Beautiful Torture *Book Two of the Beautiful series*

13) Bath Time

*Sexual content. Readers be advised.*

Half an hour passed by the time Hunter sat down beside Lucy under the dead branches of a willow tree that grew on the outside of the manor wall. They sat there staring out at the sea, unable to see past the black surface, but watching the small waves crash onto the jagged rocks. He did not try to comfort her, just sat there beside her in silence, unmoving.

It was not until the sun kissed the horizon did she break the silence, "If mum had not cast that spell he would have married her." Her voice broke as she added, "She would be the one carrying his little miracle," a fact that made her heart squeeze painfully as her fingers twitched over her flat belly. "But because she did, I took their choice away," tears sprung back to life in her eyes as she let her head fall back against the stone wall.

Hunter still remained silent, saying nothing, just turning to look at her.

"Do you think Lord Quinn saw them marry?" She asked, not waiting for an answer. "Then it changed when Xander actually met me?" Closing her eyes forced streams of hot tears to streak down the sides of her face. Lilith was born and raised a lady, she was born to marry a king. She never would have been weak enough to be attacked by men like Duke Leopold or the captain. Definitely would not have folded under Queen Mary's threats, if she had let the queen live at all after threatening her.

"Do you want me to answer those?"

Opening her eyes, she lifted her head off the wall, shaking it, "Not really."

He surprised her by saying, "Too bad." Earning one of his smirks as he continued, "I think he saw who that lizard boy was meant to be with. You. Nothing changed because he was always meant to end up with someone way out of his league. Your king does not care what title you carry, it is clear he is head over heels for you. A strong woman who has survived more shit than that snobby lady could probably even imagine. She has never had to work for anything in her life, protected by her title. She is nothing compared to you, Lucy."

Hunter found her hand and squeezed tight. The act alone amplified their connection. Thoughts flooded her head of every brave, good thing he had ever witnessed her do—both in real life and plucked from her own memory. They continued to sit, watching these things as they stared into the sinking sun over the horizon. It's glowing flare painted the black lapping waves with color, vibrant red and marigold that fought against the bleakness of Bone's landscape.

"Listen," Hunter whispered, closing his eyes with his fingers still gripped around hers. "If you listen hard enough, you can hear the sizzle of sun fire extinguished by the sea's icy depths."

Lucy laughed softly around her tears and throat hoarse from crying. As silly as she felt, she humored her Familiar, closing her eyes gently and straining her ears. It could have been a trick of wind, or simply the waves hissing over the rocks and pale sand, but she swore she heard it then. A faint crackling, a light sizzle.

Her mouth split into a brilliant smile and when she opened her eyes again, the sun was gone, leaving behind pale dusk. A frigid wind took up, blowing in from over the stretching waters. Lucy shivered.

"Come on," Hunter stood and pulled her up by their laced fingers. "Let is get you inside."

Though she did not want to go back anywhere near the twins or the dead servant bodies, she did want to go make things right with Alexander. Despite everything, whatever could have been between him and Lilith, Lucy still grew his son within her. She still carried his Flame in her blood. Her heart. Her bones. And she still loved him with a fierceness that left her feeling raw and vulnerable. Surely that all had to count for something.