My hands shook as I tried to maintain my composure in front of Lucian. This couldn't be happening—not tonight, not when everything was finally falling into place. Randall's unexpected appearance felt like a dagger pressed against my throat.
"Thomas is an old family acquaintance," I lied smoothly, the false name sliding off my tongue as I addressed Lucian. "What a surprise to have him visit on the same evening as you, Marquess."
Lucian's calculating eyes shifted between us, clearly sensing the undercurrent of tension. "Indeed. Quite the coincidence."
Randall—or "Thomas" as I'd been forced to call him—smiled with predatory amusement. He stepped closer to me, close enough that I could smell the cheap cologne that instantly transported me back to my darkest days.
"Lady Beatrix and I go way back," he said, emphasizing my title with subtle mockery. "Long before she was... a lady."
