Crown of Lies

“Or?”

“Or I’ll permit you to keep your wits until after you’ve met Larry again.”

“Larry?”

From the park?

Deciding to annoy him, I said, “Ah, your fictional husband slash benefactor.”

“That’s starting to get old.”

My courage sprang from nowhere, bolstered by monster-sized curiosity. “Who is he to you? What exactly is a benefactor anyway?”

His face blocked all answers. “Why do you care?”

“I care because I hate being in the dark.”

“It’s better than other alternatives.”

My heart squeezed. “What do you mean?”

He sighed, rubbing his face with his hand. “Fine. I’ll answer the basics if it’ll stop your damn questions. Larry is family. He’s the only family I have. Stewie will be his adopted son soon. Which will make him my brother, for all intents and purposes.”

He took a breath, bracing himself to continue. “I used to...work...for Larry, until I branched off into my own expertise. He helped me when I had no one else, and I’ll forever have his back so if he gets sick again and needs to move to Zimbabwe for treatment, I’ll take him. If he suddenly told me he couldn’t adopt Stewie, I’d do it in a fucking heartbeat. Larry is the reason I still have a life—even if it is messed up.”

I clutched each answer before he could steal them back. So many questions to tug out more truth, but I focused on the easiest...for now. “And what is your expertise?”

“Stock market.”

I didn’t picture him as Wall Street guy. A lawyer perhaps with his sharp tongue and argumentative desire to turn every conversation into a debate. But not boring stocks and impersonal trades.

“Where are your mom and dad?” I drank him in, doing my best to read his body language as he stiffened.

“Dead. Have been since I was eleven.”

I flinched. “I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t do it.” He looked over my head, his patience fraying. I doubted he’d permit any more questions, but I asked another. “You say Larry gave you back your life. How? Where did you guys meet?”

Penn chuckled darkly, shaking his head.

I tacked on another before he could revoke me asking anymore. “What about Stewie? Where did you meet him?”

He grinned, slipping back into the cultured shell that was utterly unreadable. “Enough.” He cupped my chin with his finger and thumb, holding me tight. “Choose. Drink now or later. Your call.”

I gulped as his gaze went to my lips. The room blurred with sexual tension. We’d just had sex but already the familiar ache began anew.

Deliberately placing the champagne on a table next to an identical empty flute, I straightened my back. “Later. I’d like to see what Larry will reveal before you scare me away and stop me from figuring out who you truly are.”

He laughed softly. “He won’t help with that, Elle. Only I can.”

“Well, help me then. Tell me. I know nothing about you. Where did you go to school? What sort of stocks do you trade? What’s your favorite hobby, drink, color, time of day?” My voice ran into one endless request. “It’s uncomfortable for me spending time with a man I don’t know, basing everything I do know off whatever chemistry our bodies decide to share.”

His lips tilted. “So you’re saying sleeping with me, while knowing nothing about me, isn’t exciting but terrifying?”

I nodded. “If you want to use extremes, yes.”

He removed his hold, letting my face go. “Careful what you wish for, Elle. Sometimes, secrets make things better not worse.” Dropping his eyes, they lingered on my naked throat, almost as if he traced an invisible necklace then he looked away, once again taking control by guiding me forward with an elbow touch.

Music fell gently from speakers, light classical with a thread of contemporary. It was meant to be relaxing, but I found a hint of macabre hidden in the notes. The laughing crowd didn’t notice and I didn’t dwell. Whatever happened tonight, I’d meet headfirst. If it meant this was the last time I’d see Penn because of some disastrous divulgence, then I would still wake tomorrow. I would still have my company, my father, my world.

Sure, it wouldn’t be as spicy without him in it, but I didn’t need him to make me whole.

Are you sure about that?

My heart had been a stupid thing. My ears had heard his lies, but my heart didn’t buy them. It didn’t judge or interrogate. It blindly followed where affection lay—making my feelings toward Penn woefully complicated.

I let him lead me—staying quiet and obedient out of respect that this was his night. His night to either reveal something I could accept or run away with horror. I was ready for either as long as he gave me answers.

Stewie found us first.

A small hand appeared from the crowd followed by an arm dressed in gray with navy pinstripes. He grinned as he planted himself in our trajectory, his attention on Penn. “Whatcha think?”

Penn slammed to a halt, rubbing his chin with his fingers in mock-serious contemplation. “Hmm...”

Stewie bought into the pantomime while I watched as an outsider, witnessing once again how many facets Penn had. He was strict and unyielding, but with Stewie, he was a joker, friend, and protector all in one.

“Very nice.” He looked at me. “What do you think, Elle? Your merchandise shrunk to Stew’s size.”