4. FOUR

fourAflurry of whispers ran through the gathering as those near the stairs pulled away from the newcomers. Vampires, if the power rolling off them was any indication. Powerful ones.

It created a pocket of space that continued to widen as the strangers sauntered onto the mezzanine, shooting a contemptuous look at those who gave way. Arrogance was stamped on their faces. Their confidence was alarming. As if they were untouchable.

The four moved with a tight-knit cohesion that spoke of familiarity. It was the type of coordination I’d seen in highly trained military teams.

They knew where each member was at any given second. Probably from decades of experience.

Of the four, it was the shortest man that had alarm bells ringing in my head.

There was an absolute chill in his gaze as he sent a probing gaze at those around him. A casual cruelty that made me understand why so many seemed to be holding their breaths. As if at any moment, he could launch into violence.

I didn’t know who this man was, but he was dangerous. A monster who terrified other monsters.

Tattoos marched up his neck to frame his jaw. That was unusual for a vampire because of the way most tattoos tended to fade over time.

Ink mixed with silver and blood were both necessary to make a design last. Even then, it tended to lose its detail as the vampire’s ability healed the skin around it.

Makoto was the only one I knew who had tattoos, and he had to get them refreshed every five years.

The woman in the group reminded me of a siren. Her eyebrows well defined and her mouth possessing a slight pout designed to draw attention. She was pretty, but there was a lack of humanity in her features as she looked around with boredom.

The last two vampires were nondescript. The first with light brown skin and a closed, angry expression as if someone had pissed in his breakfast. The second had black hair and bland, almost unfinished features.

It was habit to drop into my other sight. Power blazed in a halo around the short man. Their leader. It carried with it the dryness of a desert.

I got the sense that if you ventured too close it would try to suck you down, leaving nothing but a husk behind.

It frothed in my sight, eclipsing the view of his companions.

His power snapped in my direction, as if sensing my intrusion. It watched me like it had eyes buried deep in the seething mass.

The stranger flicked a glance in my direction.

Adrenaline rocketed through me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He sees me.

My other sight snapped out of focus, the mundane world replacing the specter.

Hot and cold flashes ran up and down my spine as I wiped sweaty hands on the skirt of my dress.

This wasn’t happening. This. Was. Not. Happening.

It was a coincidence; that’s all. A freaky coincidence he’d glanced my way at the exact moment I imagined his power doing the same.

There was no need for panic. It was impossible for him to guess my secret from a single glance.

Despite my mental pep talk, I had a sinking feeling that I was lying to myself. There had been something menacing about the way his power seemed to take notice of me.

No matter how I tried to pass it off as a figment of my imagination I couldn’t quite manage it. Just because I’d never experienced something before, that didn’t mean it wasn’t possible.

Still, it was a long jump from his power sensing my spying to realizing I was a magic breaker. One of the rare few who could literally see the currents of magic woven into our world—and influence them.

I still didn’t quite know all that a magic breaker could do. But one thing was clear—there were a lot of people who would go to extreme lengths to get their hands on me.

If that didn’t work, they’d end my existence before anyone else had the chance to put me under their control.

I needed to be a lot stronger before that happened.

While I was distracted with my thoughts, the strangers had reached the floor in front of Thomas.

The leader took a last step, positioning him in front of his companions before sinking into a bow that managed to seem mocking. “Dominick Caecilius, first progeny of Vitus Caecilius, also known as the Imperator of the legions and a member of the council that rules all, greets the Master of this territory.”

Thomas’s face remained impassive as the stranger straightened with a flourish. Only those who knew him well would see the anger he was trying to hide.

Something about these vampires made him cautious.

Thomas’s voice sounded in my mind. Do not let Connor interfere.

I blinked at the unexpected intrusion, since every indication pointed to Thomas’s attention being focused solely on his guests.

The warning made me aware of Connor’s unnatural stillness. He’d fallen into a sort of stasis. There was no blinking. No breathing.

Despite his immobility, I got a sense of rage. He was on the edge of something very bad.

I touched his wrist. “Remember your promise. You said you wouldn’t leave my side.”

The words broke Connor’s trance. His gaze cut to me for a split second that nearly made my heart stop.

The fury I saw. It was terrifying.

Then he blinked and it was like all those emotions went away. Once again buried.

“I remember, Aileen,” he whispered.

Despite his words, I didn’t feel reassured. Especially when he went back to staring at Dominick with that fixed expression.

