Page 112 of Unmasked

The family signet ring.

The plane in Scotland.

This wasn’t just a man who had resources and connections. People thought of him as royalty and even called him The Unavowed. And those close to him even referred to Penelope as his future Queen of The Order—his Intended…

And of course, the place in question… The Order, itself. It was owned by The Council but ran by… him?

Trials.

Sacrifices.

Auctions?

Yes… money for The Council. Access for… elites?

Everything I was learning was all too much to take in or even process. I’d been barely twenty when my father told me the uncle and Masterson heir were dead. I’d put them completely out of my mind after that. But I had so much to learn, and I had to get ahead of this because after Vaughn’s look last night when he left… This man was not a friend. He was a threat, and he made sure I knew it.

Those eyes…

I could still see the hate shining through them.

I’d left the office after a good two hours of talking with George, who I’d sent back to try to get more information on The Order. I stopped as I watched all the guards move in. Vaughn stepped off the stairs and looked right at me as I left the hall to head to go up to my own room.

No words.

No smile.

Just the lid-lowering, hate-filled glare. As if he’d love nothing more than to make me suffer and cover himself in my blood.

Hate.

Hate.

Well… I hated him too. He had the woman I wanted. The one I’d found first. So, I’d returned his look with one of my own. But what good was it other than us being completely honest with where we stood?

I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know what to think. What I did know was I was forbidden to kill him, and The Order was off-limits to me. Where that left me, I didn’t know, because I wasn’t letting this go. I would not lose Penelope to this… man. To this evil, treasonous traitor.

Yes, that’s what he was.

So what if my family had stolen the Crown all those centuries ago. It was mine now, and I’d be damned if I was going to let Vaughn gain traction with my followers. I was king, and I’d stay the king. And while I was at it, I’d take his queen. After all, I had found her first. I hadn’t taken her like he had. But… could I now?

It was a risk. Maybe a last resort.

“Lawrence?” My eyes jumped up to Penelope, who was now sitting directly next to me. I blinked back the surprise, sitting up straighter. “You are so deep in thought today. I don’t even think you heard me come in.”

“I didn’t. I apologize.” My head shook. “Were you saying something?”

She laughed. Genuine. Full of happiness. It instantly soured my mood. Not because she was happy, but because I knew why. Him. Damn Vaughn for disrupting our time together.

“I was telling you how excited I was for today. This program, these gorgeous horses. Oh, Lawrence, what you’ve done at Rosemoor.” Her head shook in awe. “You have a true gift. You really do. What will you teach me today?”

Not what I wanted to teach her. But I could begin the process…

“I’m afraid it’ll be rather boring. Numbers. Estate stuff. We still have a little time. Eat and I’ll take you on a little tour. I want to show you something.”

“Yeah?”

A plate was placed down before her, and I mindlessly ate, scanning her face so I could take in her beauty. And she was still talking. Still going on about something. I heard nothing. All I saw was her lips moving. The way her blue eyes were so vibrant through her enthusiasm. I followed the curve of her jaw down to her neck, soaking in the pale skin of her throat. But even that I didn’t see for long, because I was suddenly slamming my cock into her, squeezing around her neck as I covered her nose and mouth with my other hand through my brutality.