BLUE BLOOD

43 | [clara jane sinclair laurence]

x

Shannon might not remember the night Ella died clearly, but I did.

"Why aren't you with them?" I asked, entering the room Ella walked out of smugly. Shannon had gone in this direction as well, but I wasn't sure if she had been in here. "They're going to play a game soon."

Avery Dragomir did not acknowledge my presence.

I was used to that, but tonight it pissed me off.

My eyes trailed along the floor, taking note of the shattered bottle of alcohol. My heels crunched against the glass as I walked closer to him. Avery stood there with his fists so tight, his knuckles were as white as snow.

Slowly, I took a seat and crossed my legs. If he would not look at me, I would just have to force him to by seducing him, even if I didn't have any particular affection for him.

I leaned, displaying most of my cleavage, but he didn't even spare me a glance. I frowned. The rumors always said Avery Dragomir was "respectful" but honestly, I thought that he was just a prude.

Finally, I whispered, "I know about the tunnels."

In a flash, he was close enough to threaten me. "What the hell did you just say?"

I lifted my chin, trying to look unbothered by our sudden proximity but it was very hard to accomplish. Not once in my life have I ever held his full attention until now.

Up close, I could see his stormy silver eyes. They were so different from Shannon's blue, but they were much more alluring. His chiseled cheekbones practically screamed of the broken hearts he left in his wake.

"I know about the tunnels," I repeated, feeling suddenly guilty for thinking about him in that way, given my relationship with his older sister. "I know that you still love her."

I saw the look in his gaze. Avery Dragomir must have loved this girl very much because he looked heart broken. One glance told me everything. A long time ago, Avery Dragomir had his heart broken by this girl and it is still broken.

What a lucky girl. The Eversons loved controllingly, the Solars loved greedily, and the Astos loved fully, but the Dragomirs? They loved eternally. Once a Dragomir truly fell in love with someone, it was forever. I wasn't sure he'd be able to love anyone else in this lifetime.

That made me curious. Why her?

"How do you know?" Avery's voice became hoarse. "Do you know where she is?"

"How long have you been looking for her?" I demanded, shaking. Shannon, forgive me.

There it was again. That distant look in his eyes. "Ever since she disappeared."

"I-"

My voice trembled and I gripped the armchair for support. This was when I lied to Avery Dragomir because I knew it would get me everything I ever wanted in this life.

"It's me."

I watched him stand again, backing away from me as if I burned him. The confusion, the fury, the disbelief.

He did not believe me.

"Get out," he said, quietly.

"No, I-"

"Fine. Then I will." Avery wasted no time to cross the room. I was panicking by the time his hand had wrapped around the handle. This was not supposed to happen. He could not leave this room without believing my lie.

I blurted out, "My mother was a maid. A maid on the other side of the island."

Avery stilled.

"Before she married my stepfather, she was a maid for the Du Sang family. I was her daughter and I- I explored the manor a lot," I lied through my teeth. "I found the tunnels and one day, I heard a boy."