Yes, My Love (Sequel to Yes, My Lady) (Black Butler Fanfic) COMPLETE

Chapter 14

Once we were out of the dining room and in the uninhabited entrance hall, Sebastian stopped and turned to face me. I cocked my head at him in confusion.

"Pink," he said, looking at my dress again. "An interesting choice."

My heart sank a little. "Do you not like it?"

He smiled softly. "I didn't say that. I've just never seen you wear the color before."

I glanced down at the dress I was wearing, thinking back to when I had gotten it. "I got it one day on a shopping trip with Sarah and Jasmine. I hadn't wanted it, but they convinced me, saying I looked really good in it. I thought I'd wear it tonight for dinner to surprise them, and maybe lighten the mood a little."

"Well," he said, stepping closer to me, "you do look beautiful in it."

My heart raised back up in my chest and fluttered wildly while my face began to burn fiercely. Sebastian chuckled.

"He's right in here." He turned and walked over to a door and stood beside it, waiting patiently for me to move.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath, then walked over to Sebastian and the sitting room that held James.

Sebastian handed me a folded piece of paper. "The letter."

I nodded. Right. I might need that.

A moment later, Sebastian opened the door. James stood when he saw us, and I looked back at Sebastian. I trusted James, but I didn't want to have to explain the situation alone.

He nodded, then led the way into the room.

"Chrystal," James greeted as I followed Sebastian inside. "It's lovely to see you again. Although, I hadn't expected it to be so soon."

"Neither had I," I responded politely, motioning for him to sit back down. He did so, and I sat across from him on the opposite couch.

"What seems to be the problem? Sarah barely said anything, other than that the matter was quite urgent. I would have been here sooner, but another case came up."

I waved off his apology. "Don't worry about that. We were able to take care of things for the time being. We just can't keep these people here forever. They'll want to return home."

James cocked his head in confusion. "People? You've had to take in someone?"

I nodded, then handed Sebastian the letter as I began to explain. "A woman from the neighborhood stopped by this morning. Her name is Jennifer, and I've known her for a while. She wanted some money to pay to take her daughter to the doctor. I gave her what she needed, then turned around to walk her out." By now Sebastian had walked the letter over to James, and he was examining it while he listened. "The next thing I knew, Sebastian had stopped her from stabbing me with a dagger, and she'd collapsed to the floor in tears." I then began to explain the contents of the letter and everything Jennifer had said about there being another to come after it.

"This is definitely something we should look into. Thank you for telling me." James said.

I nodded, but then couldn't keep my questions at bay anymore. I needed to know if he thought the same thing I did. "James, the person who sent those letters... Do you think the attack on me was because she hadn't acted the way they told her? It's the same people, right?"

James looked at me with sad eyes. "We can't rule anything out. As scary as it sounds, what you just said would have to be the best case scenario. Worst case, well..."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "...there are multiple people that want me dead."

James reluctantly nodded.

I felt the familiar sensation of fear crawl its way through me, but I did my best to ignore it as I tried to turn the topic of the conversation back to Jennifer and Lily. "I don't want either of them to be hurt. I wanted to ask if it was possible to do something for them like you are all doing for me. I want Jennifer and her daughter looked after. I'll pay any bills that may accumulate from it."

James forced a smile. "Sadly, we can't risk any more officers at the time being to station people around her house. However," he added, noticing my frown, "we can take them somewhere safe. I don't think they should be going home until this is solved, anyway."

I felt my face light up with a bright smile. "Thank you, James. I'd let them stay here, but I don't want to put them at risk with everything going on."

"I understand," he said. "Honestly, I wish you'd go with them. You'd be much safer if you were hidden away."

"As right as you are, I can't do that," I told him. "My attackers are going to come back here eventually. I need to be here to draw them in. Then we can finally figure out what's going on."

James sighed when he heard my resolve, but Sebastian had a different look on his face. He seemed genuinely shocked by my lack of fear, especially since everything that had happened earlier. After a moment, though, his shock turned to pride. I smiled to myself. Apparently I was better at hiding my emotions from him than I thought.

James stood. "As I had expected. You are very brave to volunteer yourself as bait, Chrystal. Just don't do anything foolish."

I smiled at him. "I make no promises." I said it jokingly, but I knew myself. And with Sebastian by my side, no one ever knew what was going to happen.

He chuckled slightly. "As for this," James held up the letter he had been given, "I'm going to need to take this back to the station as evidence. As for Jennifer and her daughter, I can take them now, if they're ready. They'll be in good hands."

I nodded, then turned to my butler. "Sebastian, could you bring them down if the doctor is finished?"

Sebastian bowed slightly, then left the room.

I stood and walked James to the door as we waited. A few moments later, Sebastian was coming down the stairs, carrying Lily, Jennifer walking beside them. Another man I didn't recognize was behind them, but based on his white coat and black case, I assumed he was the doctor.

I waved goodbye to James, Lily, and Jennifer as they walked towards James's car, Sebastian still carrying the little girl. I turned to see the doctor still in the doorway, holding a piece of paper.

"The bill," was all he said.

"Yes, thank you. I will have it paid soon," I answered, taking the paper.

The man bowed slightly in farewell, and as he straightened, I noticed the smirk that was dancing on his lips.

I bit my tongue, not wanting this man to know I had seen it. Once the door had closed and the doctor was out of sight, I collapsed to my knees. What had that been about?

I suddenly remembered the bill in my hands, and curiously glanced at it to see how much the visit had cost. On it was a reasonable price, but upon further inspection, there was something else. Something that made me freeze and my skin crawl.

On the paper, scrawled in black marker and messy handwriting, was the words:

"You've expired."