He was shaking, muttering something under his breath, hands twitching. I didn’t want to bother him. He hadn’t gotten much sleep last night, but I couldn’t just sit here and watch this.

“Dorian… Dorian, wake up.” I shook him.

“Huh?” He sat up quickly, his eyes wide.

I touched the side of his face. “Are you okay? It looked like you were having a nightmare.”

He adjusted his tie before relaxing into his seat and took a deep breath.

“I’m fine. I hate the Hamptons.” He muttered the last part under his breath. A sleeping Alaric fell against his side when the car went around a curve.

“He doesn’t have a problem with dogs, does he?” he asked me, staring down at him.

“No, he loves them. So much in fact, he’s been begging for one. Why?”

“We… I have two beagles. One of them is very active, but the other has been sick. Cancer. I was going to finally put her to sleep while I was here.”

“Oh no. I’m sorry.” I frowned and brushed Alaric’s cheek. “He gets attached so easily, he’s going to be heartbroken.”

“He’s not the only one,” he whispered, looking out the window.

“I know this is a dumb question, but are you sure you’re okay? This place—”

“Brings back a lot of memories, yes. I’ll be fine. How about you? The last time you came here it was for…” His voice drifted off as he stared out the window.

Luckily, I didn’t have to answer because we pulled up in front of the classical white mansion. When Goldie said the staff would be here to welcome us, I wasn’t expecting five maids, three butlers, the kitchen crew, and two beagles to all be standing outside. Dorian fixed his tie again and checked his cufflinks as the driver came around to open the door.

Thank God I didn’t change into jeans. I planned to at my apartment but didn’t want to waste any more time.

“Ready? The staff’s been the same since I was a teen, so I feel comfortable.” He told me as I woke Alaric. Dorian stepped out first, then Alaric and finally me. I smelled the ocean breeze. Alaric rubbed his eyes, looked around, then grinned when he saw the two brown-and-white beagles. Breaking away from me, he ran to them, to the surprise of everyone, and hugged them. They licked the sides of his face excitedly, and he laughed.

The older butler, a man I guessed was in his late sixties, stepped forward. “Welcome back, Mr. Rhys-Gallagher.”

“Luella, this is Russell, he oversees the house all year round. Russell, this is Luella Thorne and our son, Alaric. Please see to it they both have anything they need.”

He nodded slightly. “Welcome, ma’am. If anything is not to your liking, please let me know.”

“Luella is fine.” One maid was trying to say hello to Alaric, but he wasn’t paying attention. “He’s not ignoring you, he just can’t hear.”

I moved over and waved my hands near his face, and he glanced up at me. “Don’t be rude. Say hello to everyone.”

Everyone was gazing at him, but since he loved attention, he was not at all bothered by it. He signed, “Hi, everyone, I am Alaric.”

They waved and smiled, but a few looks were exchanged.

“Russell, please see to it that another staff member is added who knows ASL and that the rest understand a few important things,” Dorian stated, approaching Alaric and lifting him.

“Of course, Sir.”

He reached for my hand. I took it, following him into the house.

“You’re going to force them to learn sign language?” I whispered.

“Their job is to take care of this house and everyone in it. How can they do that if they can’t understand what he’s saying?”

“Alaric, move slowly, okay?”

He nodded, not really caring. He’d found his new best friends. “I want the dogs.”

He wiggled from Dorian’s arms and back onto the white marble floors. As he wished, the dogs were making their way back into the house and he moved back to them, falling to his knees in order to rub their stomachs.

“You’re right, he does get attached.” Dorian frowned, and I could clearly tell which one was sick.

Though she was excited to see a new face, the female didn’t roll over like the male. She only allowed Alaric to lightly touch her before moving back and sitting down as Alaric and the male dog played on the floor.

“Hercules is the male and Bronwyn, the female, she was Donovan’s dog. She’s been sick for some time now.” He glanced at them one more time before looking away. “I need to make a few phone calls, why don’t you unpack?”

He didn’t give me a chance to reply before walking off toward another part of the house. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea?

“Ma’am—”

“Russell, call me Luella or Lulu. Believe me, I’m no ‘ma’am’.”

One old gray eyebrow went up.

“That came out wrong. I am a ‘ma’am’, just not—I’m going to stop talking now before I make a fool of myself.” I gave up trying to explain.

His smile was kind. Sort of like how you’d expect a grandparent to smile at you. “Ms. Luella, thank you for being here.”

“Why are you thanking me?”

He looked back at Alaric, who was giggling like crazy next to the dogs. “I haven’t heard laughter in this house for so long, I’d almost forgotten what it sounded like. Your son reminds me very much of Dorian as a boy.”

“You’ve been here that long?”

“I’ve been here since he turned six. It’s almost uncanny how alike they look,” he said with a genuine smile. “He and this house have seen a lot of pain. But, hopefully, it will change now that you both are here.”

“Russell, will Dorian be all right?” I asked softly.

He smiled sadly. “Just don’t leave him alone and he’ll be fine.”

“How could he be alone with so many people in the house?” I watched the staff bringing in our suitcases.

