Page 9 of A House of Fangs & Deceit

“I’m going home.”

Chapter Three

Samara

“You can’t be serious,”Demetri said for what felt like the hundredth time. That seemed to be all he was capable of saying at this point, and it was really getting on my nerves.

Exactly how the hell was I supposed to react to walking in on my husband fucking someone else? Our marriage might have been arranged for political purposes, but I’d been loyal to him all these years.

Clearly, I’d been an idiot for thinking he would be the same.

“It’s in your best interest to let me leave and cool down,” I said evenly as I scoured my room for what to pack.

The numbness had crept back in after my outburst, and I was embracing it wholeheartedly so that I didn’t rip out Demetri’s throat and enjoy the feeling of his hot blood on my face as he bled out at my feet.

Right. The bloodlust was still there.

I pulled in a deep breath and let the rage settle back a bit, then focused on the task at hand. I needed to get out of here and put some distance between me and my piece of shit husband and his domineering bitch of a mother.

If I left within the next hour, I could easily make it to House Harker before nightfall.

I looked around the room, eyeing all of my things. Most of my possessions here meant little to me and could be easily replaced.

My eyes fell on a stack of scrolls and notebooks that I’d piled haphazardly on top of a dresser. All my notes about things I’d learned about House Laurent while I was here plus several ideas for trade alliances between the Houses and Velesians.

I snatched them up and shoved them into my pack. Otherwise, there was nothing else I cared about here.

My eyes met Demetri’s and while I felt hurt and betrayed, I was surprised to find cunning calculation in his eyes. I blinked and whatever I saw was gone, replaced by a chagrined expression that had me briefly doubting what I thought I saw seconds before.

“I’m so sorry, Samara.” He closed the distance between us and clasped my hands in his. “It was never my intention for you to walk in on us like that, but I assumed you knew that I had other partners on the side, given the nature of our marriage. Let’s talk this out. I’m sure we can come to an understanding.”

I stared at him in disbelief. Was he seriously apologizing forhowI found out about him fucking other people behind my back and not the actual fucking?

He took my silence as an opening and gave me a beautiful yet apologetic smile.

Yep. He really was.

“The onlyunderstandingI’m capable of coming to in the next five minutes is one that involves your cock flopping around on the floor and you bleeding out at my feet.” He blanched and dropped my hands as he quickly staggered away from me. “I’m going back to House Harker where I willconsider my future and decide if you will continue to be a part of it or not. I strongly advise you to get out of my sight.”

Demetri’s mouth gaped open, and I found satisfaction in the fear that shone clearly from his eyes. He snapped his mouth shut and fled without another word.

I snorted. Such a coward.

Once he was gone, I quickly changed out of my gown and into a soft, long-sleeved shirt and a stretchy pair of riding pants that I kept hidden in one of my bottom drawers. Marvina didn’t approve of a lady of my stature wearing such attire, and I knew she told the servants to confiscate the clothes whenever they saw them. Speaking of…

I dropped to my knees at the foot of my bed and stretched my hand underneath, grasping around until I finally felt the bundle of fabric I’d tucked up between the boards that supported the mattress.

I withdrew my prize and shook it free as I rose. The matte black cloak fell to the floor, not a single wrinkle in the fabric despite being wadded up into a ball for the past three years. Only the symbol of House Harker, two crossed axes over a crescent moon, adorned the cloak. I ran my fingers over the symbol before throwing the garment over my shoulders and securing it in place.

After one last sweep of the room, I headed towards the kitchen to grab a snack on my way out.

“My lady!” Rose squeaked as I swept into the room. The other two servant girls sitting with her froze, their eyes darting to the exit. They’d have to walk past me to get to it.

“Don’t worry yourself, Rose. I’m just grabbing some food for the trip.” I plucked a couple of freshly baked rolls from a basket and wrapped them in a cloth napkin. Some shiny red apples caught my attention, and I added them to my pack as well.

“Your trip?” Rose asked in confusion as she watched me pack up the food.

“I’m leaving,” I said hesitantly, unsure how much of my personal business I wanted to share. “Things haven’t gone the way I’d hoped they would here, and I just need a break to collect my thoughts.”

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