Page 24 of Vicious Games

“I wanted something special and unique. Not some overpriced bauble that any man with a half-million pounds could purchase,” I sneered as I returned to my desk.

Winston stood in the center of my office in indecision. Then he clapped his hands and ordered the attendants to grab the leather cases and depart.

Approaching my desk, Winston once again placed his palm over his heart in a placating gesture. “If you will indulge me, I believe I have the perfect ring for you. I will return alone within the hour.”

Without looking up from my paperwork, I nodded.

As good as his word, Winston returned less than an hour later. From his pocket, he pulled out a small sterling silver ring box. He handed it to me without saying a word.

Crossing to the window overlooking the park where I first laid eyes on Aurora, I opened the box.

The emerald cut stone was in a simple platinum setting, flanked by smaller diamonds. It couldn’t be over four carats in size. As I tilted the box in the light, the stone shifted from sapphire blue to emerald green with hints of red.

Winston stayed a respectable distance away and spoke softly. “It is a very rare Alexandrite stone from the czarist court of Russia in the eighteenth century. The stone’s provenance links it back to a tiara worn by Catherine the Great herself. Of Alexandrite, many say it is an emerald by day, but a dark ruby at night. It changes with the light. It is by far rarer and more precious than any diamond of any size. It is also most rare to see an Alexandrite stone with such dramatic color changes as this one. It is truly a one-of-a-kind ring. I took the liberty of putting it in a simple setting, but we can always switch it to something more elaborate if you prefer, sir.”

I stared at the stone’s mercurial shifts in color. It immediately reminded me of Aurora. The way her sapphire blue eyes had sparks of almost golden green when she was angry or aroused. The mysterious flashes of ruby red in the stone hinted at a concealed passionate side only someone close to her would see. I tilted the ring in another direction, capturing the bright afternoon sun. It was as if the ring caught fire in a brilliant display of deep jewel tones that winked and teased at hidden depths.

“It’s perfect.”

CHAPTER 11

AURORA

My hands shook as I smoothed the cobalt silk of my halter dress over my abdomen.

Something was up. I could feel it.

Since Roman had returned home from work, there was a frenetic energy to his every word. I caught his intense stare several times as I got ready. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going or what we were doing this evening, only that it was a surprise.

After the fiasco of a few nights ago, I didn’t quibble when he asked me to wear the blue silk dress.

Taking one last look in the long gilt mirror in our shared dressing room, I exited the bedroom. My knuckles were white as I gripped the banister and gazed down into the living room.

Roman was standing there, looking devastatingly handsome in a bespoke tuxedo. His dark gaze focused on only me as I slowly descended the stairs. My steps faltered, but I quickly regained my footing by the last step.

I stayed rooted to the spot for some reason, unwilling to take the final step onto the polished marble living room floor.

Roman approached me.

The height of the single stair gave me a slight advantage, but not by much. Roman was still taller than me.

He smiled warmly. “You look beautiful.”

My breath caught in my throat. His smiles were so rare they usually caught me off guard. This one was filled with such warmth and… no… I wouldn’t… couldn’t call it love. If I were a little less foolish, I might think it was love. My heart skipped a beat. Ruthlessly, I tried to quell the fluttering feeling in my stomach. He was not looking at me with love. If I started to believe that, I would be completely lost.

I choked out a weak, “Thank you.”

He offered me his arm.

After a moment’s hesitation, I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and stepped down. He now towered over me, much like he now towered over my entire life, casting a long, cold shadow.

After a few steps, he released my arm and turned to accept a fur wrap from the butler, who stood silently by. He placed the luxurious stole over my shoulders. I slid my hands in the inside silk pockets and wrapped my arms around my chest, grateful for the warmth and strange sense of protection it offered.

I licked my lips. “Are you going to tell me where we are going?”

He winked. “It’s a surprise.”

The fluttering in my stomach took on a frenzied pitch. I didn’t like his surprises.

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