Page 79 of Forsaking All Others

“Did you know Evelyn was going to eliminate Thorun today, Sona?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a terrible friend,” Valérie gasps. “I thought you two were close. This is awful, this game is awful. How can you even continue here? You should leave. You should go move into the bedroom with Claire and Silke.”

“Shut up, Valérie,” I shake my head at her and turn back to Sona.

“I killed Evelyn because you two were beginning to collude against me,” I shrug. “She gave me the excuse I needed today.”

‘And it was easier than I’d imagined. I swung the blade without a second thought, adrenaline and fear for Thorun driving it hard and fast. Then I’d saved Thorun only to have her fall to her knees to embrace Evelyn as she choked out her dying words. I don’t know what she whispered; I don’t care. As far as I’m concerned one minute she was alive, the next she wasn’t.’

“We didn’t collude,” Sona gasps.

“In the tunnels,” I keep my expression neutral, “you shared several looks here and there that told me you didn’t trust me. Also, I had a personal reason to want her dead.”

“What did she do?” Valérie breathes. “Did she try to kill you, too? My God, she was diabolical; she joins with those terrible twins, she plans a murder with Sona, she pretends to be friendly, she...”

“No,” I cut off her diatribe. “She told the bachelor some information that only those in this room were privy to.”

‘That I’d killed my best friend.’

“How do you know it was her?” Sona frowns.

“Because Thorun’s values wouldn’t allow her to betray a confidence; you wouldn’t because you’re a coward, and Evelyn would to gain an advantage. I warned you when we shared information for the challenge that I would kill anyone who spoke a word of what we know about each other outside of this room. I’m true to my word.”

“Yes,” Sona nods, “you are that. But you must acknowledge that after your bloodthirsty attack today everyone will see you as the biggest threat.”

“Not at all,” I reply calmly. “Everyone will fear me.”

58

“And this is how you plan to do it? This is absolutely farcical,” I snarl, as I see all the women except Thorun lined up motionless, like rows of barely-dressed shop mannequins, by the side of the pool.

Most look very happy to show off their figures. Some, like the Italian, look like they’d rather be anywhere else in the world.

I know the feeling.

“Viscount Speardon,” Gerry sighs, “the fact of the matter is that this is a romance show. The crowd demands love, yet we’re halfway through the program and you’ve shown no particular romantic partiality to any woman, nor any indication you have a heart inside that chest.”

“Watch it.”

He gulps and hurries on.

“Consequently the producers thought we needed to give you a little, ah, push in the right direction.”

I take a step towards him.

“You think to push me?”

“No, I misworded. I simply meant that the audience demands some romance, and this will satisfy them for the time being.”

“Kissing all of them?” I scowl.

“Blindfolded,” he nods. You won’t know which one you’re kissing; they’re just numbers. At the end of the challenge you rate the kisses out of ten and then take the one you enjoyed kissing the most on a one-on-one date. Surely it can’t be that much of a hardship? I mean look at them.”

I turn and consider them all where they stand in their swimsuits. In any other world he’d be perfectly right. They are all, in their own ways, desirable women. And I’ve kissed many of them anyway, or rather, they’d kissed me. Yet rating their kissing is going to hurt feelings, and it’s hardly gentlemanly behaviour.

“I’ll kiss them and determine a winner,” I eventually sigh. “But I’m not fucking rating them.”