“Miss, the staff can be like family, but we shall never actually be family. After all, everyone is here because they are paid to be here.”

A maid stepped toward us. “The rooms are ready.”

“Please show them the way. I shall check to see if Mr. Rhys-Gallagher needs anything. If you need anything, Ms. Luella, please do not hesitate.” He disappeared in the same direction Dorian had.

“This way, miss,” she said. Alaric tried to lift both dogs in his arms before giving up and allowing them to walk up the stairs. He kept checking to make sure they were following.

“Is that Dorian’s room?” I pointed to the twin doors that were on the far side of the second level of the house.

“No, Miss, that room belonged to his parents. He’s asked for it to always remain unused.” She leaned in as though it were some sort of dark secret.

“This will be his room.” She opened a door to a young boy’s dream room.

I stepped inside, and Alaric’s attention finally left the dogs and moved to one of the ships in a glass bottle. He stared at it like it was magic. “How did that get in there?”

“People make it. It’s pretty cool, right?”

“So cool. I want to make one.” He sat on the bed, staring at it.

I looked over to the desk and saw a picture frame. I would have thought I was looking at Alaric in a few short years, times two. The twins, dressed in the same clothes, were in a sailboat with their mother and father. They all seemed so happy.

“My mother enjoyed dressing us alike.” Dorian leaned against the doorframe.

The maid curtsied to him before leaving.

“I thought you had phone calls to make?”

“I lied.” He shrugged. “I just needed a few minutes to myself, but Russell all but pulled me by the ear and told me to show you around.”

“Are you and Russell close?”

“He was the only one consistently there for me growing up, so yes.”

Alaric got off the bed and ran to him, holding the bottle. “How do you do this?”

He bent down and signed slowly. “Do. You. Want. To. Learn?”

Alaric nodded so quickly, he looked like a bobble head.

“I….” Dorian looked at me. “What is the sign for ‘promise’?” I showed him.

“I promise to show you.”

I joined in. “After you unpack, and when he isn’t busy, okay?”

His blue eyes drifted to another thing to play with.

“I’m glad he likes it here.” Dorian stood. “It was Don’s old room. I haven’t changed anything in this house for the most part. When my mother got sick, we stopped coming here. He didn’t come back until he died… Sorry, I don’t mean to be depressing.”

“I prefer you talking to me about it than just walking away. I can handle it.”

“Will you accompany me to Mr. Sinclair’s dinner this evening?”

“Of course. Oh, but what about Alaric?”

“Goldie will be here by then. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on him.”

“Are you sure? That isn’t part of her job description.” The last thing I wanted to do was pour salt in her wounds.

“She’ll be fine, don’t worry.” His hands lingered on my face before he moved to Alaric.

He jumped on the bed right next to him, they didn’t need to talk in order to enjoy each other’s company.

DORIAN

It was so odd being back in the family study again. I ran my hand on the edge of the table, remembering how she gripped onto it, and glanced up at the bookshelf…

“Are you sure you don’t need to bring the proposal?”

“Huh?” Goldie stood on the other side of the desk. She’d arrived to make sure we had everything. “Right, the proposal. It’s perfect. I know it by heart. But I have a feeling Mr. Sinclair isn’t going to care to hear it. Tonight, he will be throwing jabs.”

“Then make him care. Explain to him Sinclair Group came from Rhys-Gallagher National, and it only makes sense to return to the fold.” She sounded more frustrated than I did.

I snickered. “I’ll do my best.”

“Your bowtie is crooked,” she said, and immediately straightened it.

Luella stood in the doorway, wearing a long off-the-shoulder red dress that hugged every inch of her. I swallowed, staring at her smooth warm skin.

Jesus, she’s beautiful.

“Are you guys finished?” She pointed, and it was only then did I realize how close Goldie and I were.

“She was helping with my tie,” I said, nervously pulling on it.

Luella spoke up. “Thank you, Goldie, and thank you for watching Alaric. He’s asleep, but should he need anything, please let me know.”

“Of course. You two have a good evening.”

“I will call if anything happens.” I took Luella’s hand, shivering at the touch.

“I’m going to peek in on Alaric before we go,” I said. I’d always hated how my father never said goodbye when I was young. I didn’t want to repeat the same mistake.

GOLDIE

You want to be Dorothy and not the Wicked Witch of the East.

“Goldie?”

“Yes!” I did my best to be cheerful.

Luella’s expression said she could see right through me.

“I know you have feelings for him.” She spoke so directly, I was stunned for a second.

“What? No. No! Please don’t misunderstand the tie thing,” I tried to explain.

“All I want for Dorian is to be happy. He deserves that,” she told me as if I didn’t already know that.

“Nothing is going on between us. It just looked bad when you came in.” I didn’t want to smile, but I could feel the corners of my mouth turn up. “Here to give me the whole ‘don’t touch my man’ speech?”

“It’s not like that,” she replied. “I just… If you’re important to him, I don’t want you to feel like we have to be enemies or something.”

“You do have feelings for him, right?”

