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“I have questions,” she told him quietly, refusing to meet his eyes.
“Of course. That’s why you’re here. So we can get to know one another better.”
A morbid thought crossed her mind and she grimaced. “Who’s taking care of the dead while you’re here trying to schmooze me?”
Instead of answering Brennus gestured to one of the sofas near the fireplace. The flames flickered invitingly and Avery suddenly realised how cold she was in her pj bottoms and camisole. Tentatively she sat down near the edge of the sofa, the heat from the fire licking her skin deliciously, little goosebumps rising all over her skin. She watched curiously as Brennus walked over to a device on the wall near double doors. He pressed his finger to a touch screen and it made a buzzing sound.
“Sir?” a cultured accent asked softly.
Avery raised her eyebrow and Brennus smirked at her before speaking into the device. “Could we have a tea tray and some snacks sent up please, Ames?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Thank you.” Brennus pressed the touch screen again and then turned back to her.
Avery exhaled. “So how huge is this place?”
The annoying creature smirked at her again as he took a place across from her on the opposite sofa. “Which question shall I answer first?”
Trying to remember what the hell she’d asked first, Avery took a minute. Oh yeah, she slapped a hand to her head inwardly, the first, definitely the first. “Who’s taking care of the dead?”
At first she thought he wasn’t going to answer her. He just stared at her and she shifted uncomfortably. The longer he stared, the hotter she felt, a strange fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach making her squirm. He was doing it deliberately.
Avery narrowed her eyes on him. “Well?”
“Apologies,” he replied in a low voice that made her tingle. “You’re just so beautiful.”
No one had ever told her she was beautiful before. And not like that. Josh had told her she was hot and a couple of guys had told her she was really cute. But not beautiful. And somehow she believed (or maybe she just wanted to believe) that this alien, damaged man in front of her actually meant it. Along with the warm fluffies she was getting, she was suddenly pissed off. “Yeah right,” she snapped. “You really gave me to time to dress for the occasion when you abducted me.”
Brennus threw her a look. “You came willingly.”
“I was blackmailed!”
“Same difference. You made a choice.”
The door cracked behind him and a small, older man with the best posture Avery had ever seen came into the room carrying a large tray that should have been too heavy for him.
“Ah, Ames, thank you.” Brennus stood up and reached for the tray.
Ames nodded respectfully. “I hope everything is satisfactory, sir.” He didn’t even glance at Avery.
Brennus put the tray down and then turned back to Ames (the butler?!). “Ames, I’d like to introduce you to Avery.”
Avery fluttered her hand at him. “Hey.”
“Miss.” Ames gave her a little bow.
“Avery.” Brennus gestured to Ames. “Ames is my butler and the head of the household staff. If you have any problems or need anything, Ames will be more than happy to assist you.”
“More than happy, miss,” Ames added congenially.
“Thank you,” she somehow managed to be polite. It wasn’t the butler’s fault that his employer was a twisted, blackmailing, kidnapping immortal son of the dead.
“Thank you, Ames.” Brennus dismissed him and the butler left the room without making so much as a peep.
It became clear, as Brennus fiddled with the tea, making up her cup (a splash of milk, one sugar – she didn’t even want to know how he knew how she took her tea!) and a little plate with sandwiches and biscuits, that he wasn’t going to answer her question unless she asked it again. He was really going to make her work for it, which was so unfair considering she was the one who apparently held the key to his future happiness (freedom).
“Well?” she snapped, jerking the cup out of his hand as he passed it to her. He threw her another one of those irritatingly wicked hot smiles. “Are you going to answer the damn question or not?”