Whatever Dominick had done, Connor wanted vengeance. I wasn’t sure I could stop him either.

With that uneasy thought, I tuned back into the conversation.

“You’ve strayed quite a way from your hunting grounds,” Thomas intoned. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”

If Dominick caught the implied rebuke, he didn’t let it show, flashing a condescending smirk instead. “You know how these things go. The master makes his desires known, and it is my pleasure to obey.”

Thomas’s eyes narrowed the faintest bit, anger tightening his features before they smoothed back into placid lines.

“I’m curious as to what important matter inspired you to impose so rudely on the evening’s festivities,” Thomas drawled, a slight bite in his voice. “You gave no notice of your arrival nor requested permission for entry into my territory. If I was a less amiable man, I would be demanding your head right now. Tell me why I should refrain.”

“My apologies, Lord.” Dominick touched his chest and bowed his head. “The hunt for our prey has led us further afield than we expected. There wasn’t time to go through the proper channels to gain your authorization. That’s why we’ve come before you now. To request your permission for our presence and to ask your forbearance as we conduct the duties assigned to us by the council we both serve.”

I was impressed with how well Dominick had boxed Thomas into a corner. It was a masterful piece of manipulation. Not only did he give a plausible excuse for circumventing protocol but he also made it nearly impossible for Thomas to deny him entry.

Thomas’s jaw flexed. “I’m interested to know what manner of prey merits the attention of Vitus’s dog.”

Dominick put a regretful expression on his face that didn’t match the flat look in his eyes. “I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say.”

Thomas’s unhappiness at that response sent a cold blast of air through the room. “Is that so?”

Dominick remained unafraid, almost irreverent as he inclined his chin. “It is.”

“How disappointing.”

A silence fell. The moments ticked past as Thomas stared down the strangers.

“Very well, then. You have your permission to remain in my territory,” Thomas said as he rose from the chaise lounge. “However, I will not issue hunting rights for the humans in my territory. If you want to feed, you’re limited to those who accompanied you.”

“We understand and are prepared.” There was a pause. “Lord.”

The sarcasm in the last word was a clear provocation that Thomas was careful not to respond to as he started to take his leave.

“If I may,” Dominick called to Thomas’s back, stopping him. “We’ve heard so many interesting things about your territory. It would be a pleasure to experience those things for ourselves.”

Thomas’s gaze swept past us, lingering for only a beat before returning to Dominick. Silently, he nodded.

He swept away, Liam and Sienna flanking him.

Dominick clapped his hands, his gaze going to those around him in obvious pleasure. “Well, then. Who wants to offer me a drink?”

His words were a spark, bringing the room back to life. Conversations started around me, a low drone of sound as Dominick looked around in expectation.

“I wouldn’t mind getting you that drink.”

A red head wearing a short, gold metallic dress that flashed a good expanse of her shapely legs stalked out of the crowd. Kat Davinish’s lips curled in invitation as she eyed Dominick like he was a steak she wanted to devour.

For all I knew, she would. Blood exchanged between bed buddies was a pretty common occurrence among vampires.

And Thomas had limited his restrictions to humans.

I questioned Kat’s intelligence. Dominick wasn’t like the vampires she was used to manipulating. The dead fish look behind his eyes made me think he’d be the one doing the devouring.

And then she’d be dead.

I felt the urge to throw up in my mouth a little as he looked her over like she was a commodity. Something he could use and discard.

How she missed the clear calculation in his eyes was a mystery.

Or maybe she saw it but figured she could get what she needed from him before the situation bit her in the ass.

Dominick’s smile when it came was cold and cruel. “Alright, I’ll take you up on that.”

Kat slipped her arm in his with a coyness that made me gag.

A woman with breathtaking features and the kind of regal bearing that made you think of nobility blocked their path.

Unlike most of the women present, Sofia Davinish wore a sophisticated pant suit that reminded me of old Hollywood. Her hair was arranged in an elegant knot at the back of her head.

“I apologize for my subordinate’s presumption, enforcer, but she cannot accompany you tonight,” Sofia said, authority ringing in her tone.

“Matriarch,” Kat protested.

Sofia cut her gaze to the other woman. “You’re on thin ice already. Don’t make it worse.”

“I’m new to the city. Surely, you can spare her for a few hours,” Dominick cajoled.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible.” Sofia summoned Kat with a flick of her hand. “Come, Katherine.”

For a long moment Kat didn’t move, embarrassment and anger on her face.

