Page 52 of Twisted Throne
“No, I haven’t really talked to him today.” Well, not talked. “Besides, I don’t think he’d have talked to me about it anyway. If you really want to know, though, I bet Lucy could tell you.”
“She probably could,” Elena replied, laughing briefly. “The problem would be getting her to stop. Rather than take that chance, I may go try and nap for a while.”
Elena gave me a quick hug but left before I could question her any further.
***
I assumed that Paul was still in the house, but saw no sign of him once I changed my clothes and ventured downstairs. I wanted to find Paul and see if he could tell me anything that would ease Elena’s mind—, she seemed so worried. And I had to admit that if I’m being completely honest, I just wanted to see him as well. I wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee, even though I couldn’t stand the stuff. I dumped a generous helping of cream and sugar in it to mask the bitter taste as the scalding liquid made its way down my throat and settled in my stomach like a hot coal.
“There you are,” Paul's voice rang out from behind me.
My heart skipped a beat, and I set down my coffee cup and took a step toward him without thought.
I was wandering aimlessly down the hallway that led toward the library when Paul walked around the corner.
“I was looking for you,” I blurted out, stopping in my tracks.
“Oh?” Paul asked, his lip twitching up into that cocky, half-smile that drove me absolutely crazy. “Got something to tell me?”
“Not like that,” I snorted. “I was talking to Elena earlier and she’s really worried about Alec,” I don’t know if he will actually tell me much but I had to at least ask.
“As I already told her, Alec was called away to go on duty elsewhere, he’ll contact us, and her when he can,” he replied briskly. “She should be used to how things work by now.”
Paul frowned slightly.
“She seems really upset.” He was holding something back. I stepped closer to him as if I could absorb the knowledge if I could only touch his skin. “She wanted to know how all that stuff at the docks went, too. I told her I didn’t know anything about it.”
His frown deepened, showing slight creases around his mouth.
“Did she?” he asked me.
“Yeah.” I hesitated. “Is that some sort of a problem?”
“Not a problem,” he responded. “I’ve just known Elena for years and she typically doesn’t care to get involved with much of anything or know much about Alec’s jobs or whereabouts.”
I thought back to how wan and pale she had looked earlier.
“Well, she is obviously very upset about something, that’s clear. If not Alec, then what?”
“I don’t know.” Paul looked unsure for the first time since I’d met him. “It’s just… unusual, that’s all.”
I took another step towards him. It was like he was a magnet, like gravity, pulling me toward him regardless of my thoughts or intentions. But damn it, I wasn’t going to give in before he did.
“Does that mean there’s some sort of problem?” I reached out my arm and placed it on his chest. The firmness of his pecs made the soft fabric of his shirt stretch tightly across his chest. His arms reached out to clasp me around the waist, tugging me up against his body, the heat between us crackling like lightning.
“Not a problem, just odd.” His voice was serious as he answered my question, but then his grip on me tightened, causing my breath to come faster and thoughts. Worry about Elena and Alec went floating right to the back of my mind because the front was filled with nothing but thoughts of Paul. I wanted his touch, his scent, his mouth, his hands all over my body. I wanted my hands all over his body.
“Paul, I’m still not sure about things,” I said. I hated to break the moment, but I couldn’t be with him under false pretenses either. He might be hot as hell, but I refused to be some love ‘em and leave ‘em diversion.After all of this, I still wasn’t clear on what I should do.
“I know,soubrette.” His eyes narrowed and he looked at me intensely. “But while you aren’t sure yet, I’m certain of what your decision will be. I’ll wait. For a while.” He leaned his face down and buried it in the top of my head. “But I will take whatever part of me you want to give me now. Patience has never been my strong suit.”
“And what makes you so sure that there’s going to be anything more than what we’ve had?” I asked, pulling away from him. “You’re sure about everything, and I don’t know how you do it.”
Paul pulled me back until my body was once again pressed against the smooth planes of his chest.
“Because no matter how much you want to deny it, you are the daughter of Angelo LaRosa,” he answered me. “This is your life, and you’ve made your choice whether you want to acknowledge it or not.”
I hated to admit it, but Paul was right. I still had reservations, but with every touch of Paul's hands, with every look, every caress, the less I cared about anything else, illegal or otherwise.