Diamonds In Her Veins

Chapter Eleven: Truth Be Told

Chasity's POV

"Are you ok?" Channing immediately asked.

 "I'm fine." Thomas mumbled something about having an appointment, and he headed out leaving us alone to hash out what was apparently a problem. I hesitated, studying him, and wondering what the heck to say. Unfortunately, I only heard enough to realize that Channing was about to cover up something to do with the DNA test.

 "I was about to go check on the twins," Channing added.

 "No need to do that right now. I just passed Ameri on my way. Her and Aleanna were about to go meet the queen for lunch." He looked disappointed.

 "Thanks."

 "You don't have to thank me," I insisted. "I love spending time around the castle with everybody. What I don't love is hearing things that make me wonder if I can really trust you." I had to hand it to Channing. He didn't issue one of his Leon orders and storm off so he could avoid this confrontation. He stood there, waiting for the inevitable questions. I didn't make him wait long.

 "What DNA results are Thomas and you going to destroy?" I asked. He lifted his right shoulder,a gesture that made this all seem routine.

 "Everything that has anything to do with you and the King. I don't want Liam to get his hands on something that he can misinterpret." I gave that some thought.

 "So you don't have the results back yet, you were just thinking ahead?" He nodded. That was it. No other information. Was he telling me the truth? I didn't know, and I considered pressing him to find out more. I was almost positive I'd interrupted a critical conversation. Still, it didn't matter. Soon, I'd have my own test results. If and when that confirmed what I feared, I would confront him then. But heaven help him if he'd lied. Our situation was already bad enough without adding dishonesty to the mix.

 "The last guy I trusted lied to me," I heard myself say. I frowned and wanted to smack myself. Sheez. What's wrong with me? "Sorry that was to much information."

 "What did he lie about?" Channing immediately asked.

 "Everything important." I considered stopping but decided what the heck. Maybe if I told him, Channing would understand how important the truth was to me, even if the truth terrified me. "His job, for one thing. He was a cop and there were problems in the department. He told his superiors and got the reputation of being a snitch. He said it didn't matter, that he was working a desk job. He wasn't. And he was shot on what was suppose to be a routine raid of some stupid idiotic man."

 "He might not have told you the truth because he was trying to protect you," Channing pointed out.

"About that, maybe. But at the hospital, his mistress showed up and caused a scene. Lots of shouts and accusations. She blamed me for him getting shot." Because I suddenly needed something to do, I walked to the massive black granite and glass fireplace and looked up at the painting above it. It was a black-and-white photograph of a crystal bowl overflowing with lemons.

 "You didn't know your boyfriend was having an affair before then?" Channing asked.

 "Didn't have a clue." I tore my attention from the photograph. "And I lost it when I found out that I had been going on for over a year. Because I couldn't get up out of bed in the morning, I went to stay with my Aunt. But then, you already knew that." Channing made a concurring sound.

 "You had a reason to lose it." I heard the sympathy in his voice, and it felt better than it should have. I pushed that good feeling aside.

 "Yes, I guess I did." I turned, and our gazes met. The air was always so charged when we were around each other. It made me wonder if something real could have developed between us if we'd met under different circumstances.

 "You're positive that Liam's not still out there lurking around?" I asked.

 "Believe me, he and his entourage are long gone. I have security guards all along the castle road that leads to the town." Relieved, I nodded.

"That dosen't surprise me. If I had an enemy like that, a brother like that, I'd be doing the same thing." I paused. "Did the King really swear to their mother that he wouldn't kill Liam?"

 "No, he told her he'd try not to harm him. That's it. No promises. Their mother,the late Queen, didn't push for more of a guarantee. She knew what Liam was." That wasn't the scenario I'd built in my mind.

 "So why did she leave everything, besides the castle and the title, to Liam?"

 "Because she was afraid Liam would kill Lake.She died when Lake was barely sixteen. Liam was already twenty-five and well known for his cutthroat business practices. Their father had died of lung cancer shortly after Lake was born. So, Queen Adelaide left the castle, everything to Liam. Liam also got the title, but by the time Lake reached eighteen everyone wanted him as the King. So Liam was overthrown. She excluded Lake from inheriting anything, but there she made a mistake was not excluding his heirs. If she had, we wouldn't be going through all this, and Liam would be on the throne."

 True. And all because of a poorly worded will. It seemed unfair. But then, what the King had dealt with for years was the ultimate unfairness.

 "The King wasn't disappointed when the Queen left him nothing." I asked.

 "No, the King thought he got a good deal. His mother was protecting him." Puzzled, I scratched my eyebrow.

 "I read about this place before I came here. It was in shambles when the King took control of it. By the time he was twenty-six, it was the most amazing kingdom." And now that the King was fifty-seven, it wasn't just an amazing Kingdom, It was one of the most successful places on earth. His success showed, too. Not just in the Kingdom itself but in the way he managed his life. I supposed that some people would credit his rough start, but his determination and fortitude obviously hadn't hurt either.

 Channing moved closer to me. So close that I took in his scent. Deodorant soap, a woodsy aftershave and the cream-laced coffee he'd just drunk. His scent was manly and homey at the same time. But then, that was Channing. A man of contradictions.

 "You have something on your mind." he said. Definitely. But it wasn't just one thing. There were lots of things on my mind. Where to start? Oh, yes. Best to start with a good air clearing.

 "I want to hate you," I admitted.

 "Then hate me."" he smiled. I frowned.

 "You know I don't. It's crazy. I'm crazy. But despite the fact that I don't totally trust you, I don't hate you." Still standing side by side, he stared down at me. Oh, those eyes. Cool mix of blue and green and sizzling hot. Another contradiction, like the man himself. I could feel the ache stir for him, the feeling. A feeling that confused me and made me mad at myself. How could I feel this way? But I didn't have time to answer my own question. Channing cursed. It was raw.

"I don't want this to happen, either. Usually I have willpower when it comes to this sort of thing." I didn't doubt it. Heck, I had willpower in spades. One lover in my entire twenty-two years of life. But it seemed to have developed an adventurous streak when it came to Channing.

He gave me a searing look a split second before he lowered his head and kissed me. His mouth was cool. A surprise. I'd thought the heat would be there, as well. But more than heat was the finesse. Channing was very good at kissing, I soon learned.

He buried one of his hands deep in my hair. The other hand went around the back if my neck so that he controlled the movement, the pace. That kiss was everything I'd dreamed about and more. He wasn't gentle. I doubted he could be. The intensity raged through is nth and filled the room until everything seemed to be racing out of control.

My Breath. My mind. My heart. He pushed me against the wall, gently. Though I didn't care. All that mattered was the kiss. It had to continue. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer. And in that moment I knew this kiss showed feelings I was trying to figure out.