Dominick was the one to extract his arm from hers, giving her hand a comforting pat. “Another time then.”

My eyes narrowed as I saw him draw something on the back of her hand. It was like catching a glimmer out of the corner of your eye. Only I was staring directly at them.

My other sight tingled. I resisted it, not wanting to risk drawing Dominick’s notice after what had happened earlier.

Kat stalked away, vanishing into the crowd without another look at her Matriarch.

From the anger radiating off Kat, I had a sneaking suspicion Sofia had only delayed the inevitable. Kat wasn’t easily swayed. Her interest in Dominick was going to be a problem in the near future.

Sofia’s features were set in hard lines as she followed at a slower pace. Her two guards, Samara and Matthew, who’d become my friends over the last few months, shadowing her.

Now for my own problem child.

I turned toward Connor and raised my eyebrows, not at all deterred by the set expression on his face.

His blank stare didn’t give me a lot to work with.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the place to play twenty questions. There were too many prying ears nearby. Most of whom would love to sink their teeth into any weaknesses the Master of the City’s progeny might have.

“We’re going to talk about this later.”

But not now.

I flagged down a waiter, grabbing a champagne flute off his tray and downing it in a single gulp. “For now, let’s mingle.”

Mingling proved more difficult than I imagined as I dragged a truculent Connor in my wake. Whatever patience he normally had for these functions had disappeared. He was a stone-faced sentinel behind me, scowling at anyone who approached.

After a couple encounters that all ended in the same way, with vampires fleeing in the opposite direction, I gave up on the idea of socializing.

Ah, well. I wasn’t much of an extrovert anyway.

The only reason I’d tried was because I knew Thomas would make me come to one of these functions again if I left too early. It was also an excellent opportunity to make contacts in case anyone was interested in hiring someone with our particular skill set.

If you had a problem, we would fix it. From retrieving lost items to tracking the random and the weird. We did it all.

By the time I spotted Anton reclined against one of the lounges on the periphery of the room, my feet hurt. I wasted no time tugging Connor in his direction.

A few seconds later I plopped down next to the enforcer.

Turned later in life, Anton’s features carried a maturity that added to his charm. The modern clothes he wore were one tool in his arsenal designed to hide the warrior he’d once been. Perhaps that’s why women were so drawn to him. They sensed the danger that rested just beneath the skin. The kind that might one day turn on you. But until then, you’d enjoy the ride.

Anton didn’t stir from his relaxed slouch. “Having fun?”

“Definitely not.”

My response made him chuckle as he glanced at Connor. “Has he been like that the entire night?”

“Pretty much.”

I removed one of the heels and rubbed my arch.

Beautiful though they may be, I wasn’t used to heels this high. I wasn’t used to heels at all. The majority of my time was spent in tennis shoes or flats.

I slid my foot back in and held my hand flat in front of Anton.

He looked at it. “What?”

I made a “give me” motion with my fingers. “Keys, please.”

“You don’t have your own?”

I showed him my fangs. “I do, but I know you have a copy.”

No way was I leaving them in his possession. This was the first and last time he took a joyride in Gwyneth.

The slowness with which he reached into his back pocket spoke of reluctance. He withdrew the keys and tossed them my way. “Too bad. I had fun driving her.”

I caught them. “She’d better be in the same condition you found her in.”

“Don’t worry, Aileen. I was a total gentleman.” He wiggled into a better position on the lounge. “I parked her at the Gargoyle, if you’re wondering.”

The Gargoyle was Thomas’s base of operations. A gothic-esque mansion near downtown, it served as home for those who held positions in his court. The clan Matriarch’s and Patriarchs also had a room for those occasions where meetings ran long and they needed shelter from the day.

Anton’s distracted gaze made me forget some of my irritation as I tried to discover what had caught his attention.

A woman who looked young enough to be in college stood nearby. Her blond hair hung in a glossy sheet around her face.

“You still haven’t cut Miriam loose?” I asked, trying to classify the chaotic mix of emotions that filled me at the sight of her.

Guilt blended with resignation.

Miriam was a witch, and I’d never been able to determine if she was ally or foe.

What I did know was that her association with me brought her to the attention of the vampires. She was too useful to kill so Anton tied her to him with a method that was more binding than the one they used on companions.

She was his creature now. Compelled to follow his orders in a form of indenture that looked a lot like slavery to me.

