Page 18 of Ring of Ruin


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He gave me a somewhat wry look. “I’m surprised you don’t know. You’re the scheming matchmaker in this particular outfit.”

I grinned. “In ten years’ time, when you’re happily married and have all these mini Lughs and Darbys running around your feet, you’ll appreciate said scheming.”

He snorted. “Darby might not. Especially if said littlies inherit my height and come out large.”

An interesting comment, given he’d yet to do more than kiss the woman.

“Besides,” he continued, “the only way we can find out if Borrachero or indeed a similar drug has been used on him is by blood tests, and even then, it fades pretty quickly in the bloodstream.”

Borrachero—the drug used on Mathi—pushed you into a twilight zone between consciousness and unconsciousness, making you chattier and disinhibited while leaving no memory of events when you woke up. It was a banned substance but could still be purchased on the black market if you had the money and the contacts.

“Getting him to test will be the problem,” Lugh went on. “He’s not going to appreciate the inference that I don’t trust him, either.”

I hesitated and then said, “What if I have a word with Cynwrig? The council has instigated regular blood testing for all councilors thanks to the Mathi situation, so maybe they can widen the order to include the heads of all government departments to have one.”

“The museum isn’t a government department.”

“But it is funded by them.”

“I think it’s highly unlikely to be approved, but I guess it’s worth trying.” He cast me a somewhat deadpan look. “I’m thinking you’re just looking for an excuse to see Cynwrig tonight.”

“Oh, I don’t need an excuse, trust me on that. Which reminds me—” I pulled out my phone and tapped the text app. “Better contact the man and see if he’s actually free.”

The reply came back in minutes and was a simple,your place or mine?

I grinned and sent backyours.Should be there around seven. Be naked.

Only if you are too.

Is that a dare?

Yes.

Dare accepted.

He sent back a questioning emoji.If you wander naked through the streets, you’ll get arrested and that’ll do neither of us any good.

There are such things as Ubers.

No man with even an ounce of sexual drive left in his body is going to be paying attention to the road when you’re sitting naked in the rear seat. Trust me on that.

I sent back a smile and a heart. He replied with a row of hearts and one hungry face in the middle. I laughed.

“I take it the man is available?” Lugh said, voice dry.

“He is indeed, and you can step on it if you wish.”

“I am not going to get a speeding ticket just so you can satisfy your raging hormones half an hour earlier.”

“What about Darby’s raging hormones? Are you ever going to satisfy them?”

He rolled his eyes. “You know, in most families, a sibling’s sexual life would be off-limit, conversation-wise.”

“We’re not most families. Besides, if more people were open about relationships, maybe there’d be less emotional hang-ups and problems in the world.”

“I tend to agree, but that doesn’t mean I really want to discuss the ins and outs ofmyrelationships.”

I sniffed. “It’s okay. I can get all the gritty details from Darby.”

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