Page 203 of The Sinner's Bargain

He’d been outside my hospital room around the clock for a week. If he swapped shifts with someone else, I never saw it. I knew he often waited for Thoran from place to place, but this was extreme even for him.

“I’m fine.”

I glanced pleadingly at Thoran. “Please make him sit.”

“He’s not a dog, Naya,” Malcolm said.

“Go rest, Cyrus,” Thoran said instead. “That’s an order.”

Cyrus hesitated, but inclined his head and walked out.

“Is he okay?” I asked once he was gone.

Thoran nodded. “He’s angry with himself for letting you get hurt. He’s made it his mission to watch over you now.”

I stared. “He did not. None of this was his fault.”

“Cyrus is built like that. His duty is to protect the people he cares about. He doesn’t take it well if he fails.”

“Well, I will be having a talk with him. That’s ridiculous. He saved my life.”

Thoran brushed his lips to my temple. “He’ll be okay.”

I sighed and turned to Malcolm who was still watching the door Cyrus had walked through.

“You never said how you found me,” I said.

Malcolm blinked his blue eyes and faced me. “I heard him on the phone.”

Thoran and I exchanged glances.

My brother grabbed a muffin and peeled back the wrapper. “I have his apartment, office, and car bugged.” He took a bite of his pastry. “Last year, I told him I wanted to get to know him better since we’re going to be brothers and all. Idiot let me spend the weekend at his place. Drove us around. Stopped at his office when I said I wanted to see where he worked. Everywhere we went, I left a little listening device. I wanted to know if he ever got wind of you.” He took another bite. “A few nights before his attack, I overheard some woman ... Jenna? Jennifer?”

“Jeannette?” Thoran offered dryly.

Malcolm nodded. “That sounds right. She called but Brixton’s secretary picked up and when Jeannette started asking for money, the message was ignored as a fake. Do you know this Jeannette person?”

I shifted and brought the cold tea to my lips.

“Unfortunately, but I’m taking care of her,” Thoran answered.

Malcolm hummed. “She seems like a piece of work.” He finished the muffin and dusted the crumbs off his fingers. “It was the call after that sparked my interest. Some guy named Oliver who claimed Naya Blackwell was living at Lacroix House.”

“Oliver called Jarrett?” I whispered.

For some reason, that felt like the biggest betrayal of all. Not that he kidnapped me or tried to kill me. That he intentionally called Jarrett to get me.

“Gave him the address. Told him to come through the front gate. He had it all planned.”

“Except it was a shitty plan,” Thoran cut in. “His men barely stood a chance. It was embarrassing. Where’d he even find those guys?”

“That’s because Brixton has no money.” Malcolm poured himself a cup of tea. “His grandmother, who is still the head of the family, couldn’t believe he’d given away millions of dollars for some girl’s vagina only to humiliate the family by running off. Plus, she was already angry about his constant marriages and costly divorces, and the string of children he barely cares for, not to mention ridiculous spending habits. She cut him off from the family vault. So, he has nothing. Those men were the best he could do with whatever money he was allowed. I think he was hoping if he brought you back, his grandmother would forgive him.”

“Where is Jarrett?” I asked.

Thoran brought a strand of my hair to his lips. “He’s been dealt with. He will never hurt you again.”

Did I want to know? Part of me maybe. The part that was curious to hear what Thoran did to Jarrett. But even then, I knew I didn’t want the details. I didn’t care. He deserved it.

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