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“Rupert belonged to a powerful house, while Emilio didn’t.”
“Meaning?”
“He spent more time with my house and my brother.”
Clarity dawned and had her paling. They walked in silence, him trying to process how to handle this and her lost in her ruminations. The horrible sensation doubled to prick his skin—and he promptly knew what he was going to find when he turned a corner.
“Hey, brother.”
Winter stopped in her tracks, but his thumb pressing against her wrist clued her in not to take a step away. To her credit, she calmly snuggled in his arms and fluttered her lashes, slipping into the act of someone just on the verge of sleep.
“Nick,” Nate said in acknowledgment, then tilted his head in question. “What brings you here?”
Nicholas’s hands were in his pocket, and his gaze was on Winter with a glimmer of amusement. Then it flicked towards Nate.
“I was wondering if you had seen my friend. Medium-height, handsome, was hitting on your lover back at the party until you cut it short.”
Nate raised a brow, ignoring the last comment. “And why would you be looking for him here?”
“I don’t know. He left the party, and she was all he could talk about before that. How lovely she looked, how…fun she must be if she managed to monopolize your attention for so long. I guessed that he came here to try to entice you into partaking in a threesome. His idea, not mine,” the man added, watching Nate carefully. “I’m all for good fun and threesomes, but I would never disrespect you, brother.”
There was a certain relish in the tone that told Nate how Nicholas truly felt saying the words, but again, he didn’t take the bait.
“He’s not here.”
“Are you sure?”
“I know my area, and when an intruder like Emilio crosses into it. You wouldn’t find us strolling around if that was the case.”
“Hmm. I suppose you are right.” Nicholas glanced at Winter once more. “And you, my dear?”
“Not a soul,” she murmured, innocently watching him back.
“Oh, well. He must have gone off to indulge in someone else.” Then, “I’m hungry. Any food?”
Nate’s heart skipped a beat, but his face didn’t show it. “You haven’t had your blood fill yet?”
“I meant food. I’m not always craving blood, you know.”
“I will have my cooks deliver something to you.”
But the man shrugged and was already on the move, sniffing the air. “I’m already here, and something smells good in your kitchen. Or I think it’s coming from your kitchen. Don’t wake your cooks up on my account.”
Nicholas sounded so pleasant that anyone would have been tripping over themselves in their haste to please him in turn. Nate wanted to scream and drag him back, but could only remain calm so as not to give anything away. Winter’s hand on him quivered with nerves, but her face was a mask, too, as she followed them.
“Of course not. We always have food ready for other house guests, and I can get you those, too.”
“There’s no need for all that fuss, Nate.” A spring came to Nicholas’s glide, outpacing them towards the kitchen. Nate braced himself when the man got to the door and sniffed repeatedly…then, he mumbled anohof disappointment. “What’s with all the baking at this time?”
“Treats,” was Winter’s reply, bouncing towards the ovens and sniffing the air, too, with a grin. “For the servants tomorrow. We always like to treat them from time to time, love, don’t we?”
The floor’s cleanwas the only thing ringing through his mind before he snapped out of it and nodded at her.
“Yes. They deserve it with all their days of hard toil and loyalty.”
There was no smell of blood, either, astonishing him considering the short amount of time that had passed. But there was no time to figure it out as Nicholas stood there, surveying the kitchen and its emptiness before his focus landed on Winter.
“You have grown soft, brother.”
