Page 18 of Seducing Jenny
Trunk rolled his brown eyes playfully and grinned. “I know who you are, Malice Ripper.Everyonedoes. The Ruler Justice Bateen’s ward, his artificial son, hisrumoredexecutioner.”
I didn’t reply, just looked away.
After a moment, he said, “I heard you don’t remember anything from before he found you, during the war.”
“That is true. I don’t have any memories before the age of twelve. I lost everything in the war. My family. My home. My self.”
“I am truly sorry for that,” he said, genuine compassion in his tone.
I offered him a slight smile. “Like you, I’m okay now. Mostly.”
Trunk leaned against the railing, his hand drifting far too close to mine. His voice dropped into a lower, husky register. “I’ve also heard that you are a notorious bedhopper.”
Here it comes.I laughed and said, “Well, I used to be.” Please take the hint.
He tipped his head curiously. “Did something put an end to your hobby?”
“Not something. Someone. Well, someones.” I met his gaze without wavering. “They’re two of the best people I’ve ever met.”
He looked shocked. “A pair?”
I nodded. “A man and a woman.”
“And they know about one another?” He sounded scandalized.
I laughed. “Yes. They’re involved with one another, as well.”
“Oh. Wow,” he murmured, his surprise still evident. “With all the rumors about you, I didn’t expect you to be so…traditional.”
“I know monogamy is the common thing these days, but it was never for me. But I’ve never cared this much for two people at the same time. It’s…an adjustment.”
He turned to face me, all flirtation gone from his expression. “If it never suited you before, why now?”
“Because it’s what I want,” I said simply, and honestly.
His eyes traced the lines of my face, much too intimately. “You should always go after what you want.”
“I always do.”
“Lucky for you, I’m a patient man.” His gaze dropped to my mouth before meeting my gaze again. “And I go after what I want, too.”
A short while ago I would have taken him up on the offer. He was precisely my type. Single-minded. Handsome. A body built by endurance rather than vanity. He reminded me of Tiger.
But he wasn’t Tiger and I didn’t want him.
So, I gave him a polite smile and steered the conversation away from his intentions. “Given I am isolated from everyone and everything I care about, I believe my luck has run out.”
He sighed, and I didn’t miss the disappointment in the sound. “Shall we continue the tour?” he asked.
I inclined my head. “Certainly.”
We followed the loop of the path until it brought us back toward the house. I kept a little more distance between us this time. My eyes were drawn up to the window with the birds sitting on the sill. Credo’s room.
I still couldn’t make sense of what had happened to him and decided to see what Trunk knew.
“So,” I said casually. “I bet you have a theory about what really happened to Credo.”
He let out a nervous laugh. “What makes you think that?”
