The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 56: Amani

Amani stirred awake at the feel of someone sitting on her bed. She slid her eyes open and squinted over her blankets at Marie.

"Hey, how you feeling?"

She groaned as she pushed the covers off her face. "I feel like death."

Marie chuckled. "You look like it too."

Amani slid her glasses on her face and sat up. She rested her head against the padded headboard. Her brain was still throbbing, but at least the nausea finally subsided.

"I thought I'd check on you to make sure you were still alive." Marie giggled. "And I needed to get away from Rebecca. She's so annoying."

Amani's heart clenched.

Fuck, I forgot about her.

She groaned and put her face in her hands. "I fucked up, Marie. I-I don't know how I ended up in Lord Blarcum's room...in his bed. Oh God, if you weren't there, I would've been caught. That can never happen again." She shook her head in embarrassment. "I hope he was too drunk to remember."

Marie laughed as she pulled her hands away from her face. "You know, that's not the first time it's happened."

Amani's eyes grew wide and a blush burned over her cheeks. "What are you talking about?"

"That night at my place, you two got so drunk." She grinned at the memory. "We were sitting around talking and you two fell asleep against each other. And the next morning, I caught you two in the cutest embrace." She squeezed her hand. "Van was thoroughly enjoying it too."

"Oh my God. I-I don't remember that." Last night wasn't a fluke or a one-time thing. His drunk ass knew what he was doing!

This is bad, Amani.

"Fuck, Marie." She cringed. "This...this can't happen. He's getting married. What if we got caught? Lady Fife and his mother would make his life unbearable."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Well, you didn't get caught, but are you finally ready to admit you like him?"

"I..." Amani started to formulate a lie. Anything to convince herself that she wasn't developing any meaningful feelings for Lord Blarcum, but the damn words were escaping her murky brain.

"Go on, think of a stupid lie. I'm patiently waiting to hear this bullshit." Marie smirked and rested her chin in her hand.

Damn it. Marie is so much like Jade. They can both see right through me. It's so annoying.

Amani shook her head. "Alright, fine. I won't lie to you." She sighed. "I like him, but it doesn't matter. He has to marry Lady Fife and I'm not going to be some sort of mistress to him. So, who cares if I admit it? Plus, I'm not Mionlach like you. We don't even belong in the same world. It wouldn't work anyway."

There. I admitted it. I didn't lie. I like him, but what the fuck is the point?

Everyone knew Lord Blarcum had to protect the manor and the only way for him to do that was to marry Lady Fife.

I'm definitely not worth him losing his home over. Nor would I want him to.

"First of all, don't ever compare yourself to the Mionlach; they're scum," Marie scoffed. "Second, Van would never treat you like a mistress. He has never been that type of man. Third, I'm not letting this marriage with Rebecca happen. He's not marrying that bitch." She seethed, squeezing Amani's hand. Amani let out a whispered 'ow' and pulled her hand from her death grip.

"I-I'm sorry." Marie sighed as she blinked back her tears. "Van's like a big brother to me. I care about him too much to let this happen again." She looked at her hands and shook her head. "Rebecca's going to fuck him up again."