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God, she’s gorgeous. The weak winter sun streams in through the window and makes her black hair glow. Her skin looks like it’s made of porcelain, her soft features turned toward the window. All I want to do is run my hands over her waist and pull her close, burying my face in her hair once more.
I shouldn’t have run away from the concert hall. She’s still wearing her dress, a black slip that made her look like a goddess on stage.
When I clear my throat, she turns. Anguish is painted across her features, and my stomach knots.
She’s not here to tell me she’s refusing the Count. She’s not here to profess her undying love. Why would she? We’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks.
She’s here to break it to me in person. Pain lashes across my chest, leaving deep welts across my skin. I grind my teeth to stop from wincing.
“Lady Belcourt,” I say through a clenched jaw.
“Heath,” she sighs, taking a step toward me. She stops, her brows drawing together. A hand goes to her stomach as her chest heaves, and she watches me. Reads my features. Tries to understand.
“I heard the Count’s proposal,” I say after a long silence.
Ada doesn’t answer. She stares at me, a thousand emotions flitting across her face.
So I stand rooted to the ground, letting the familiar sting of agony course through my veins. My lips turn down. “Are you here to break it to me gently? To tell me that you can’t see me anymore?”
“No, I—” She stops, sucking in a breath. A flash of pain crosses her eyes.
I shrug. “He’s not a good man, Ada. You should refuse.”
Her breath trembles as her shoulders round. “Heath, it’s for my sister. We can’t afford to send her to university, and the Count, he—”
“Has connections at every major university you can think of,” I finish, chuckling bitterly. I want to cross the distance between us and wrap my arms around her. I want to drop to my knees and tell her to marry me instead.
But I don’t.
If I do that, what can I offer her? I don’t have the connections the Count has. I can’t offer her sister entrance to any university she chooses. I can’t elevate her family’s standing in society. If anything, being with me would drag her down.
Of course the Count has something I can’t give. Of course a betrothal to him is more attractive than I could ever be. He took everything from me, why would Ada be any different?
As soon as my brother died, I knew my life would change forever. I just didn’t expect to feel this kind of pain all over again. This time, I’m losing someone I never even had in the first place.
I lift my eyes to hers. “Is this what you want?”
Ada’s eyes scream. Lips drop open. She shakes her head, then lets out a heavy sigh. “No. But…” When my black-haired beauty lifts her eyes to mine again, my heart clenches. Cracks split across its surface, sending pain radiating through my chest.
This hurts more than anything. My feelings for her are stronger than I realized, but she’s being snatched away from me before I had a chance to admit it.
But what can I do? I can’t give her what her family needs. As I stand there, realizing the true depths of my feelings for Ada, I almost want to laugh.
If she marries the Count, I have to stop my investigations. I can’t bring any charges against him. I can’t avenge my brother. I can’t clear my family’s name. I can’t fulfill my last promise to my parents by showing the world what a monster Count Gregory really is.
I can’t do any of that, because if I go after the Count, I’ll hurt Ada.
Is this why he’s marrying her? Because he knows how close the police are to being able to charge him with a litany of crimes? He knows I’m dying to stand before him in the witness box, gloating?
Now, I can’t. Clever monster. He’s using the only protection I can’t break through.
Ada.
I give her a curt nod. “I understand.”
“Heath—”
“Do you need someone to drive you home?”
