Darcy was shoved away from me, and there were some grunts and it sounded like one of them was pushing the other.
“Enough, Levi!” I yelled, and they stopped whatever they were doing. Turning in what I assumed was their direction, I tapped my cane on the floor to get my position as I walked forward. “What are you talking about?”
“He has a business card from a masseur, who wrote a note on it forDarcyto find him later so they could have some fun,” Levi hissed out, touching my shoulder. “He’s cheating on you, Boss.”
“I wasn’t going to take him up on the offer,” Darcy growled out, true fury in his words. “I was going to throw the damned card in the trash. I couldn’t leave it there for him to get in trouble.”
“Lies! I found it in your pants. You are a good for nothing—”
“That’s enough,” I said quietly, but in such a deadly tone that Levi immediately shut his mouth. Holding up my hand in his direction, I took a deep breath. “Sweet prince, would you like to explain?”
“Why should he?” Levi ripped his hand back off my shoulder and stamped his foot again, a reminder that he was twenty. Barely out of the temper tantrum stage, as far as I was concerned. “He was going tocheaton you.”
“Shush, Levi. I asked Darcy a question and I want an answer. You will be quiet if you value your job.”
He exhaled in surprise, and I patted his arm because he was a good employee, loyal to no end, but this wasn’t about him.
“Darcy, please answer the question.”
A chair squeaked to my right, and I focused on it. I stepped forward, my cane guiding me until it hit Darcy’s foot, telling me I was right in front of him. I crouched, ignoring Levi’s gasp of protest, and laid my cane on the floor before cupping Darcy’s knees with my hands. The hair on his legs tickled my palms as I rubbed soothing circles on his skin. His shorts were still damp from the swim.
“I just want an answer. The truth.”
“What I said before is the truth,” he muttered, annoyance etched in his words. “I saw what he wrote on the card, and I wasn’t going to take him up on it. But I kept it because I know what it’s like to work with men like him. He needs the money and losing his job wouldn’t do him any good. I didn’t want to get him fired, so I planned on throwing out the card here in the cabin.” He paused. “That card was in the pocket of my yoga pants. How did you find it? Were you going through my clothes?”
It took me a moment to realize Darcy was talking to Levi again, and I cocked my head where I’d left him last. “That’s a good question.”
Levi made a sound in the back of his throat. “I didn’t…. I wasn’t….” The stuttering said it all.
I stood, and Darcy grabbed my elbows as though he was scared I’d fall. With my frustration mounting, I turned toward Levi. “I want an answer fromyounow. Did you search through Darcy’s clothes?”
He let out a breath. “Yes, sir.”
“What else did you search through?” I gritted my teeth, betrayal burrowing in my chest. Loyalty was something I’d demanded from him, given his position as my personal assistant, and this was the biggest treachery I’d felt so far.
“I….” Silence cut through the air, sharp as a knife. “Boss, I was worried about you. I didn’t trust him.”
“Answer,” I barked. “What else did you go through, Levi?”
His breathing was heavy, and he sucked in air deeply enough for me to hear. “His suitcases.”
“You went through my luggage?” Darcy stood, brushing against my side. “This is ridiculous. Your crush on Brooks is absurd.”
“Crush?” I echoed.
Darcy snorted. “The man is in love with you. He’s hated me from the moment he saw me at the Courtesan, when he picked you up the morning after the auction. He’s had it in for me since and isn’t afraid to show it.”
“How so?” I’d never felt so stupid in my life. How had I not noticed Levi’s reactions?
“The glaring, for one thing.”
“I don’ttrustyou,” Levi said, the fire seeping out of his tone.
“And yet you’re the one who went throughhisbelongings, not the other way around.” I straightened my shoulders, lost on what to do. Levi had been one of my most trustworthy employees, one who had my back and reported everything to me.
Now it all made sense, though. His extra work, the way he always touched me.Fuck.Hewasin love with me, or something close enough. I held up my hand at Levi. “Stay there. Do not move.” I found Darcy’s hand and bent over to search for my cane. When my fingers touched the wood, I grabbed it and used it to walk in the direction of the stairs, then up to the bedroom. Darcy came without issue, letting me lead him until we got to the room. Once I had him inside, I closed the door behind us.
“Are you angry?” he asked when I spun toward him.
