Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(90)

“Just know that you control the outcome, Zoey. Your will is the strongest weapon you have. And know that forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself.”

I turned to complain about her deeply nonspecific warnings, but she was gone and another woman was curling my hair. She pronounced me finished when I heard the yelling from the living room area.

“This is bullshit!”

“Calm down.”

I rushed out. Neil was shouting. He was on one side of the room and Daniel and Dev were on the other. Everyone was dressed for the evening. Daniel was in a classic tux, Neil in an expensive suit and Dev just looked like sin. He was in a black three-piece suit without the jacket. The suit fit perfectly, and he’d eschewed a tie in favor of leaving the shirt open to show off his throat and the beginning of his sculpted chest. It was a conscious display of skin. At this type of event, servants dressed conservatively and lovers showed why they were lovers.

Daniel’s jaw was a straight, harsh line. “You knew this would happen, Neil. I have to present the Council with proof that their plan can work tonight. If I don’t, I risk exposing all of us.”

“It doesn’t have to be him,” Neil shot back.

“Oh, god.” I realized who we were talking about. The men all turned to look at me.

Neil rushed over, a glint of hope in his eyes. “Zoey, tell him no. Tell him to use someone else. Don’t let him send Chad to the Council. Justin can go. Justin is older. Just go over there and change his mind. Please.”

I looked at my friend, who was panicked at the thought of his lover being sacrificed to the Council. I was horrified, too, but I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do about it. I’d been kept in the dark about all but the vaguest of plans. Now I realized why. I would have said no. I would have tried to change their minds. I looked at Dev, who would be the easier of the two to persuade. “It should be someone else.”

He shook his head. “It’s too late. It’s already in motion.”

Daniel looked at us with sympathy. “Chad is the only choice. He is stronger by far than the rest of them. He can do the job. I am sorry this upsets you, Neil, but sacrifices must be made.”

Neil rounded on him. “You would never make this sacrifice, Daniel. You told me once you would never ask anything of me that you wouldn’t do yourself. Tell me, Your Highness, would you sacrifice Zoey to protect your secrets? The answer to that question is hell no.”

Daniel’s face hardened. “This was Chad’s choice. I didn’t order him to do it. He volunteered.”

“How can I know you’re not lying about that? You won’t let me see him. You kept this hidden from me,” Neil pointed out. “How do I know you didn’t convince him to do this? You could have threatened him.”

“I didn’t,” Daniel shot back, his face flushing with emotion. “I didn’t threaten anyone. And I didn’t hide a damn thing from you. Chad asked me to keep it quiet. He knew how you would react.”

Neil ignored that line of reasoning. “How about you Dev? Are you going to sacrifice your girl for the greater good?”

“I would never have made that promise to you, Neil,” Dev replied, his arms crossed. “It was a na?ve promise made by an inexperienced royal. Of course he will ask things of you he won’t do himself.”

“It’s not the same thing, Neil,” Daniel tried to explain. “He’ll be back. I’m not sending him off to his death or anything. It’s one year of training that every vampire goes through. I’ve prepared him for this.”

“You’re sending him to the same Council that turned you into an emotionless automaton for years. You’re sending him to spy for you, and if he gets found out they will kill him, Daniel.” Neil faced Daniel, caught between tears and rage. “I’ve been your faithful servant for years. I’ve protected the woman you love with my life. I’m asking, begging you to protect the man I love. When I made my oath, you promised me protection. Chad made that same oath. Please keep the promises that were made to us.”

“Daniel, we can’t send Chad.” I knew Chad. I liked Chad. It couldn’t be Chad.

“Then who, Zoey? Who is it going to be?” Daniel exploded. “You tell me because you obviously know what you’re doing. You have absolutely no interest in what I have to do on a daily basis until you disagree with me. I can’t do this with you. I can’t fight them and fight you whenever the whim takes you. I like Chad. Do you really think I want to send him into a dangerous place? I don’t. Do you think I want to disappoint you, Neil? I don’t. I don’t want to do any of this, but if I don’t no one will and then all of us will suffer. You think I don’t make sacrifices, Neil? My whole f*cking life is a sacrifice.”

“Then understand how I feel,” Neil pleaded.

“I can’t afford that, Neil,” Daniel replied, his voice tired. “I can’t afford to protect your feelings. Chad and I made this decision. It’s already in motion. It can’t be stopped at this point. It’s the right decision. It stands. I’ll take you with me to Paris when I have to go. You’ll be able to see him. I’ll make arrangements. He’ll be allowed to return in a year or so. You have to be satisfied with that.”

“Then I’ll see you in a year, Daniel,” Neil said bitterly. He turned away to move toward the door.