Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Hugo ignored me, like that was the only way he could tolerate me.
I headed downstairs and entered the study. The fog outside clouded the windows, and the fire in the fireplace lit up the dark room. Cauldron was at his desk in front of his computer, running his fingers through his hair as he stared at the screen.
“I didn’t expect you to have the Christmas spirit.”
His eyes immediately flicked up to me. I could tell when he liked the way I looked or what I wore because of the way his eyes focused on me. They did that now, like they appreciated the maroon sweater that hung off one shoulder and showed off my gold necklace. I wore leggings underneath, my feet barefoot. “Not me. Hugo.”
“Well, that’s sweet you allow him to put up a tree.”
“Allow him?” he asked with a slight chuckle. “I could threaten to fire him, and he would still do it.”
I sat in one of the armchairs facing him. “Christmas must mean a lot to him, then.”
“I guess.” He closed the laptop slightly so the top of the screen didn’t interfere with our conversation. He used to ignore me whenever I came to visit, but now he stopped whatever he was doing to give me his full attention. He slept beside me every night. He shared his life with me fully without complaint. It was nice. “Do you know what you guys are doing about Roan yet?”
“I haven’t talked to Grave in a few days. Hasn’t returned my calls.”
Both of my eyebrows rose. “And that doesn’t concern you?”
“I called his butler, and he said he’s been in and out. Just busy.”
“Busy doing what?”
He gave a shrug.
“Maybe he’s busy with Elise…”
“Maybe.”
“She’s really pretty.” Way prettier than I was. I was sure she made him forget I ever existed. “It’s nice to know he’s found someone else.”
Judging by the look in his eyes, Cauldron didn’t agree.
“What?”
“He’s paying her.”
“So? He was paying me.”
“If you have to pay a woman to be with you, then she’s not really with you. Sometimes men get lost in their egos and forget it’s fake—including Grave.”
I thought I saw more than that, saw the way she looked at him, the way she found any reason to touch him. I could spot a real from a fake, and I thought I saw the real thing. But I left it alone, because this topic seemed to sour his mood. “Can we go out to dinner tonight?”
“Tired of my staff’s cooking?” he asked, smirking slightly.
“No. Just thought it’d be nice to get out of the house…”
“Whatever you want, baby.” He opened the laptop fully again and dropped his eyes to the screen, dismissing the conversation.
I always let Cauldron choose the restaurants because he knew all the best places to go. Besides, he could walk into any of them without a reservation like he owned the place. We ended up at a small place in town, a cozy restaurant that was open all year-round for the locals. He ordered something meaty with greens while I got a pasta dish with lots of carbs. I’d packed on the pounds since living with Cauldron, making my pants tight and my shirts uncomfortable, but Cauldron didn’t act like he noticed.
He sat there, one arm on the table as he leaned back in his chair, handsome and mysterious. People always turned their heads to look at him, because he was just too beautiful to be an average person. If he noticed, he didn’t act like it. He swirled his wine then took a drink, his eyes looking into mine as he enjoyed the bottle that cost a thousand euro. “What do you want for Christmas?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on, baby. Make it easy on me.”
“I’m being honest,” I said. “I already have everything.”
He stilled with his glass in his hand.
“I live with the man I love in a beautiful home…what more could I want?”
He remained completely still, not even breathing.
I didn’t realize what had just tumbled out of my mouth until I saw his reaction. I’d implied it before, suggested it in the letters he’d read, but never had I actually said that word in any context. And judging by his reaction, he wasn’t ready to hear it.
And he didn’t feel the same way either.
I did my best to push past it. “Let’s not do gifts. That’s not what Christmas is about anyway. Besides, what could I possibly buy for a man who already has everything? I already have beautiful clothes and diamonds. There’s nothing you could buy me either.”
He took another drink of his wine before he set the glass down.
I could still feel the awkwardness. It was so palpable, it felt like someone had cranked on the heater up way too high and now it was difficult to breathe. Too much humidity in the air.