6. Rook

6

ROOK

A few days after the grocery incident, Kitty approached me with a twinkle in her eye. Keeping an eye on her day after day had become more enjoyable ever since I’d had a taste, but the more days that passed, the more guilt started to worm into my thoughts.

She hadn’t mentioned our night together, and I hadn’t been able to bring it up so that we could talk about it properly. I half wondered if it was to be just that, a sweet secret between us that would never repeat. If that was the case, then I would be disappointed. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted to taste her again. I wanted to hear those sweet sounds, feel that warmth around my cock, and watch her face as pleasure danced through her like magic.

So, when she approached me with that look in her eye, I had a hidden hope about what she wanted to talk about.

“Do you like dancing?” Kitty asked, stopping next to me and leaning against one of the pillars scattered throughout the entrance hall.

“Can’t say I do,” I replied. “Why?”

“Because I may have become an actual genius and I might need help with something.”

Was it wrong of me to stare at her lips when she talked? Possibly. Was I going to do it anyway? Absolutely.

“What have you done?”

“I haven’t done it yet,” Kitty clarified, pursing her lips, “but I’m in the process of it.”

I raised one brow and waited for her to elaborate.

“Okay, so you know how I’ve spent the last few days basically in my mother’s pocket? Well, it’s because I had an idea. The Yuletide Ball that she throws each year used to be huge because of the money she would raise for charity. These past few years, my Dad’s taken over and made it some exclusive party for anyone with a big enough check.”

Having only been here for six months, I had to take her word for it so I merely nodded along.

“So I got talking with my mother and reminded her of the good old Gala days , and I may have persuaded her to throw a different type of ball this year.”

“Different how?”

Kitty ground her teeth and parted her lips. “More of a… town ball.”

“What do you mean?”

“I may have persuaded her that to help repair the relationship between my father and the town, she should throw the ball here and invite the entire town because I’m also hoping that once my Dad talks to the people he’s screwing over, he might actually change his mind.”

“And you need my help for this because…?”

“Because she took my suggestion literally and wants to throw the ball in the manor.” Kitty winced. “In the old ballroom, actually.”

Immediately, I understood her hesitation. The security risk of such an event being held here when threats had been made against Mayor Morgan and his family was huge. I tensed my jaw, sinking my teeth into my tongue as I mulled it over.

“How set is she on having the ball here?”

Kitty clasped her hands together as she pushed off the pillar. “Set enough that she’s already called the old venue and canceled.”

Shit.

“Please tell me it’s doable,” Kitty said, stepping closer to me. “I know it’s sudden and Christmas is literally around the corner, so the planning is going to be insane, but it’s doable, right?”

How could I say no when she was looking up at me with those gorgeous doe eyes? “Have you spoken to Anders?”

“No,” Kitty replied slowly, and her gaze turned shifty. “I came to you first.”

Then it clicked. “You think I can persuade Anders to let this happen?”

“Yes!” Kitty smiled widely. “I mean, you’re scarier than him, and Anders always looks at you like he thinks you’re going to eat him. This is really important to me and the town, so if you can get him to say yes, then we can have it here and you can all do whatever it is you do to make sure this place is safe!”

“Kitty, do you understand how dangerous this could be? Hosting a ball at a venue is one thing because there’s less room, less risk, and we plan escape routes. Inviting people into your home?—”

“When people are sending death threats, yes, I know,” Kitty cut in, grasping my arm. “But having it here means people in town don’t need to travel, and then maybe Dad can finally see the damage he is doing. Surely, you have people you can call, other soldiers or something who can help?”

“Kitty. I’m here for you. I’m hired to protect you.” As I spoke, her smile vanished and I could see her deflate before my eyes. I didn’t have the heart to disappoint her. “But I will talk to Anders and I will tell him plans have been changed.”

“Really?” That smile was back instantly, and she grabbed my arm, sending light shocks through my body. “Rook, you are amazing. This is going to be amazing!”

With that, she turned and hurried back into the art room where her mother’s squeals of delight mingled with hers. Affectionately rolling my eyes, I sent a quick message to Anders.

He met me in the kitchen while dinner was being served and frowned the moment he laid eyes on me.

“What’s so damn important?”

He’d been bristly toward me ever since I arrived. I suspected it was because he thought my presence meant the mayor thought he wasn’t doing a good enough job with security, and I didn’t care enough to correct him.

“Mrs. Morgan has had a change of heart about the venue for the ball.”

“What?” Anders’s frown deepened. “I’ve been working on that security plan for months. Why the hell is she changing it now?”

“She’s going in a whole other direction. It’s being hosted here now.”

Anders could have been knocked down with a feather. “You’re joking.”

“Nope. In the back ballroom. There’s a surveyor coming tomorrow to make sure the room is safe to house the increased guest list?—”

“Increased guest list? The fuck is going on? We can’t have it here. At a glance, the security risks are insane, and on top of all the people who have it out for the mayor?”

“Look, all I’m doing is passing on the change of venue, okay? The rest is up to you.” I shrugged one shoulder. “You’ve got teams you can call, surely. And the people protecting the venue can be retrained here. Keep everyone on the lower floors. Use the back entrance to let everyone in so they don’t come through the house.”