“It’s complicated.” The fact that she couldn’t even answer clearly gutted me. She didn’t know. Meanwhile, here I was. “People’s feelings aren’t very simple. We’re focusing simply on trying for Alaric right now. I wouldn’t normally say anything, but you’re watching him tonight, and I want to make sure you’re all right with that.”

“Of course. I’m not one of those insane women who get all jealous. I’m fine. It’s just a crush.”

“Good, because if anything happened to my son, I wouldn’t hesitate to show you or anyone else the definition of an insane woman.” She smiled, yet I got the vibe she didn’t mean that in a funny or joking manner.

“I swear he’ll be fine. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you two meet?” How could I have not noticed her all of these years? She was stunning and elegant. What family was she from? Thorne? I didn’t know any Thornes.

She looked around the room. “We met here.”

How complicated could things between them be if she had such a dazed look on her face just looking around a den? What was between them? Why did I care so much? Why did it bother me so much to know she wasn’t some stuck up bitch? She actually seemed nice, and I couldn’t be bitchy to someone like that.

Before I could ask anything else, Dorian was back. “I think he fooled you, he’s still awake, but I’m sure he will be out soon.”

“I should have known.” She joined him.

He changed when he was with her. When I touched him, he stiffened and forced himself to tolerate me, but he eagerly sought out her hand, like it made him feel better.

This sucks.

“Bye.” I waved as they walked outside to the waiting car.

He helped her in, his hand courteously on her waist, and I couldn’t watch anymore. I closed the door and leaned against it.

“Hi.” Alaric sat on the stairs, wearing Thor pajamas, staring at me with big blue eyes.

“Hi, shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“Not sleepy, can I have ice cream?”

“What would your mom say?”

He pouted. “I don’t know. Can we keep it a secret? I will share.”

I laughed. “Okay.”

“Yes.” He fist-pumped in the air.

“Can I ask you a question about your mom?”

“Yep.” He followed me into the kitchen.

“Where does she work?”

“She cooks. Mommy’s food is super yummy. Even the vegetables.”

“Really, and what about your family? Do you know any of them?” I reached into the freezer, getting the ice cream.

He paused, thinking. “There is me, Mommy, Daddy, and Aunty Eva.”

“Eva what?”

“I can’t say her last name, it’s hard.” He picked up the spoon and happily ate ice cream. I leaned against the counter, watching him.

Was I really so desperate I had to go through their son?

Yes.

I’d loved Dorian since he first held the door for me in Economics. He wasn’t like other guys. He was kind and respectful, but he still had an edge. He was like this never-ending mystery. A mystery that was now being solved by someone else. It hurt. I felt bad, but a part of me hoped, prayed, they wouldn’t work out, that something would rip them apart.

“Wow, you bent it,” he signed, looking at the spoon in my hand.

“Oops.” Pulling out my phone, I texted Rafael. Talk me off the ledge. I’m bending spoons now.

LUELLA

When we arrived at the Sinclair Mansion, I knew I was cursed. I wasn’t sure until this very moment, but I knew without a doubt that I was never meant to be happy.

“Mr. Sinclair,” Dorian said, greeting the man.

Roman Sinclair was nothing like the old man I’d pictured. He stood proudly, with brown hair peppered with silver, freckles on his nose, and hazel eyes. He had to be in his early sixties. He wore a dark suit and red ascot. He was a few inches shorter than me, yet that didn’t seem to bother him at all. A slender woman with short red hair and white pearls around her neck stood beside him, elegant and proud.

He ignored Dorian and took my hand, kissing it. “Who, my dear, are you?”

“Mr. Sinclair, meet Luella Thorne, my date for the evening.”

Mr. Sinclair paid him no attention. “How do you know this stuffy bastard? I thought he was one of the boy lovers.”

Now I was annoyed. Pulling away, I smiled. “I’m the mother of this stuffy bastard’s son, and I’m quite pleased I didn’t bring him tonight.”

His eyebrows rose, and he finally looked at Dorian, who stood there emotionlessly, as if he was more than done with this night already.

“You have a son?”

“His name is Alaric, he’s five.”

“Why don’t we all sit down,” the woman beside him said.

We followed them into the red carpeted dining hall, with the massive rock waterfall as a backdrop next to our table. Dorian pulled out my chair, which was across Hugh.

“Ms. Thorne, I would like you to meet my wife, Laura, my future son-in-law, Hugh Edmund, and my daughter, Portia.” Mr. Sinclair pointed to his wife, then Hugh, and then a beautiful redhead who sat beside him, with dark brown eyes that matched her mother’s.

“Nice to meet you all.” It wasn’t.

“Likewise.” He probably meant it.

I didn’t know him as Hugh Edmund. I knew him as Zeus, a former and rather oppressive client. Hugh glanced at me once or twice from across the table, and the evilest smile crossed his lips. He kicked my foot under the table. I looked away, staring at my knife.

He looked at Dorian, shaking his head like he was fighting from laughing. Every time I looked away, he would kick me until I met his eyes. I wanted to tell Dorian, but he was speaking to Mr. Sinclair.

I was in hell, and I couldn’t even scream.