Page 104
“Right,” she said, wincing as Drake knocked Torr to the ground. He responded by pulling Drake down with him and the two started wrestling. “But in the meantime—”
“In the meantime, they’ll do what Derricksons and Morleys have been doing for centuries. Beating the crap out of each other.”
“OK, that’s enough,” Kenton said finally.
No one listened.
“Drake!” he shouted. Surprisingly, his brother shoved away from Torr and sprang up. He hadn’t seemed inclined to listen to Kenton earlier. What had changed?
“Are you two quite finished?” Kenton did not look happy.
“Thankfully, my employees were taken out of here before your little display,” Lawrence added. “You would have revealed us to everyone.”
“Oh my God.” Charlotte had just gotten a look at Torr’s beaten face. It looked like mincemeat. She was going to be sick.
“Don’t worry,” Toni whispered. “It’ll heal.”
“You never answered my question,” Kenton pressed. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here to save your ass, big brother,” Drake spat. “Or hers.” He nodded to Alessandra, who’d just walked back into the room. “To be precise.”
“Stay back,” Kenton shouted to Alessandra. It was clear he didn’t want her anywhere near his brother, both from his words and the desperation on his face, but she ignored his warnings and approached the group.
“If I wanted her dead, brother, the Cheld would be—”
“Careful with your words,” Lawrence cut in.
“The waitresses are in the kitchen with Laria,” Alessandra said. “You may have some explaining to do, Lawrence, but they didn’t see much.” She then glanced behind the bar and smiled, as if to reassure Charlotte and Toni all would be well.
Fat chance.
“I came to warn you,” Drake said, his words and tone at odds. “Rowan means to kill her—and her brother.”
Kenton flinched. “I seem to recall you made the same threat against her the last time you were in Stone Haven. I’ve called you and texted you dozens of times, Drake, more, and now you show up out of nowhere and say you’re here to help?”
“I never said I wanted her dead.”
“You never said you didn’t. I remember the conversation quite well, little brother.”
“I was pissed.” Drake shot a contemptuous glance at the Derrickson brothers. “And still am. How you could align yourself with this family—”
“Don’t start this now.” Lawrence took a step toward him.
“I’ll start whatever I—”
“Excuse me. Pardon.” Alessandra stepped in front of Kenton and positioned herself between the Morley brothers on one side and the Derricksons on the other. “If you’ve all finished marking your respective territories—”
“Alessandra . . .” Kenton tried to edge out in front of her.
She moved—only not the way he’d probably intended.
“Holy shit!” Toni said as Alessandra literally tackled Drake to the ground. One minute she was prettily interrupting the conversation. The next, she knelt on Drake’s chest, pinning his arms on both sides. Perhaps he’d let her do it; perhaps she really was strong enough to restrain one of the first vampires. Either way, the effect was the same—Drake didn’t move.
She and Toni strained to hear.
“Are you here to kill me?”
“No.”