Anders shot me a glare. “It ain’t that easy.”

“Isn’t it? I came up with all of that within ten minutes of checking out the ballroom. With three and a half weeks, I’m sure you can work some magic.”

“Listen here, you—” Anders was cut off by his radio clicking to life, and a fuzzy voice bled through, demanding his presence in the dining room. With a grunt, he hurried off, and I followed since the tone of voice from the radio sounded desperate.

We rushed inside to see Kitty standing with her arms around her mother. She was crying quietly into a napkin while Samuel paced back and forth along the row of chairs.

As soon as he saw us, he thrust his phone into Anders’s hands. “What the fuck is this?”

Anders looked down at the phone and, over his shoulder, I quickly read the email on the screen. It was like several other emails that had come through in the past few months threatening to burn the manor down with everyone inside if Samuel didn’t back down on the deal. The difference this time was that the threat also included details of a meeting Samuel was set to have in a few days, complete with a detailed threat about what would happen if the meeting didn’t call off the highway construction.

“How the fuck did this get out?” Samuel raged. “I’ve kept all details of that meeting secret and now some fucker is emailing me as if they plan to attend?”

“When did this come through?” Anders demanded.

“About a minute before I called for you,” Samuel replied. He paused to place a hand on his wife’s shoulder and squeeze, then he continued pacing. “What the fuck kind of security leak is this?”

My attention slid to Kitty, and the strongest urge to comfort her rose within my chest. The guilt I carried about the night we spent together faded upon seeing her look so distressed as she comforted her mother, and there was nothing I could do to ease her.

Not right now.

“We treat this like all the others,” Anders decided. “One of your buddies must have talked or let slip about the meeting. I know my team, and this is not on our end, but I will double-check everyone just to be on the safe side.”

“This is ridiculous,” Samuel snapped. “I’ve half a mind to take us all to the Alps for Christmas and have these meetings via video link.”

“You can’t!” Kitty spoke up. “Not with the Yuletide Ball coming, and we always spend Christmas at home.”

“You can’t seriously still think the ball is a good idea when threats this graphic are coming through,” Anders snapped.

Something snapped inside me, sending a strange, hot sensation rushing through my chest and limbs. The way Anders spoke to her made me want to shove my fist into his face over and over until he couldn’t speak to her ever again. Out of the corner of my eye, Kitty’s lower lips wobbled slightly before she pressed them together and jutted her chin upward.

“The ball is important,” she said in a tight voice. “To me and Mom. So do your damn job and make it work.”

“This is more important,” Anders said, and his attention shifted to the mayor, looking for support. “We have to take these threats seriously. That attack in the grocery store is only the beginning?—”

“That man was desperate,” Kitty cut in loudly. “And I don’t blame him because what’s happening to his life because of us is terrible. So I won’t stand by and let these pathetic emails take anything more from this town. We need this ball. I need it, and Mom needs it. It’s Christmas, and running away is just giving in.”

“I agree,” I said quietly, and all attention snapped to me.

“You do?” Samuel asked. He looked at me, and for a moment, I caught a glimpse of my old friend from before he took on the weight of mayor and all the monetary temptations that came with it.

“I do. Kitty is right. Changing anything just shows these assholes that they have power. We have to show them that you are not afraid. So, the Gala stays. I know some people I can call to beef up security.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Anders ground out, and a vein swelled on his temple. “I have that under control.”

“Are you sure?” I snorted, more than happy to make him uncomfortable after he had spoken to Kitty like she was beneath him. “Because back in the kitchen, you made it sound like you couldn’t cope.”

“I’ll handle it,” Anders snapped louder. He took a deep breath that raised his shoulders, then turned back to the mayor. “Sir, don’t worry. We will investigate this threat, and I will ensure you have double the security at your meeting. And the Gala won’t be a problem.”

“Damn right,” Kitty murmured. She flashed me a quick smile and then continued to comfort her mother. Anders muttered something under his breath and then left the room with Samuel hot on his tail, so I took up a post by the door and watched over Kitty and her mother until they were ready to end dinner.

Being a shadow was second nature, but it had become infinitely more fun now that Kitty was sneaking me smiles. I just needed to get her alone so we could talk about our night together before the guilt over crossing a line ate me up. And I needed to make sure she was okay. These threats were getting more serious, and I refused to let anything harm her.

“Rook?” Kitty pulled me from my thoughts as she headed toward me after helping her mother to bed.

“Kitty.”

“Do you think we could…”

Her words faltered as an alarm suddenly blared from my phone. I glanced down, and my eyes widened as a red alert flashed across the screen.

“What’s wrong?” Kitty asked, leaning onto my arm to glance at my phone.

“Something’s triggered the perimeter security,” I explained quickly.

“We have that?”

“Yes, I set it up when I arrived.” Taking her arm, I hurriedly escorted Kitty to her room.

“Wait, what does that mean?”

“It means someone is here who shouldn’t be.” I lightly squeezed Kitty's shoulder as I guided her into her room. “Stay here.”

“Wait, Rook?—”

“I’ll be right back. I promise.”