must do that automatically when the alarm goes off. I launch inside. No one’s here. Why is no one here? As I wheel toward the exit, the door slides across, locking me inside.

Where is everyone else?

Alexander should at least be here. I only left him about ten minutes ago. And Nicholas, too. I don’t think he’s away on business, unless he left early this morning. Why am I the only one here?

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