AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cain wasn’t smiling now. He circled right while Brien circled left. I glanced between them. Brien’s hair had come out of its ponytail and the shoulder of my shirt was partially ripped off. Cain, on the other hand, looked like we’d been discussing the goddamn weather, his blond hair neatly in place, his T-shirt snowy-white.
I jerked my head at him. “Man’s too neat,” I said to Brien. “Let’s mess him up a little.”
His smile was evil. “Sounds like a plan.”
Dropping into a crouch, Cain turned his palms up and scooped his fingers at us. “Bring it on, assholes.”
Brien and I jumped him at the same time. We ended in a pile on the mat, punching and elbowing and headbutting one another like a bunch of hockey goons.
Usually it was me who called a halt to things, but this time I kept fighting until Brien shoved me off Cain, saying, “Enough, already. I don’t want to have to explain to Twilight why my nose is broken.”
“It’ll heal by morning,” I muttered, but he was right, we’d gone at it long enough.
Still, it had helped; the tension eating at my gut had eased. We formed a seated circle on the mat, giving each other tips on fighting techniques. That segued into the problem of Esposito.
“The QCS could be hiding him,” I said. “It’s no secret that we’re related. They could think they can use him to get to me.”
The idea made the skin of my nape crawl. Esposito was unpredictable. If I figured he’d zig left, then he’d zig right—or even take off at a tangent.
Cain reclined on his forearms. Fighting relaxed him, even though he’d probably throw his torn T-shirt away as soon as he reached his quarters.
“Would they be wrong?” he asked.
“No,” I admitted. “If it was just me, I’d let the fucker hang, but my mom loves him.”
Cain glanced at Brien. “What did Régis say?” Régis was the Quebec City primus.
Brien stretched his long legs out on the mat, one knee bent. “He swears he hasn’t seen Esposito, that he knows nothing about the guy except that he’s Talon’s father, and I believe him. He’s got too much riding on the new casino. He knows I’ll pull our investment if I find out he’s fucking with one of my lieutenants, especially after what Fleur’s coven did to Twilight.”
I swore under my breath. “So, nothing.”
“Yeah.” Brien moved a shoulder. “Still, how much trouble can Esposito make for us? He’s only a human, after all—and we know what he looks like, where he’s likely to go if he comes to the island.”
I nodded. “I already told the ferry captains to alert us if they see him, and I have Chief Valente keeping an eye out, too. William and Kerry know to contact security immediately if he’s seen anywhere on the castle grounds.”
“Then relax,” Brien said. “He’ll turn up eventually, and we’ll handle it then. Now if that’s all...” He gathered himself to stand.
“There’s something else,” I said.
“Yeah?” Brien sank back to the mat.
“Eden.” I turned the conversation to the other human currently fucking with my mind. “Her parents have been asking to see her. Her dad is threatening to raise hell if we don’t allow it—he even came to the castle, demanding to see her.”
Brien nodded. “William told me. He said Montgomery made him promise Eden was okay. Made him swear it actually.”
“I know.” Thank the gods for William. The castle butler had grown up on the island and people trusted him to give them the truth, no bullshit. “But it could be a problem. Since Gwen, people are edgy.”
Gwen’s family had been paid to keep quiet about her death, but it was a small island. Nothing could be kept quiet forever. The humans might not know that Jules had abused Gwen, then drained her blood, but they realized something bad had gone down.
“That was last week,” I added. “I issued Eden a phone so she’s free to call them now. She knows I’m monitoring her calls and messages, but that should keep Montgomery quiet until I’m ready to let her visit them.”
“Your call,” Brien said.
Across from me, Cain nodded, his expression carefully blank. But I knew him too well.
“A pregnant woman needs her mom and dad,” I said. “I want to keep her happy; it’s good for both her and our spawn.”
Good, practical reasons.