“Do you feel sorry for her?” Anton’s dark eyes read the answer in my face. “You shouldn’t. That woman is far more evil than you give her credit for.”

I frowned. Somehow, I doubted that justified what he’d done to her.

Anton sat upright and leaned forward with an intent expression. “Did you ever wonder why she barely looks in her twenties despite being decades older than you?”

“I thought her power sustained her.”

Anton shook his head. “That would only be true if she stayed off the thorn strewn path.”

My confusion must have shown because he gave a humorless chuckle.

“Sacrifice, Aileen. Child sacrifice.” He reclined in the chair, resuming his earlier bored pose. “As long as that witch lives, she’ll never be out of my control.”

“How are you so certain that’s what she did?”

“Let’s just say I know witches.” There was a hard look on Anton’s face as he glanced away from me.

There was a story, there. One I wasn’t sure I had the right to pry into.

Anton wasn’t like Nathan. He wasn’t my buddy. More of an acquaintance.

There was a difference.

Miriam wasn’t my biggest fan. And I was pretty sure she’d tried to kill me once. No matter what she’d claimed to the contrary at the time. She’d also passed information to my enemies which almost led to my death.

It made it hard to stick my neck out for her. And if what Anton claimed was true, I wouldn’t want to.

A commotion from nearby caught my attention.

A woman in a dress that left most of her arms and shoulders bare, struggled in the grip of a man who looked like a reject from a costume drama.

Recognizing the human as someone I knew, I found my feet.

“There she goes,” Anton murmured. “Off to save another victim from the big, bad vampires.”

I didn’t respond to the taunt as I stalked in Deborah’s direction.

Connor trailed me, something like interest showing on his face for the first time since Dominick had appeared.

Deborah cast about for help, her attempt finding only apathy and boredom in the vampires nearby.

“Don’t be a fool, kitten. Offers like this don’t come along every day,” the man coaxed.

Deborah finally spotted my approach. For a split second, desperation showed on her face before it blanked.

I moved a little faster as the vampire reeled her in closer, bending his face over her neck. Deborah’s impassive mask broke as she gulped back a sob.

I reached them in the next instant, palming the vampire’s face and giving it a shove.

A feral snarl came from him as he stumbled back with a bloody nose.

Oops. I hadn’t meant to be that aggressive. I guess I didn’t know my own strength.

The trickle of blood had already stopped as he flashed his fangs at me.

I lifted an eyebrow, unimpressed.

The man was a little feminine looking for my taste. His delicate bone structure made him seem younger and more innocent than he no doubt was. Everything from his clothes to the way his long blond hair was arranged said he was trying too hard.

Vampires were supposed to be the perfect hunters. They adapted with the times, becoming chameleons who blended in with their prey.

This vampire had done the opposite of that.

He looked like he belonged in a renaissance festival. How the hell did he get anyone to volunteer to be his blood donor?

“If I were you, I’d put those fangs away before someone snaps them off,” I said in a cool voice.

I don’t know if it was my warning or the way Connor stepped up behind me that made him stop emitting the pissed off yowls of an alley cat, but I was grateful.

I didn’t wait for him to speak as I turned my attention to Deborah. Sometimes momentum was the thing that assured victory. “We had an appointment. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Deborah took a shaky step forward, latching onto the salvation I was offering. “I apologize. There was a misunderstanding, and I was delayed. Are you free now?”

The vampire behind her puffed up like an angry sparrow. “Get in line. I was here first.”

My smile was nasty. “But I’m the one she wants to go with.”

I had to handle this carefully. Unattached companions didn’t have a lot of freedom in choosing who fed from them. They were there to provide a service. If they were unable, there wasn’t a lot of reason to keep them around.

Deborah knew that. There had to be something pretty bad about this vampire for her to risk her place in the Gargoyle.

It was all the more reason to help her.

“If Debs isn’t free, I’d be happy to take her place,” a man said, moving out of the crowd to stop a respectful distance away. “What do you say? Want to taste someone new?”

Despite his flirtatious smile and easy manner, strain lingered around the corners of the man’s eyes. He wasn’t quite as sanguine as he was presenting himself as his gaze flicked from Deborah’s face to the vampire’s.

“It’s fine, Drake,” Deborah assured him with a tight smile. “Go back to the others.”

Metal glinted from the piercing in his eyebrow as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his suit pants and struck a pose worthy of a model. Hips thrust forward and his elbows slightly away from his body.

