Bound by Deception

18.2 Edward Tells the Truth

"Yes!" Edward's face lit up. "I knew you would understand! I knew you wouldn't hate me!" He gripped her hands and kissed her cheek briskly. "Yes, I'm working for Grandville. They saved me when Rouver betrayed me. They gave me more than Rouver ever did; more money, more power, more...everything!" A wild frenzy overtook his gaze. "I have power there, Aria, power! I'm not some lowlife like I was here. No one dares to look down at me, and when you become my wife, respect will be yours!"

"That sounds lovely." Aria's eye was twitching at an extremely fast pace, but she tried to ignore it. "So, what are you doing in Rouver, then?"

"I'm on a mission," Edward explained, leaning conspiratorially. "The government is planning a counter-attack on Grandville. I'm here to disable their weaponry and also find out whatever I can about this organization called Hades. Have you heard of it?"

Aria's heartbeat stilled. Does he know about the syndicate? How? "No, I know nothing about that." She studied his expression curiously, trying to decipher how much he knew. "What is it?"

"It's an assassin organization," Edward said. "They work to kill any threats against Rouver, but they're staunchly pro-government. They don't give a damn about the innocent people they're killing. They blamed me for the church fire, after all."

That's right, we did do that. But we did it to save the children your kind was going to slaughter in revenge. "That's...horrible," she said, doing her best to feign horror. "Now, I understand why you're doing this."

"Yes. I have to protect those who saved and protected me. Rouver will pay for this. Once I can get onto the government's good side, I'll be able to do what I came here for. Rouver will be virtually defenseless, and then they'll know what it felt like to be those innocent Indigenous people."

"The Indigenous people? But I thought Grandville slaughtered them?"

Edward paused, looking at her for a moment, then found his voice. "No, that's what they want you to believe." His distant eyes narrowed cruelly. "Rouver killed them. Men, women, children - they and their precious syndicate took them all."

"Have you killed anyone before?"

"I have." Edward's face didn't change. "Innocent, guilty, I've killed them. They deserve to know what it feels like. I don't hold any remorse for their deaths." He brought her still hands up and kissed her knuckles. "But you...I knew you were different. You're my angel, Aria, and I won't let them hurt you. I promise, when we marry, I'll bring you to Grandville. You'll meet the Captain - he'll love you. I'll keep you and your family safe from these barbarians." He let go of her hands and brought one up to cup her cheek, fondling her earlobe. "I'll keep you safe from Hades."

"Okay..." Aria agreed without saying anything else. A chill passed through her with Edward's touch, and even though he easily switched back to the lighthearted conversation, she couldn't get rid from her mind the utter cruelty that gleamed in his lizard-like gaze as he spoke of the murders he committed. She had killed the guilty - he had killed the guiltless. How could her sweet, somewhat spoiled best friend become this type of monster? She had no intention to save him, and it was better that she get rid of him sooner so that Rouver would be safe.

"I want to marry you soon," Edward said, bringing her back into the conversation. "I want to wait until after Noah's wedding though, and..." he hesitated.

"What?"

"I want to fuck you," Edward said bluntly, and Aria choked again, splattering her drink on the table. "Forgive me for being so forward. I know we have just kissed, but I want to move this quickly to transition to Grandville. The sooner we do this, the sooner my mission is complete and I can keep you safe. Also, I'd like for our sons to join the Grandville militia. They'll become fine men there."

"I...I need to think about it," Aria, having overcome her initial shock, finally answered. She could hear her heart beating thunderously in her ears, and it took everything in her not to slap him. Was this truly Edward? The chivalrous, if not, over-indulged boy that she had spent days and nights playing with? Being in Grandville had changed him, and not for the better. His crass attitude made her palm itch, but Aria maintained her dignity.

"What's there to think about? Don't you love me?"

"Well...yes..."

"Don't you want to be with me? Don't go breaking my heart, Aria." Edward impishly pestered her. "It's not something you haven't done before, right? Besides, then I'll know that you're serious about me."

"Edward-!"

"I don't want them to think that you're a spy, Aria." He brushed his thumb over her soft jaw, running his calloused fingers up around the shell of her ear and into her hair. He pulled her from the stool, pressing her body against his so that she could feel the erection that protruded from his baggy pants. "You're going to be mine, and I can't have my future wife surrounded by scandal."

What the fuck is wrong with him?! Aria felt no arousal of any kind, but like a respectful lady, she gently pulled away, offering him a smile to hide her anger. "I understand. But you know that I'm not a spy, or an assassin, or affiliated with Hades or the government."

"I know, but my superiors don't. They'll need proof that you're on our side, and one of the ways to do that is to have sex. After all, no Rouverian would ever sleep with a man from Grandville. It proves whose side you're on."

Aria struggled to stop grinding her teeth against each other. "Allow me some time to think, please," she decided to say. "I'm already fatigued with planning for my dear brother's wedding, Edward."

"It will show me how much you love me," Edward said again. "I will give you a week to think, but I must know your answer soon. I would hate to have to comply with my superiors if you choose wrongly." He flashed her a white-toothed smile, looking almost lizard-like, and offered her his arm to leave. Aria, struggling to find the right words, silently took it, and together they walked out of the tavern into the open breeze of Rouver. 

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So...what has Edward suggested? Will Aria do what he wants? Will she prove her loyalty for the sake of her mission?

VOTE/COMMENT/ENJOY :D