Page 22 of Royal Deception (Royals of the Underworld #2)

CLARY

W hen I step through the front door, I feel lighter than I have in years. Maybe ever. For the first time, I have a way out, and it’s one Kate can’t take from me.

I spot her in the kitchen, sipping coffee like she hasn’t a care in the world, like she isn’t the reason I’ve spent my whole life walking on eggshells.

I drop my bag on the counter. “I’m moving out.”

Kate barely reacts at first. Just a slow blink, then a tilt of her head as she sets down her mug. “Oh?” she says, voice light. “And with what money, exactly?”

I fold my arms, standing taller. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll manage.”

She snorts, sizing me up and down with her icy blue eyes. “I love how you think you can just run off into the arms of that man, like he’s some fairytale prince.” Her eyes gleam, as though she knows a secret I don’t, then she leans in and smirks. “I know you’re pregnant with his demon spawn.”

My stomach drops.

For a split second, panic grips me, squeezing the breath from my lungs. But then it passes. Kate doesn’t know everything. She thinks she has power over me, but she doesn’t. Not anymore.

I lift my chin. “He already knows,” I lie. “That’s why we’re moving in together.”

Kate’s smirk falters, just slightly, and that’s all the opening I need. I brush past her, heading up to my room to start packing. It feels good to be the one to have the last word, for once.

Kate has always tried to make my life miserable ever since she married my father.

The very first day we met, the second my dad stepped out of the room, she dropped the fake nice act and told me I was little more than a burden to her.

She made sure I always felt like an outsider when my dad was around.

And when he passed when I was in high school, things got worse.

All the money he left went to her. She made sure to gloat about it when I found out.

She only let me stay if I worked and paid ‘rent’ for the privilege of living in my own home.

And when I tried to leave, she made it seem like I’d never make it on my own financially.

It got into my head, so I stayed. I borrowed money for college, and then I was more in debt to her than ever.

But now I have somewhere to go, somewhere far away from her controlling influence.

Once I finish packing, I head downstairs and out the door, inhaling the crisp afternoon air. The tension in my shoulders melts away. I can’t believe I finally stood up to Kate and got the last word. It feels so freeing.

But as I step onto the sidewalk, a knot forms in my gut. I know what Kate’s like. She doesn’t back down so easily. She’s a business mogul, and she always said she didn’t get to the top by playing nice.

Kate knows a lot of people. She has connections, people who would jump to do her bidding. If she wanted to make my life miserable, she wouldn’t even have to lift a finger.

I take a deep breath, pushing the doubt away. I know Kate is smart, but Rory is far more powerful and well connected than she is. Deciding I need a little cheering up, I pull out my phone and call Ana, who picks up on the second ring.

“What’s up, love?” she greets, the sound of a TV playing in the background.

“I have news,” I say, grinning. “Good news.”

“Oh, my gosh, spill.”

I lean against the railing, barely containing my excitement. “The guy I’ve been seeing? He wants to move in together.”

Ana gasps. “What?! Are you serious?”

I laugh. “Dead serious. He even stood up to Kate for me. It was kind of amazing.”

“Well, damn,” Ana says, impressed. “What happened to the whole “seeing how things go” thing?”

“This is me seeing how things go,” I argue, but even I hear the weak protest in my voice.

“Uh-huh.” I can hear her smirking. “And what about… you know?”

I hesitate, glancing down at my stomach. “I think I’m going to tell him.”

Ana is quiet for a beat. Then, softly, she says, “I only want you to know that I’m here for you. You should be cautious, Clary. Some people are only interested in doing what’s best for them. It might look like he cares, but when the chips are down, what if he abandons you?”

A cold thread of doubt snakes through me. “You think he’ll get bored and throw me away?”

“I think you don’t know for sure until it happens,” Ana says, caution in her voice. “And once you tell him, you can’t take it back.”

I chew my lip, my earlier confidence dimming a little. As Ana’s words sink in, the doubt she’s planted in my mind starts to twist, my chest tightening. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I’m jumping into this too fast, putting all my trust in Rory when I don’t know how it’ll end.

But I shake the thought away. Rory is a man who goes after what he wants and doesn’t take no for an answer.

He’d never ask me to move in if he didn’t want me there.

Having her doubt me like this rankles at me in a way that surprises me, and it occurs to me that maybe Ana is projecting, so I take a breath, trying to keep my voice calm.

“That’s true,” I say slowly, “but I think things will be alright. The guy I’m seeing… he’s the kind of guy who knows what he wants. And when he wants something, he just goes for it. I don’t think he’s the type to do things halfway.”

There’s a beat of silence on the other end, and I can almost feel Ana’s hesitation. She’s never been one to hold back, but something in her tone is different now.

“You think so?” she asks quietly.

“Yeah, I do,” I say, more sure of it now. “But hey, if you have any doubts, you can talk to me. You know that.”

