Darcy rubs my back, his hand brushing circles between my shoulder blades. For half a moment, some base impulse has me blaming him for not warning me when he could have. But the misdirected anger dies before I can fully realize the target. He warned me, in a way, and I let myself be suckered, however briefly. I left Wickham alone with something valuable.

I was so sure he was looking at my photos. I grit my teeth. Fucking vanity. Way to go, Bennet.

The guilt mingles with the anger and disappointment, churning like acid in my empty stomach. My ideas did this. Whatever the outcome for the others, it’s my work that made it possible. My work is being used to hurt the people closest to me.

That’s the thought I cling to, and it’s enough to keep me from a total emotional free fall. I’m not falling alone.

“I can’t run away this time, Darcy.” My voice is thick with the threat of tears. “Too many other people were wrapped up in that deal.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I—I don’t know,” I admit. “I’m somewhere between sobbing and screaming. But I want my people. I want to get everyone we can together and . . .” Again, I hit a wall. “Commiserate?”

I stand, pushing my arms through the sleeves of the robe as I consider the room. “Could everyone hang out up here?” Darcy looks pointedly past me to the window, and I remember the sex stamp. “Or somewhere we haven’t sexually ransacked?”

He chuckles and stands. At some point, he put on a dark pair of boxer briefs. The cuts of muscle disappearing into his waistband provide a moment’s reprieve from the misery of the last few minutes. “The hotel’s restaurant has a private room. They’re doing brunch, so I doubt the space is being used. I’ll look into it.”

“Then I’ll rally the troops.” The prospect is enough to inspire a tentative sprout of optimism, but I can’t muster a smile. Darcy pulls me into a hug. The solid feeling of him is unexpectedly reassuring. I lean into it, greedy for the support.

He kisses the top of my head. “We’ll figure this out.”

I nod, because I want him to be right.

I just wish I believed him.

CHAPTER

24

Jane leans into me, the side of his head warm against mine as we huddle in the booth in the Standard’s Wine Room. Darcy was right about the space’s availability and was able to secure it for us until tonight’s dinner service. I still don’t know what we’re going to do once everyone arrives, but just having Jane close has been enough to make me feel almost human.

“He got the plans the day he came by with the girls,” he says with the empathy of a heart familiar with betrayal.