Page 14 of Bound to the Heartless Duke (Regency Beasts #4)

Lily let out a shaky breath and turned back to the window in a bid to hide the flush in her cheeks. However, the memory of his hand on the back of her neck, the way the world had vanished when his lips met hers, almost made it impossible.

“You think everything can be solved with that kind of arrogance?” she scoffed sharply.

“No,” his voice came from behind. “I wasn’t trying to solve anything. I just wanted to feel something honest. And I think you did, too.”

Her fingers curled around the sill tightly.

“You think I don’t know how dangerous this is?” she whispered. “You think I haven’t lain awake every night since, wondering what that kiss meant?”

Her honesty surprised her.

“Did you come up with an answer?”

She hesitated, before jutting her chin in defiance. “It meant nothing.”

“Then why do you sound like you’re trying to convince yourself?”

Lily spun back toward him, her eyes flashing with growing rage. “You’re impossible.”

“And you,” he said, stepping closer still, “are lying to yourself.”

A shudder wracked her body at his proximity.

She hated how close he stood to her. How easily he slipped past her defenses. He stood just a breath away, and yet he didn’t touch her.

He didn’t have to; his nearness was enough. Enough to unsettle her.

“I have no intention of being one of your… conquests, Your Grace,” she hissed.

His gaze hardened. “I’ve never once thought of you that way.”

She lowered her gaze to her hands without answering. She didn’t know how to.

Magnus spoke again, his voice softer than before. “I kissed you because I couldn’t help it. Because you were looking at me like you were waiting for someone to see you. And I did.”

His words made her look up. Her lips parted, but no sound escaped.

Why did he have to say the most efficacious words?

Then, he stepped back, breaking the moment like glass on marble, leaving whatever had just transpired between them shattered, sharp, and most importantly, unfinished.

“I’ll leave you to your morning,” he said coolly, reverting to his usual demeanor.

As he turned and walked away, she didn’t stop him. She couldn’t.

The door clicked shut behind him. And Lily, still near the window, felt her knees tremble not from fury, but from the truth in his words.

She had just realized something: Magnus had seen her.

And that kiss… that kiss had seen through everything.

The air had just begun to cool as Lily walked alongside Eveline and Ava, the gravel crunching beneath their boots. Blooming roses lined the garden path, their scent persistent and heady.

As they walked, Lily kept her gaze fixed ahead. She could feel the sisters’ eyes boring into her, and she knew why. She had yet to make a significant contribution to the conversation.

But how could she? Back at home, she was caught between two storms—as Magnus had aptly described it.

Eveline was the first to break the silence.

“You seem… distant today, Lily. More than usual.” Her voice was soft, but beneath it lay a sisterly concern that made Lily want to spill everything at once.

She forced a laugh, but it sounded brittle. “Isn’t that just how I am? A bit tangled up in my own head?”

Ava exchanged a look with Eveline, her eyebrows knitting together. “No, there’s something behind it. We’ve known you long enough to tell.”

The weight of their concern made Lily’s chest tighten. But she quickly shook it off with another quick smile.

“I’m fine. Just… thinking about Cecilia. She’s off on her honeymoon with Theo, can you believe it? Seems like a lifetime ago when we were all caught up in her nightly complaints about her brother trying to choose a husband for her..”

Eveline eyed her, amused and not at all fooled by her attempt to change the topic.

“They do make a charming pair,” she responded, nevertheless. “Cecilia sent a letter. She’s absolutely glowing on her honeymoon. Theo’s taken her to Italy.” Her smile turned dreamy.

Ava chuckled. “Can you imagine Cecilia in Venice? Theo must be half mad trying to keep her from climbing onto gondolas and befriending strange musicians.”

Lily smiled, knowing how mischievous Cecilia could be.

Ava cast a glance at her. “We are aware you just tried to divert our attention.”

Lily bit the insides of her cheek, though her smile never left her eyes. “Well, you caught me.” She shrugged.

“What’s the matter?” Eveline asked gently.

Lily released a sigh. The topic felt like a trap, one she had been circling for months, afraid to face.

They rounded a bend in the path, and then the sisters paused, before Eveline leaned in, lowering her voice. “You can tell us, you know. Whatever it is.”

Lily hesitated. The thought of confiding in them was terrifying. She was not used to it. But when she recalled Magnus’s brutal honesty earlier that day, how he hadn’t minced his words, she found her courage.

She took a deep breath and looked at her friends, her walls beginning to crack.

“It’s everything,” she sighed. “My father’s debts… they swallowed us whole after he died. And Nathan…” Her lips pressed together into a tight line. “He’s gambling more than ever, throwing what little we have into card games and foolish bets.”

Ava’s eyes widened. “Why would he do such a thing? Well, I’m glad you still have the manor…”

Lily shook her head. “We lost it,” she admitted bitterly. “To the duke of Blackmore no less. He has allowed us to live there but it doesn’t change the fact that we no longer own it. My brother can’t accept it. He still acts like he owns the place, but it’s not his anymore.”

Eveline’s face paled at the revelation, before her expression hardened. “Magnus? That cold man with the iron grip? Cecilia’s brother?”

“Exactly him,” Lily confirmed, nodding weakly. “He’s… ruthless, and he thrives on power.”

With a sigh, Ava reached out to squeeze her hand. “We had no idea.” Her expression turned sympathetic. “You shouldn’t have to carry this alone.”

Lily let out a hollow laugh. “I don’t have much choice, Ava.” She shrugged. “Summer’s been the only one I could talk to. Everyone else… expects strength or pity. Neither helps.”

“This isn’t right,” Eveline interjected, her voice sharp with frustration. “You deserve better than to be left drowning in silence.”

Lily dipped her head as tears welled up in her eyes. “Sometimes I wonder how we got here. How our house— my home —slipped through our fingers. I should have paid more attention to Nathan’s behavior.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Lily. None of this is your fault.” Ava squeezed her hand again. “And you are not alone.”

Lily looked up with a smile, though some doubts still clung. “Thank you, both of you. Honestly, I need all the help I can get. Finding a suitor feels impossible.”

Suddenly, Eveline broke into a mischievous grin. Ava laughed, as though she could already tell what joke her sister was about to tell.

“Well, if you’re desperate,” Eveline teased with a nudge, “I suppose the easiest solution is to marry Magnus.”

Lily furrowed her brow… before her shoulders rose to her ears defensively. “Magnus? He’s the last man I’d ever consider marrying.”

The sisters burst into laughter, the sound light with genuine warmth.

Ava nudged her playfully before stepping closer to speak in a more serious tone. “We’re serious, though. If you want, we’ll help you find someone worthy.”

Lily shook her head, letting the tension ease a little. “Thank you. Maybe that’s what I need—a little faith from friends who actually see me.”

Eveline nodded. “And plenty of patience for the foolish men out there,” she quipped. “Let’s conclude this evening with some delightful fruits, shall we?”

“Certainly. I will need some of that,” Lily agreed.

They continued their stroll, their conversation turning to lighter subjects.

At that moment, surrounded by friends and laughter, Lily felt the faintest flicker of hope.