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I know Judah has concerns, but we will get through it together. I have no doubt at all. The question is, will she accept it or not? And I wonder if Judah is more concerned about us falling for her and those emotions changing our relationship.
We don’t speak as I drive her to the university on the other side of the island. It’s not far, but the trip is long enough for my attention to be completely stolen by thoughts of her. I want nothing more than to delve into her mind and find out what makes her tick. It’s going to take a while, but I’m determined to learn about the beauty beside me.
By the time I pull up to the front of the building, ensuring every student in the vicinity turns to look at her getting out of my car, I smile.
She’ll have to get used to being the centre of attention. Now they’ve seen her with me, though, she’ll be safe until she reaches the office to grab her schedule. Then it’s up to Emilio and Jordan to watch over her until I pick her up this afternoon.
“Thanks for the ride,” she says, a smile tilting the corner of her pretty little mouth.
“Anytime, baby doll,” I say. “I’ll collect you here at three,” I inform her as I pull away, not giving her a moment to respond.
Even though I want to wait until we find out more about her, I can’t stop the thoughts of having her beneath me, between all three of us, from plaguing my mind. Fighting desire is a losing battle. And I don’t really want to win that war anyway.
By the time I get home, I’m tense, and I still have to talk to Judah. I know what he’s going to say. And I’m not in the fucking mood to hear it.
HIDDEN THREAT
JUDAH
I don’t like havingher here.
No. That’s a lie.
But with the sweet scented temptress under my roof, I need to be vigilant. There are things about her I don’t yet know, which has made me obsessed. It’s not even been seventy-two hours, and I’m already thinking about her all day and night.
My plan is to search her belongings. I should have my soldiers go through everything, but I’d rather do it myself because I know I’ll do a better job. Or perhaps, deep down, it’s because I know she’s ours and I don’t want anyone, other than me, Val, and Kai, touching her things.
I can’t trust her, which puts me on edge. She’s in my home, in a place I consider my sanctuary. I can’t stop wondering if she’s hiding something. I’ve learnt that not all spies are made the same. Women often have the upper hand—they can use their beauty to draw attention away from what they’re really doing. Dad warned us, Jordan and me, about how women are able to infiltrate organisations without anyone suspecting them.
Emilio may be Saviatti’s son, but he’s also one of my closest friends, and he grew up with me, she on the other hand was saved by her father. I still don’t understand why Saviatti would agree to my father’s contract, to bringing her to Black Hollow and back to the life he tried to free her from. And that’s what I need to find out.
When Valen returns, I glance up to see him saunter into the office.
“Are we going to talk about the tension in the house?” he asks as he settles into a chair across from my desk.
I knew he would bring this up, but I’m not ready for that discussion. I don’t think I want to admit, even to myself, this girl has got under my skin with her smart mouth.
“No,” I tell him because I know he won’t give this up until I respond. “But something isn’t sitting right with me,” I say as I open the email from my father’s lawyer.
When Dad got sick, I didn’t want to accept it. And even now, I’m still struggling with his death. I never let anyone know what I’m going through. Showing emotion is a weakness, and I can’t afford to let my enemies see me in that state. However, as much as I try to hide my pain, Valen and Kai see through my cold and poised exterior. They always do.
I look up from the computer screen to find Val’s gaze locked on me. It burns a hole right through the darkest parts of my soul.
“What?” My voice is tight, and there’s tension racing through me. My muscles are taut, and my gut is churning.
He shakes his head. “You think there’s a threat to the university and island?”
His change of subject from Brielle is welcome. We need to focus, not on the pretty little spy, but on what lies ahead. Because in three months’ time, I’ll have to step up into the role of Boss. My father’s last will and testament made it clear that when I turn twenty-five, everything will be given to me.
The university, the island, and the organisation.
The prince becomes a king.
But with that title, there are always prices to pay. Ones that will determine if I become ruthless like my father, or I turn over a new leaf. Something deep down tells me I’ve been taught by him for too long not to be like him. And if I’m honest with myself, I admit I quite enjoy it. The darkness that swallows me whole when I’m on a job or interrogating someone, and my thirst for blood—it all culminates in turning me into the old man.
“Gut feeling,” I tell Val, who’s slated to take over from his father in a few months, so he understands the pressure that lies heavily on my shoulders right now. “The agreement in my father’s will to bring Brielle here makes no sense. Her father took her away from this life after defecting. Why would he then send her back? And why would Dad want her here?”
Val tips his head to the side as he says, “We can’t ask her, because if she’s a spy brought in under the guise of an arranged marriage, she won’t say anything incriminating.” He regards me for a moment then says, “The only thing we can do, is to investigate her past. We know they lived in London. Perhaps she and her father had connections there to some of the families who remained loyal to him. If Brielle knows anything about her father’s dealings, it will be through those connections.”
