Page 79 of Wed to the Devil

Talia presses herself against me and uses two fingers to turn my cheek so that I am looking into her eyes. She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me passionately. I respond to her as I always do, by putting my arms around her waist and kissing her back like she's the only woman in the whole fucking world.

She does this to me every damn time.

When she pulls away, she cups my cheek.

"Remember when I got upset and called you selfish? This is what I needed to hear from you. I wanted to know that you had thoughts about anything other than money."

"Jesus, Talia. I'm as human as you are."

She pushes her fingers through my hair. "I didn't know that. Not for sure."

I press my lips into a tight line. Her words rip at my soft underbelly. Maybe I made a mistake telling her all of this.

"Hey." Talia runs her nails against my scalp. The gentle touch is meant to soothe me. "I'm glad you told me. We're still getting to know each other. I guess I didn't realize that there is still stuff about you left to surprise me."

"I hate that you just assumed that I only care about money."

She cocks her head to the side but continues to speak gently. "Prove me wrong. You claim to be multifaceted, so show me the other sides you have been hiding." She brushes her fingers over my cheek and traces my cheekbone. "I want to know you, Dare."

Sucking in a breath, I put my hand over hers and kiss her palm.

"I'll try, little wife."

Talia steps back and looks around the boat, her expression thoughtful. I feel like I'm a boat that has sailed through the eye of a hurricane, battered and wind damaged.

"We should invite some of the kids from Hope House out for a sailing trip. It would be a really good way to test out your ideas for Outbound Outriggers." She wiggles her eyebrows, her eyes alight with excitement. "They would be so excited."

The image of Talia helping children navigate the steps of the boat blows away the remnants of our earlier conversation and my mood lifts.

"You think Solana would like it?"

Talia's brow furrows. "It will take a month or so to plan out activities and schedule an actual field trip. I can only hope that Solana isn't still at Hope House by the time we organize this event."

"Oh." My mouth twists. "Yeah, of course."

"But we can visit her!" Talia suggests. "Before her case is settled by the court and she moves on to a more permanent situation."

I bob my head and change the subject. But something about Solana's case sticks in the back of my brain, following me around like a shadow. I can't shake the feeling that something is off about it. Maybe it's just my distrust of the process. Maybe it's something else entirely. Either way, I will make a mental note to check it out later.

ChapterTwenty-Five

DARE

Iclear my throat as I enter Gerard's Steakhouse, Remy's favorite restaurant. The décor is dated to the early nineteen hundreds with thick mahogany walls, old world paintings with rich detail, gilded frames with ornate wood carvings and golden trim. The tables are a dark, polished wood with blue and white linens atop.

The place is dimly-lit, with a deep mahogany wood paneling and red leather seats. The tables are far apart enough to allow for intimate conversation but close enough together to be sociable. The floor is made of a polished marble you can see your reflection in. The wait staff is dressed in formal suits, well maintained, pressed, and starched.

The dark paneling made of oak and marble floors are pristine in their presentation. Candles and sparkling silverware adorn the tables dressed in starched white linen. The walls are adorned with old paintings of groups of nobles on horseback, galloping to pursue some smaller, weaker prey. It's a chilling thing for a restaurant to boast about.

Gerard’s has been the fanciest restaurant in town for ages. If you want to dine here, you'd better be ready to shell out some serious money. I don't like this place, but I've invited my grandfather as a way to butter him up.

I take a seat at a mahogany table with a white table cloth and a crystal vase holding a single red rose. The booth is tucked away in the corner, and my grandfather soon joins me.

He looks as sharp as ever in his custom suit and tie, though his hair is white with age. "Dare," he says gruffly. "It's been too long."

"Yes, sir," I reply. "I've been pretty busy getting married and producing that heir you requested."

He smirks at me and unfolds his napkin.

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