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“That threat is getting old.”
He chuckled again as a knock came to the door.
“Lunch, children,” Styx called out. “Ye may be missin’ the cho’olate dessert though. Seems they ha’ forgotten it.”
The door opened and the tray wheeled in. There was a smear of chocolate at the corner of Styx’s lips.
“They forgot it, huh?” she asked as Seth released her.
Styx smiled. “’Tis a shame it is. Such forgetful staff ye seem to ha’, Seth.”
Seth snorted. “Wipe the evidence off your mouth, Breed, before lying to me about dessert.”
Styx did so with amazing panache. He winked at Dawn. “I may ha’ saved yours,” he admitted. “But ’twas a hard decision to be makin’.”
The chocolate fiend. She shook her head as he left the room again.
“Lunch.” Hunger was definitely driving Seth this afternoon, and not just a hunger for her body. “Board meetings make me hungry.”
And panic killed her appetite. Still she moved to the small table at the other side of the room with him and took her plates. Only one dessert was present. Chocolate truffle cake, Styx’s favorite of course, and wine.
She ate, but the feeling only grew. She tried to joke, to tease, to allow Seth to soothe that ragged feeling of impending doom, but it didn’t totally abate.
Later, as they dressed for the party, she flirted and she tried to seduce. She almost succeeded before Seth drew back and stared at her soberly. “We have to face whatever’s coming,” he told her then. “Hiding from it won’t save us, Dawn. It only makes the fear worse.”
She stood there in the expensive evening gown he’d bought her, with his jewels gracing her, his touch warming her, and Dawn found she was terrified. She found that, unconsciously, she was praying.
God protect him. Because she knew that losing him would destroy her.
“We stay close together,” she whispered.
“Always,” he promised.
“We don’t leave the house.”
“We stay right inside, away from all opened doors and windows.” He crossed his heart before turning and moving to his dresser.
When he returned, he shocked her by going to his knees, taking her hand and sliding a ring on her finger.
“And you’ll marry me when this is over,” he told her.
The ring was obviously old, obviously horrendously expensive. The diamond wasn’t huge, but it was by far one of the clearest, most perfect specimens she had ever seen. Surrounding it were several dark, swirled tiger’s-eye stones, new insets.
“The ring was my mother’s, my grandmother’s, and my great-gran
dmother’s. Lawrence wives wear the diamond, always. But tradition stands that a new stone replaces those surrounding it with each successive bride. And I chose tiger’s eyes. Because they remind me of your eyes, your strength and your heritage. This ring has been waiting for you for nearly ten years. You’re my life, Dawn. Will you share it with me, since you own it?”
And she cried again. A tear slipped from her eye and her lips trembled. “Always,” she whispered. “Oh God, Seth, I’ll always love you.”
CHAPTER 23
That party was well under way when Seth and Dawn stepped into the ballroom. He led her across the floor to the small, raised dais, where the band had set up, and stepped up to the microphone as the Breeds assigned to his protection moved closer.
All eyes turned to them. The board members and their families had expected an announcement during the house party, but Dawn knew that this wasn’t the announcement they were expecting.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Friends.” His lips quirked as he looked out on the crowd. “I want to thank you all for being here, for your patience during the board meetings, and for once again filling Lawrence Island with your laughter and your presence.”
It seemed as though the whole room held its collective breath as Seth held Dawn’s hand and stared out at them.
