Fei Long had been leaving during the evenings, often times alone, and she was left to wonder where he went. She’d never considered it might be for companionship. The thought of him surrounded by these mysterious and beautiful women, waving their seductively bared wrists at him, made her scowl.
‘Well, if you’re wondering…’ Bai Shen folded his hands behind his back, continuing their stroll casually ‘…Fei Long doesn’t have a taste for delicate evening flowers. He seems to prefer awkward country tea girls.’
‘Stop teasing me.’ Her mood darkened, yet she followed after him, hanging on every word. ‘And I don’t care who he prefers. Why would I? I have a most exalted wedding in my future.’
He cast a sceptical glance over his shoulder, then turned to face her. ‘You can’t lie to me, pretty lady. I can see how you’re blushing just thinking of him.’
‘I’m not blushing.’
‘He’s behind you,’ he said pleasantly.
‘Now who’s lying?’
A dangerous look flickered across Bai Shen’s face. Before she could react, he grabbed her and trapped her against him.
She shoved at his shoulders. ‘Bai—’
Her protest was cut short as he pressed his mouth over hers. The shock of the kiss stole the fight from her for only a second. She braced her hands against his chest, trying to twist away, but he only held her tighter.
Suddenly, his grip loosened. Bai Shen was torn violently away from her and she staggered from the force of it. Fei Long appeared as a dark blur with his hand clenched around the collar of Bai Shen’s robe. His other hand closed into a fist.
‘Wait—’ She couldn’t find her voice in time.
Fei Long struck him square across the face and Bai Shen staggered to the ground.
‘Bastard.’ Fei Long moved to stand over him, his eyes hooded and black with rage.
Never had the differences between the two men been more evident. Fei Long stood like a citadel, broad-shouldered and imposing. Bai Shen was slight and wiry by comparison. He raised himself onto one knee.
Blood flowed from his lip and Bai Shen’s eyes narrowed. For the barest second, a look of rage crossed his face. ‘Have you gone mad? How am I going to look pretty for the performance tonight?’ He pressed a hand to his split lip and tried to play off the incident, but it was too late.
‘Get out,’ Fei Long commanded. ‘If you ever set foot in this house again, I’ll kill you.’
It was a quiet, deadly promise. Yan Ling’s heart pounded as Bai Shen picked himself off the floor. What had happened? Fei Long had lost his mind. Both of them had.
She tried to push forwards. ‘He didn’t mean anything.’
Fei Long ignored her as he waited for Bai Shen to leave. The actor brushed the dust from his robe.
‘You see?’ he said to her. His lips curled into a mock smile, but his eyes remained distant.
Only after Bai Shen disappeared out the front gate did Fei Long face her.
‘I meant what I said,’ he warned her, as if she were in allegiance with Bai Shen. ‘He will not come by here again.’
He crossed the courtyard and disappeared into the interior of the house, while she was left beneath the glare of the sun, bewildered. She could still feel the imprint of Bai Shen’s hands against her back. Her mouth still throbbed from his assault. And that was exactly what it had been. The actor had never shown any hint of interest in her, she was certain of it.
She ran after Fei Long, weaving her way through the inner corridor of the east wing. It was a part of the house she’d only been to once in her wanderings. The door at the end of the hall had been flung open. She went to it and found Fei Long at the centre of the room with his back to her, shoulders tense.
‘Bai Shen didn’t mean any harm, my lord,’ she said, nearly out of breath.
‘Yan Ling.’ Fei Long turned slowly. ‘This is my private chamber.’
The fire was gone from his expression. He’d replaced it with an impassive mask.
‘Please. You know Bai Shen. He was only playing.’
‘Playing?’ His voice hardened. ‘That’s all the world is to the two of you. One endless game.’
‘The two of us—’ she sputtered, affronted. ‘How can you blame me for any of this?’
She kept seeing Bai Shen on the ground, his face bloodied, with Fei Long towering over him, yet it was if she was the one who’d been stricken. Something had