Page 74 of Honeythorn
“Yes. I think I know why he’s postponing your meeting with him.”
“Why?”
“He’s attending the countess’s ball.”
Milan frowned, looking at Raphael in confusion, but he only shook his head in response, just as lost as to what Jack could be planning. “Why on earth would he want to do that?”
“Well, these claims of wrongful divorce—it’s going to be based on character, yes? He is trying to make himself the victim, claim that there were no good reasons for him not to get his share of the estate after the divorce. Perhaps attending the ball will revive people’s memories of their good opinion of him. He may be able to manipulate some of them into testifying for him.”
Milan clenched his fists. “What an abhorrent little toad he is.”
“I agree completely,” Katerina said.
“Well, what can we do? We can’t go.”
Raphael frowned. “Why not?”
Milan looked at him worriedly. “Well…”
“Because you think I’m not strong enough to withstand his presence,” Raphael said softly.
Milan scoffed. “That’s nonsense and you know it. This has nothing to do with strength. You have enough of that for both of us. I just…I don’t want him near you. He shouldn’t evenlookat you—he isn’t worthy,” Milan said angrily.
Raphael’s face softened. “Be that as it may, I refuse to just…sit here, hiding, unsure and afraid like I used to be. I’ve had enough. Let us go to the ball—let us confront him. He will see what little control he has over us.”
Milan took Raphael’s hand, squeezing it. He wasn’t going to ask him if he was sure—he could see it in Raphael’s eyes.
Katerina clapped her hands. “Splendid! Oh, what fun—we will ruin him completely.” She practically cackled.
Milan laughed with her. “You marvellous witch.”
“Oh, and I saw the most magnificent cloth at the tailor’s—”
“Not another suit. I have enough.”
“Nonsense, you can never have enough. And, anyway, it’s for the good of the plan. You should get one too, Lord Raphael. Enough with the drab colours. We’ll get you both something to shine in,” she said gleefully.
Even Raphael was smiling. “You know—I haven’t bought a new suit in a while.”
Katerina clapped her hands as Milan rolled his eyes.
“You’re both conspirators. Fine. We’ll dazzle them all.”
Katerina grinned. “They won’t know what hit them.”
**********
Milan put his hands over Raphael’s chest, smoothing down the silky material of his jacket, a deep, wine red that made his pale skin glow. His shirt underneath, black with a bold geometric pattern, contrasted with the monochrome of the rest of the outfit.
“Katerina really does have a keen eye,” Milan said, looking at Raphael’s broad chest appreciatively.
“Yes, she does,” Raphael said, admiring Milan back, who was wearing a deep-blue—not navy—suit, a pattern imprinted across both jacket and pants, textured so that it seemed as if you could see the individual threads running across. At first, one might not know what that pattern was, but it would reveal itself to be snarling wolves.
They both looked like they were ready to spill blood.
“Ready?” Milan asked.
“Yes,” Raphael said, and the strength and conviction in his voice made Milan achingly proud.
