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“Don’t get jealous. I find you interesting as well. It’s why I kept you on even when you didn’t kill the king as I asked.”
“You changed your mind. If I had eliminated him immediately, you may not have had that opportunity.”
“You make a good point, however, that doesn’t change the fact you failed to complete a task. But I forgave you because I have other work for you.”
“Work like befriending Milo Hardigan.”
“Yes,” she said. “I think it should be a relatively direct matter. He’s currently living with your stepsister, is he not?”
In every conversation we’d ever had, she’d never brought up Lainey. I wasn’t a fan of her doing it now. “He is staying with her.” That was as close to that nugget as I was planning to venture. “What is he to you?”
“I don’t know yet, but I find myself fascinated. He’s not the usual type around here, is he?” She drained her coffee and then rose. “Finish your croissant, or I can pack it up for you to take with you. I do hate to rush you, dear, but I have an appointment.”
I stood as she did and tossed back my coffee. I’d more or less just pulled apart the croissant. “I’ll take it with me.” Better to show appreciation than insult her cooking.
“Oh, I’ll pack you a couple of extras then.” She hurried about the domestic scene, like a queen in charge of her own throne room. Fuck, maybe she was and this was how she kept her power shielded. “Don’t worry so much, Adam.”
She held out the bag to me.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re trying to figure out what I could possibly need from Milo Hardigan and how you can turn that to your advantage. You’re also wondering how quickly you can remove him if he’s intended to be your replacement.”
“Those thoughts hadn’t occurred to me.”
“But they would,” she said with a smile as she patted my arm and gestured toward the door. “Don’t think too hard about it. Just strike up a conversation, get to know the man, and then tell me what you learn.”
“Are you looking for something specific?”
She didn’t answer me until she opened the door. “Have a wonderful day, dear. We’ll chat soon.”
Then I was outside and she closed the door. It locked behind me and I glanced up at the house before turning to where my car waited for me.
The sun slipped out from the clouds and blazed brightly in the cool morning air. I dug out my sunglasses and slid them on before heading over to the car. What did she want with Milo Hardigan?
And how could I use it?
That part, she definitely got right.
ChapterThirty-Two
LAINEY
“Why are we getting dressed up?” The fact he’d changed when I asked without much grumbling—granted, there was some, but not much—warmed me to my bones.
“A little bird told me it was your birthday.” I’d waited to drop this surprise on him until he’d already changed.
Milo twisted from the mirror to stare at me. “I’m going to kill him.”
I chuckled. “You’d have to know which little bird told me to do that, wouldn’t you?”
The way his dark brown eyes narrowed delighted me. The faint twist to his mouth promised retribution. I was okay with that. He could spank me on my birthday. It was still a few months away. Besides…
“It wasn’t ahim.” He grunted, and all at once the reticence and rebellion drained from his expression.
“Nope,” I admitted and then crossed over to him to help smooth down his jacket. We’d skipped a tie tonight, and I’d chosen a cocktail dress that was longer in the back than in the front and paired real well with boots and a corset. The interest in his eyes as he watched me change had threatened to make us late. “Em messaged me a few days ago. She wanted to make sure I knew since she didn’t think you’d tell me.”
“You do realize she only knows because one of the guys told her.” There was the grumbling.
