Page 266 of The Grand Duel
It feels like my soul is tied to the woman on the other side of the room, and instead of the rope feeling taut, strung tight by our usual insanity, it’s slack, piled in a heap of my mistakes on the floor.
“Something smells incredible!” Nina sings, stepping past me.
Ave throws her arms out at me, and I take her, knowing Mason’s eyes don’t miss what Nina’s did.
He doesn’t comment, following his wife into the kitchen.
I watch as Lissie pulls Nina in for a hug, holding on to her tight. Watch as she leans in and hugs Mason. And I hate it. Not that she has them now—that, I wouldn’t change for the world. But the way I can’t give her what they can, the love she needs to fix the pain I inflicted on her… I look away, my teeth clenched tight as I turn.
“Charles.” Scarlet’s soft voice catches me off guard.
She frowns, watching me.
“Scar,” I say, my voice betraying me. I clear it. “Sorry.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t be.” She gives me a small, sad smile. “Shit, isn’t it.”
My eyes burn, and I don’t answer. I can’t.
“Love,” she confirms, huffing a somewhat sombre laugh. “Spoiler, it doesn’t ever get any easier.” She passes me, offering me a sympathetic look before she joins the others in the kitchen.
I have only seconds before Elliot and Lucy come through the front door.
I greet them numbly, robotically. I walk with them into the kitchen, my eyes on Lissie, waiting for hers to look my way.
Elliot must say something to me, and everyone laughs. I look between them and then offer a forced smile, not even hearing them.
“Lis,” I say across the kitchen island. “Can I do anything?”
She meets my eyes and then everyone else’s, the tension between us echoing into the concrete at our feet. Into the very foundations of us.
“No.” She blinks, looking down at the chopping board. “I’ve got it handled. Why don’t you get everyone set up in the dining room.”
I stare at her, needing everyone to leave.
I need them all to go home.
“I made a crumble,” Scarlet says, stepping up beside me and cutting through the silence in the room. “Everything looks beautiful, Lissie.” She grabs my hand at my side, squeezing it.
I force my gaze from Lissie, looking down at the lavender-haired woman at my side.
She twists her head to the side, lightly shaking it, pleading with me.
I let go of her hand and sigh, turning to lead the way into the dining room.
“What a feast.”
Lissie smiles at Elliot across the table.
“Truly,” Nina agrees at her side. “Lissie, it’s delicious. Where did you learn to cook like this?”
She reaches for her wine and takes a sip, her every movement laced with pain. Or at least it feels that way. “I mostly used cookbooks in my teens. My parents worked away a lot, so I’d cook for my sister and me.”
“What was it you said your parents did for a living?” Lucy asks.
I reach across the table and pick up the half-empty bottle of red wine. “More wine?” I say, filling Scarlet’s. “Lucy, you’ve not told us about the new house yet.”
“Oh, it’s beautiful. You’ll have to come out and…”