At some point in the evening, he’d discarded his jacket and tie, leaving the top buttons of his collar undone over his vest. It revealed a tantalizing expanse of skin at his throat that I knew a lot of vampires would consider seductive.

He was a good-looking man. His hair a deep brown, longer on the top. It was styled away from his face, highlighting the sharp blades of his features and the strong jut of his jaw.

Like Deborah, he was an unclaimed companion. One of the humans Thomas employed as a blood source for those vampires who didn’t have the time or resources to keep a human of their own.

He was new to this lifestyle, which might have explained his apparent death wish. Only someone who was over confident in his abilities or ignorant of the ways of the world would have stepped forward to draw another vampire’s ire.

It made me wonder which of those two descriptions could be applied to me since I’d done the exact same thing.

The vampire’s grip on Deborah’s arm loosened, his expression tempted.

I darted a glance at the human. This wasn’t a gentle bunny he was courting. This vampire would eat him alive and wouldn’t think twice if he killed him by accident.

I hoped he knew what he was doing. I could barely save one human. Let alone one I didn’t even know.

“It’s bad manners to snatch prey from another. Did Thomas not teach you that?” an amused voice said from behind us, wiping out the vampire’s interest in the male.

I closed my eyes in resignation.

There was no need to turn to see who had spoken. Dominick. The very person I was hoping to avoid.

Beside me, Connor had gone rigid. The muscles in his arms were strained, the contours standing out in sharp relief.

I could see the effort it took for him to remain still.

“The humans here are quite arrogant as well,” Dominick said with a look in Drake’s direction that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up with primal dread.

The fragile hope on Deborah’s face faded. She made herself smaller, like an animal faced with a large carnivore.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Anton send a quick text as I shifted to bring Dominick into view.

Dominick threw a teasing look at the crowd our confrontation had drawn. “The way Thomas runs his territory is quite fascinating. Allowing yearlings to gainsay higher members of the territory. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

He made a tsking sound before shifting his gaze to Connor.

I quelled the instinct to step in front of my vampire brother and block him from Dominick. It wouldn’t do much good. Connor was taller than me.

Not to mention what an action like that would say about us. Give the enemy no more information than you needed to. It was a lesson that had stuck with me since my time in the Army.

“Hello, lover, I see you got that reunion you were hoping for,” Dominick purred, not seeming to care that Connor was acting like a big old ice cube as he sauntered closer.

Dominick stopped in front of Connor to trace the lines of his body with a gaze that made me want to slap a protective covering over my brother and hide him somewhere Dominick would never find.

He had no business looking at Connor that way. It was entitled and possessive and utterly creepy.

“I was surprised to hear you returned to the fold,” Dominick murmured, tweaking the lapel of Connor’s jacket. “You always hated him.”

Connor’s face was carefully blank.

“Come back to us,” Dominick pouted. “You know how pleasurable our interludes always were.”

I was beginning to believe Dominick was a sociopath, capable of mimicking human emotions but unable to actually feel them.

Connor grabbed Dominick. His knuckles whitened with the force of his grip as he threw the other man’s hand off him. “No.”

The rapid shift from longing to boredom felt like whiplash as Dominick redirected his attention back to me. He didn’t like that his toy had denied him.

Connor made an abortive movement that I waved away.

I was the one Dominick wanted to pay. Not him. Might as well let this play out to see what we could learn.

Before Dominick could speak, Deborah stepped forward in a burst of courage I wasn’t expecting. “The Master of the City’s youngest yearling has a standing appointment with me. If anyone is guilty of poaching, it’s Chadwick.”

There was dead silence in the wake of her announcement.

I couldn’t help but be impressed at her bravado. Maybe Deborah had a little more in common with me than I’d expected.

We both liked to jump when it was better to play it safe.

She shot a glance at me, begging me to back her up.

I nodded. “She’s right.”

Though it wasn’t a formal appointment. I wouldn’t even go so far as to say it was an expectation. It was just if she happened to be free, I would choose her as my donor.

That’s it. That was the extent of our relationship.

Not really friends, but somehow good enough acquaintances to help the other out when we were in a bind.

Dominick watched me with unnerving focus. “Rumor has it you’ve refused live blood since your transition. Curious, since I see no evidence of devolution.”

That was supposed to be a secret. Someone had been talking out of turn.

Dominick looked me up and down, his head tilting. “But you’re perfect. What’s your secret?”

“Good genetics I guess.”

I felt, rather than saw, Liam’s arrival. The cold bite of his power preceded him.

