Tried for Love (TSATD)

Chapter 41

Leah

  "What has he told you? Ninno.. What lies has he told you?" I demanded, even as Ethan remained perilously silent.

  No doubt was he furious at me for marching in the way I did, demanding answers to a conversation I had given myself the right to eavesdrop, but either way, what he'd said was even more wrong than my doings.

  Anxious for his response, I found myself changing my weight from one foot to the other, arms crossed. The look behind his eyes was dark, unreadable, and I was suddenly aware just how close he had gotten with Jenna. This affected him.

  He was ready to do whatever it took to save her. And that wasn't the most dangerous part of it all. Whatever he had to say, however, he delayed it while he downed his drink, setting his glass down on the wood loudly.

  "No lies. She confirmed it this morning.." I frowned at his words, leaning back against the desk as I felt Gabriel's large presence beside me.

  "Confirmed?"

  My repeat requested further explanation, even though I had overheard some of the important details of this matter.. It seemed that Ethan was more angered by her confirmation than he was of Ninno's words.

  "Confirmed being de Moray's mistress. Now his hunt for her is far more personal than I had originally thought." He crossed to the drinking cabinet. "Goddamn," Leaning his hands on the wood, he looked out the window absently, and spoke mostly to himself. "It wasn't supposed to be like this.. He— I know how de Moray thinks. Christ. It's history repeating itself."

  "What history?" I glanced at Gabriel for answers, but his focus was fixed on Ethan. A frown lined between his brows, serious and determined, as if the anticipation left him angry. I turned back to Ethan. This was a serious matter that I believed I could help with. And yet he remained silent. "If I am to help you, Ethan, I'm gonna have to know what history you had with de Moray."

  "Ethan," My husband's deep tone took his attention. "I know it's a sensitive question, but I trust Leah. And you trust me." A few seconds passed. "Don't you?"

  I bit down on my lip. There was a certain closeness that developed between people that came close to facing death together.. Throughout the years, Gabriel had found salvation and understanding in no one other than the guys. Especially Ethan.

  He nodded his head and I knew that this was a sensitive topic. Perhaps too delicate for him to discuss aloud.

  When he spoke, his voice was low and gruff. "It's been so long since, I can barely separate if from a dream. I never damned woke from it." He shook his head, as if he didn't want to believe it himself. "I was but a lad, living at my father's estate in Essex even though he and mother worked in London."

  Pushing himself off the cabinet, he walked to the window. His few second silence gave me some time to process his words. 

  "Once the de Morays arrived in England however, it all changed. Father returned to the country house, greeting his close friend, the so called Cardinal, and I too was introduced to his biggest partner from Italy. Introduced to his kids as well.."

  I stared at him in bewilderment, repeating what he'd said. "You knew de Moray since you were a kid.."

  He turned to us. "I was thirteen when they came. Marco is a year younger than I, but that never stopped us from getting close. There was another boy, you see, that lived close to our estates. Hunter. He was my age." With his arms crossed he propped his shoulder on the wall beside the window. "And de Morays were a big family. An important one, at the time. Marco had a step sister, Francesca, a year older than he, true, but that didn't make him any less protective of her."