Page 42 of The Devil's Deceit

A wide smile stretches across Tobias’s face. “I rest my case.”

“Good Lord.” Vicky makes this shooing motion with her hands. “It’s like being in playschool. Off you go, kiddywinks The adults need to get to know one another before I introduce her to Charles.”

I fire a nervous glance at Christian.

He winks. “Don’t worry. Her bite is survivable. Just ask Nicholas.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Vicky says. “I am a pussycat.”

“With sharp claws.”

Vicky glares at Christian. “And you, mister, will find out just how sharp if you don’t get out of here in five seconds.”

Tobias snickers.

Christian’s hands fly in the air. “Okay, okay. We’re going.” He kisses me on the cheek, and the two men leave, closing the door behind them.

“Take a seat.” Vicky motions to a high-backed leather armchair beside an unlit fireplace. Once I’m seated, she sits in the other one. “Grace, relax. I’m not here to make you uncomfortable or to shine a light in your eye. I just think that, before you meet Charles, I should get to know you a little.”

“I just… well I don’t like lying.” Yep, I’m going to burn in hell for sure.

“Don’t think of it as lying. Think of it as… helping Charles make the right decision for his son.” She folds her hands and lays them in her lap. “If Christian thinks you are the right woman for him to marry, then I’ll do everything I can to support that. Asfor what you get out of this marriage… women have married for far less. My parents aren’t De Vil rich, but we had a comfortable life. I can empathize and try to understand how it must be for you, but I can’t. Not really. You should know, though, that being a wife in this family comes with challenges.”

“What kinds of challenges?”

“Well, you’re not just joining a family, but a huge empire with riches that make your eyes water. It can take some getting used to, as can being followed wherever you go.”

My eyes flare wide. “Followed?”

“Yes. This family has enemies—many of them. As soon as you marry Christian, you will be assigned a bodyguard. They stick to you like glue, believe me.”

How I keep the shock I’m feeling inside from spilling out, I’ll never know. A bodyguard? Followed everywhere? I mean, I knew Christian had a bodyguard, but I hadn’t considered thatI’dhave to have one. How the hell am I supposed to communicate with Arron and Uncle Daniel if I have a permanent shadow who will probably report my movements back to Christian?

“I see.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” Vicky continues, unaware she’s dropped a hand grenade that has me reeling. “It’s not like they follow you to the loo or anything.” She laughs. “But safety and security is taken seriously in this family, and it takes a little getting used to.”

Fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck.

“I see. Well, at least I’m going into this with my eyes open.”

“So.” She leans back and crosses her legs. “Tell me about yourself.”

“Hasn’t Christian told you about me?”

“Oh, yes, but we know what men are like, only half listening most of the time. I’d rather get the details from you. That way, when I introduce you to Charles, I can sound like you’re more than a mere acquaintance.”

Makes sense, and it’s not like regurgitating my fake life is difficult. I’ve practiced for hours and hours exactly for this reason.

“Before I do, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why are you going along with this? Christian has his reasons for wanting a bride of his choosing, and I have mine for marrying someone who is little more than a stranger, but I would have thought you would’ve been on the side of your father-in-law. I’m curious why you’re supporting Christian in what amounts to lying to his dad.”

She rakes her teeth over her bottom lip and takes her time to answer. After a few seconds, she sighs. “I respect Charles’s views. He’s a decent man and a good father, and I probably should let him choose a wife for Christian, considering he gave Nicholas a choice and he chose badly.”

I frown, not following this conversation at all. “But Nicholas married you.”