Page 14 of Knight Before Christmas

Whatever happened to that house?”

“She threw it away when she outgrew things like dollhouses.”

“So it went in the trash. And found its way here?”

“Sounds like it. But it didn’t have a little goth bedroom with a vampire bride.”

So what’s the significance of the bride in black with a blue rose?”

“Blue? A blue rose?”

“Yeah. Why do you keep repeating every thing I say?”

“That means something. I vaguely remember this really weird guy that lived near us. And his house had blue roses outside of it. I was fascinated by that bush and those roses for the longest time. But I also recognized that there was something different about that dude. He was just strange. Not to mention that he seemed absolutely fixated on my baby sister.”

“Why didn’t you mention him before?”

“Because it’s ancient history. I never would have thought of him if it wasn’t for those blue roses. He even tried to give her some once. A small arrangement and she handed them back. Said she couldn’t take something like that from a stranger.”

And there’s more?

I can hear it in his voice. “Okay. I also noticed how he acted around her and I didn’t like it. So I cornered him and told him to stay the hell away from my sister.”

I groan. “Well, that could explain the hostility. But where did he hear about her and how did he find her?”

“I think I might have an idea. Your sister needs to get this solved and I’ve got the perfect idea to make it happen. So we’re gonna make him think that we broke up. And we’re gonna tempt him into revealing himself a little bit. Just enough to nab him.”

“Okay. But I don’t like the idea of using Raine as bait.”

“I don’t either. But it has to be done. I cannot stand knowing that whoever this is is out there and they think they can steal her from me.”

I want to slap my own face because Colt is not an idiot.

“Where is Raine?”

“She’s sleeping.”

“Whose bed is she sleeping in, Gray?”

“Mine, Colt.”

He explodes and I almost duck to avoid the shrapnel from his tongue.

“Why the hell is Raine in your bed, Gray? And be very careful how you answer that question. Because your legs hang in the balance.”

“You won’t hurt me, Colt.”

“I don’t know that yet. I’m really considering it.”

“I love your sister. I’ve always loved her and I intend to marry her as soon as she’ll let me tie her ass down.”

A startled gasp sounds behind me and I straighten up, closing my eyes.

“I’ve got to go. I promise you that I won’t hurt Raine. It would be like hurting myself because every piece of me belongs to a piece of her.”

He doesn’t say a world, just hangs up.

That was hard enough. But facing Raine? That’s gonna take a strong stomach.

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