Page 114 of The Devil's Deceit

“Like I said, we’ve both made mistakes.”

She nods. “Before we go, answer me one thing.”

“Shoot.”

“Did you kill my parents?”

“No.”

“Okay.” She gives the shop a final nostalgic glance, then turns her back on it and lets out a heavy sigh.

“You believe me?”

“I think the time for lies is behind us, don’t you?”

“Yeah. I do.” I hold out my hand, half expecting her to ignore it.

She hesitates, then presses her palm to mine. “Do you think there’s hope for us?” she asks. “Considering how this began.”

I drop her case on the ground and take her other hand, bringing both of them to my chest. “It’s not how something begins that matters, Grace. It’s how it ends. And that’s up to us.”

One corner of her mouth tilts up, and I can’t help it, I bend my head and press a soft kiss there. As I pull back, she touches the spot where my lips caressed her skin, her eyes unfocused.

“Let’s go home, Duchess.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

GRACE

The journey back to Oakleigh is quite possibly the most uncomfortable twelve hours of my life. Occasionally, I doze off, but every time I open my eyes, I meet Alexander’s fearsome glower. If Christian and I stand a chance of saving our relationship, I have some groveling to do. At least Charles greeted me with kindness and understanding. If Alexander is representative of the rest of the family, though, I’m in for a long walk back into the graces of this family.

Once I believed that they didn’t forgive betrayal, they buried it, but I was wrong. They don’t bury betrayal. They face it head on. I have no choice other than to do the same thing.

George and Alice haven’t spoken a single word, not to each other or to their family. Apart from a surprised flare in his eyes when Christian and I boarded the helicopter back on Isla Oscura, he hasn’t reacted at all.

I wonder what they’ll do to him. Not that it’s any of my business. I have enough shit of my own to deal with.

The plane lands in heavy rain and strong winds, and thechill that skates over my skin as I make my way down the airplane steps to the car waiting on the tarmac draws a sigh out of me. I love my country, but the weather leaves a lot to be desired. I haven’t told Arron or Juliet what’s happening. I’m simply too exhausted. Any spare energy I have is needed to handle the difficult conversations ahead.

To my intense relief, Charles and Alexander head to one car, George and Alice to a second, flanked on either side by armed bodyguards, leaving a third car for Christian and me. Just escaping Alexander’s scowl eases the kinks in my neck. As soon as the door closes, I breathe out a sigh of relief.

“Glad to be home?”

I trace a drop of rain sliding down the window with my finger. “Glad to be out of the line of fire.”

He frowns. “What do you mean?”

I twist my head to the right. “I know I’ve got a lot of making up to do, but Alexander has the fearsome glare down to a T. He stared daggers at me for twelve hours straight.”

Christian’s frown deepens. “I didn’t see… ohh.” He laughs. “It wasn’t you he was glaring at. The piece of shit formerly known as our uncle was in the seat behind you.”

The tension that has ridden me for over half a day slides off my shoulders. “I thought… never mind.”

Reaching across the spare seat between us, Christian gathers my hand in his. “He has a lot on his mind. What George did is something we’re all struggling to process, but for Xan… to know you’re the product of a rape, and not from some twat of a stranger, which would be horrific in itself, but a family member…” He shakes his head. “It’s a lot.”

Shame crawls up my throat like bile. “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it all about me.”

“Grace, relax.” His thumb runs back and forth over myknuckles. “My family understands, even if they are hurt. And for what it’s worth, both Imogen and Victoria are firmly on Team Grace.”