Love and Deceit

s Point

boiled. His arrogance, his icy tone, his audacity-it was all too much.

floors, towering windows with silk drapes, and expensive artwork lining the walls-all of it screame

enough to stop and breathe. The garden stretched before me, manicured to perfecti

head. Water trickled softly, breaking the silence

y, Aurora. This marriage

he cared about was his company, his reputation, and

d at me, like I was just another obstacle he needed to overcome, made my skin crawl. I could see i

. The contempt in his voice was unmistakable, and it only d

my father

ark. I didn't trust either of them-my father or Daemon. They were b

your esca

saw Daemon standing a few feet away, his hands

ked, unable to keep the i

is lips. "I was curious if you'd already run off to y

tone even. "You overestimate your

s presence as intimidating as ever. "Bec

on," I clarified. "Not with

low and mocking. "You're quick

"Is there a point to this conversation, or are yo

care if you hate me, and I don't care if you think you can outwit me. But if

gaze head-on. "You t

is tone deadly serious. "And the s

ds. I don't lie, cheat, or manipulate people to get what I want. So if yo

nreadable. Then he leaned in slightly, his voice

aw a crack in his armor. But just as quickly as it appeared

ir," he said, turning on

was more to Daemon Reynolds than he let on-that much was

my father, or anyone

myself: I would find out the truth. About my father, about Daemon,

in the shadows caught my eye. I froze, my heart

d out, my voice t

was no

s it as my imagination, a figu

ognize, his face obscured

u think you are," he said,

eared back into the shadows, lea