It might have been my imagination, but I could practically feel his unhappiness radiating off him as he stopped on the edge of the crowd.

He’d told me to keep a low profile. To not draw attention to myself.

This wasn’t that.

Not only had I made a scene, I’d managed to capture the interest of the very vampire I was supposed to avoid.

“Still, it’s rude to steal another vampire’s prey,” Dominick drawled, giving no outward sign he was aware of Liam’s presence.

Unlikely. But I had no choice but to keep playing his game.

“You’re right,” I said with a genuine smile that made the corners of Dominick’s eyes crinkle in surprise. “Chadwick was here first. He’s welcome to exert his rights.”

A stricken looked entered Deborah’s face before she composed herself.

Good girl. Never let them see you falter.

“Of course, you’ll have to explain to the Master of the City why his orders were circumvented,” I continued, wiping the smug look off Chadwick’s face.

You forgot about that, didn’t you?

My smile turned even sweeter at Dominick’s suspicion.

“Thomas asked me to select a companion. I’d hoped Deborah would agree. I’ll have to inform him of my disappointment.” I released a sigh and shook my head in fake disappointment. “It’s too bad. I’m quite picky, so it might be a few more years before I choose another.”

Chadwick had gone rigid, dread beginning to form on his face.

Check mate.

Practically everyone in the city knew about Thomas’s orders by now. How could they not when he’d roared them at my back during a tiff a few months prior?

Pick a companion. Any companion.

I’d refused. Until now.

I wonder what Thomas would do to the vampire who made the companion I’d chosen after such hardship slip through my fingers. Would he torture him? Demote him?

The possibilities were endless. It was quite entertaining to consider.

Chadwick looked physically ill by this point.

I batted my eyelashes at the two men, wondering how long it would be before Chadwick caved. Ten seconds? Twenty?

Quiet fell as Thomas walked out of the crowd. “I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding. Chadwick would be happy to renounce his claim on the human. Wouldn’t you, Chadwick?”

The predatory smile Thomas shot the other vampire made it clear he had no choice in the matter. Very bad things would happen to him if he continued to press.

He nodded. “Of course, Lord. I didn’t realize your yearling’s intentions. The other human will do just as well.”

Drake stepped forward, making his way quickly to the vampire’s side.

Thomas shot me a fond look. “There. You see, my dear. All is well.”

I’d feel a lot more satisfied about my victory if Thomas wasn’t acting so damn delighted.

Of course, he was. He was getting exactly what he wanted. Me, finally acting like a normal vampire and falling in with his plans.

For a second, I questioned my impulse to step forward.

If I didn’t know better, I would think this was a trap orchestrated by Thomas to force my hand. Only, I’d seen the surprise and unhappiness on his face at Dominick’s arrival. There was no way he’d planned this.

It was all me.

Feeling a little irritated at the situation, I raised an eyebrow at Deborah. “What do you say?”

As the person in question whose life was about to be upended, it was only right I ask her opinion.

She didn’t hesitate, nodding her head frantically. “I agree.”

I guess that settled it then.

“Wonderful.” Thomas looked pleased, clapping his hands. “To celebrate—both the establishment of your house and the choice of companion—I’d like to leave you with a small gift.”

Sienna glided forward to hand me an envelope.

“A house,” Thomas announced without giving me the chance to open it. “I know you’ve been looking. This is perfect for your current and future needs.”

I glared.

Please tell me this wasn’t a deed.

“I hope you like it,” he said with a cunning smile. “We can always tear it down and build a new home if you don’t.”

Son of a bitch.

I’d said no so many times already. With Thomas, there were always strings. You might not see them at first, but somehow, they always got wrapped around you in the end.

I moved my glare to Liam, hoping for help from that quarter. I didn’t find any. My lover was unmoved by my plight, amused instead as he quirked his eyebrow at me.

The traitor.

I’d been outplayed. Thomas had probably been waiting for this opportunity. An audience, one he knew I couldn’t risk saying no in front of. The asshole.

Connor reached around me to salvage the envelope and deed within before I had a chance to crush it any further than I already had. “Thank you, Father. We appreciate your kind gesture and will be delighted to accept.”

No, we wouldn’t.

Connor nudged my arm with his elbow. “Isn’t that right, Aileen?”

I glared, stubborn to the end even with the expectant look that told me to fall in line.

Fine.

My smile was strained as I spoke through gritted teeth. “Of course. Never happier.”