“Then what is it, Phineas? Perhaps this is just their own unique method.”
“How the hell should I know? If the club has this sort of an initiation, or whatever the hell it is, it’s better not to join.”Mortimer said the club was up to no good. That the people, women or not, were dangerous. This location, in his mind, confirmed the duke’s suspicion. However, if he told Selena that, she might join just for the thrill of it. So what the hell to do?
“What initiation does White’s have?” she asked.
“What do you mean initiation? The club has membership fees.”
“Well, perhaps this is the price for joining this particular club.”
“Are you certain it’s worth paying?” He didn’t think so. “From the looks of it, not only is the price steep, but it might also collect a good portion of your soul.”
Her lips quirked. “A portion of my soul?”
“What?” he muttered. “It might very well be the case. And if not yours, then mine. You running about London as though no danger will ever touch you claims a bit of me every time.”
She averted her gaze, and after a moment, a small sigh pushed past her lips. “You followed after me, didn’t you?”
“But you didn’t know that I would.”
Her lips parted, then shut again.
Warrick shut his eyes. “What the hell happened? I thought we had an understanding.”
“What understanding? You avoided me for six days, didn’t you?”
His eyes opened to meet hers. “Then did I misunderstand you coming into my chamber alone? Kissing me?Acceptingme as a lover?”
Her eyes suddenly narrowed on him, something indecipherable flashing in the depth of those dark irises. “Are we lovers? Or did we just make love in a moment of impulse?”
He couldn’t have heard that correctly. “A moment of impulse? Are you telling me you only used me to satiate your desires?”
“Did we not use each other? I was not the only one with impulses.”
“Damn it, I didn’t use you, Selena.” Why would she even think that?
He matched her probing stare, but to his surprise, she looked away first. That single action was like a punch to the gut. Saville’s blows could not even come close. He could practically feel her dismissive air filling the carriage.
“This is not the time to debate this matter,” she finally said, still not meeting his eye.
Warrick refused to look away from her for even one second. They had come such a long way since the days he merely followed her around, breached so many boundaries with each other, and taken the first step toward being together in a more permanent way. But this club... he was afraid she would choose to join it if he warned her against it, terrified she would if he didn’t. Deep beneath this predicament, however, lay the true source of his fear—that no matter what choice he made, she would never choose him. That she’d always choose something else.
Another small sigh broke through the rattle of wheels and clapping hooves of the horses. It clung to the space between them. Her head turned back to him, her gaze filled with helplessness.
“This is all your fault, you know.”
Warrick stilled. The blood drained from his body moments before it rushed back up. “I beg your pardon?”
“This is all your fault.” That look of helplessness turned sharp. “Everythingis all your fault.”
Warrick’s mind just... froze. It was beyond the scope of his abilities to decipher what the hell was happening. What exactly was his fault?
She shook her head. “And I don’t know whether to thank you or boot you from the carriage.”
“Selena, it would be better if you explain to me what exactly I am to blame for.”
“Did this not all start with you and the rest of your gang?”
Warrick stared. “Are you referring to the list?”