Another pause, then Ana’s voice cracks, just a little. “Maybe we can talk later this week,” she says, her usual confidence slipping a bit.

My brow furrows, sensing the shift. “Ana, is everything okay?”

She doesn’t answer right away, and when she finally speaks, her voice is softer. “I don’t know, Clary. I guess maybe I’m just scared. Things in my relationship haven’t been so great lately, and well… I didn’t know how to talk about it.”

“You know, you can always talk to me,” I remind her gently, hoping she knows she’s not alone in whatever she’s going through. “But if you need some space, that’s okay too. Just know I’m here when you’re ready.”

There’s a quiet, vulnerable laugh on the other end. “Yeah, I know. Thanks, Clary. I’ll think about it.”

“Anytime, Lady,” I say, my voice lighter now. “We’ll talk soon.”

“I’ll talk to you later,” she says, her voice steadying. “Take care of yourself, okay?”

“You too,” I reply before ending the call.

I set my phone down, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. I’m excited about moving in with Rory, but Ana’s words won’t stop echoing in my mind. But I don’t want the fear to overshadow my happiness, either.

I decide to grab a bite, and then I’ll head back and finish packing my stuff up. There’s nothing that will shake me out of this funk like physically putting things away for the big move.

Just a few days later, I’m standing in the middle of Rory’s apartment, surrounded by boxes and bags of clothes, shoes, and everything else I couldn’t leave behind.

But now it’s different.

I’m moving in with him, starting fresh, away from Kate’s bitterness and control. It feels like I’m finally in charge of my own life.

Everything’s moving so fast, but it all feels so right.

It feels like everything I’ve ever wanted.

At least, I think so.

There’s a little niggle of doubt in the back of my mind, questioning, is this really what you want from him?

I zip up the last empty suitcase, securing the handle with a quick tug. Taking a deep breath, I shove the thought from my mind, releasing the tension from my shoulders as I glance around the room.

The space is large but tidy, everything in its place, exactly how Rory likes it. There’s a certain orderliness to everything, from the sharp lines of the furniture to the carefully curated bookshelves and sleek, modern decor.

I feel a pang as I glance around and realize that nothing in this room is mine. None of my stuff is in the living areas. It’s all confined to the bedroom.

As I step over to the window, looking out at the city stretching beyond, I wonder if this is how it’s always going to feel—like I’m an outsider in his world.

But I force myself to smile. I won’t be an outsider forever, right?

I look at the neatness around me, the starkness of it all.

He’s made this space his own, and I’ve just slotted myself into it, like I’m just another piece in his carefully constructed puzzle.

The thought lingers, even as I force myself to push it down.

I’ll just go shopping, maybe pick out a few items to spruce the place up, make my mark.

Don’t you think he’d be mad if you touched his space?

I sit down on the window seat, suddenly feeling dizzy.

I’m not his girlfriend.

I don’t have the right to change his space.

We might be living together, but I’m just his… his live-in submissive. It’s the role I agreed to play. I wanted this, so why does it feel like I’ve gone from one gilded cage to another?

I turn away from the window, the reflection of myself in the glass almost startling as I consider the weight of the situation. Am I okay with this? With being here, with being his toy, his pet?

A soft sigh escapes me as I move to sit down on the couch, the reality of it all settling in. I just need to settle in, to get used to living here. It’ll all start making sense soon.

I took the day off to move my things in, but it took much less time than I expected, and now I don’t know what to do with myself until Rory gets home. I lounge on the couch, flipping through a magazine, then scroll on my social media feed for a while.

Callie Fitzgerald’s face beams back at me from Instagram, the announcement of her upcoming book premiere plastered all over my feed.

Irritation rises, but I shove it down. I know that I’m only Rory’s sub, but I’m the one who’s living here, so I shouldn’t get jealous of how much time they spend together.

Even if the lingering glances, charming smiles, and subtle compliments he gives her are suddenly swimming in my mind.

A quick glance at the clock above the mantel tells me it’s nearly time for Rory to arrive home. I decide to start getting ready for him to arrive home, hoping that will take my mind off my own insecurities.

As I neatly fold my clothes, I retrieve my collar and fasten it around my neck. I kneel on the pillow, hands behind my back, eyes cast down at my thighs, feeling a sense of quiet anticipation building within me.

The door opens, but instead of the warm greeting I expect, Rory sighs. I glance up to find him on the phone. He holds up a finger, signaling for a minute, then heads for his study.

I sit perfectly still, straining to catch Rory’s voice from the study.

“They might make a move at the gala. It’s too close to call.”

My pulse quickens. The gala? I lean forward, trying to hear more.

Rory’s voice drops, firm. “If they show up, we’ll be ready for them. They won’t get to her, not on my watch. She’s too important to me. I’d do anything to protect her.”

His words hang in the air, leaving me frozen, unsure. Who is he talking about?

Me? Or Callie?