Page 100 of Peyton's Price

“Liam had groupies?” Matthias asked incredulously.

“Well, that’s what happens when you are a bachelor with money and don’t hide away sailing the seven seas,” Liam said tersely.

Matthias lowered his head, trying to hide his chortle.

“You didn’t love me like family?” he heard Liam ask.

“I think for all concerned, that’s a good thing, especially as I was madly in love with you another way.”

Liam huffed. “Amen to that,” he muttered as Agent Ward joined them.

“Is the baby okay?” Concern made the man appear as if he had smelled sour milk.

“The baby?” Matthias sputtered

Peyton held up her hand. “I told those creeps I was pregnant to make myself seem more valuable, but I’m not.”

“Are you sure?” Matthias was dizzy, feeling as if he were the one who’d been hit over the head. He could only imagine how Liam felt.

“I’m certain. But it was a long wait up on that roof, and I got my—well, never mind. Let’s just say I know for sure.”

“Oh.” Liam’s disappointment was palpable.

Matthias took both their hands. “I know I’ve been saying I’m not ready for children, but it’s not true. I was just afraid of things going to shit again, but that’s not going to happen. If you two want to start trying—”

Mason smile was a trifle awkward. “Perhaps you’d like to postpone this conversation until later?”

“Yes,please,” Peyton said, widening her eyes for emphasis. “I want to know the English bastard’s name.”

“It’s FitzGeorge—Clyde FitzGeorge, the twelfth Earl of Osbourne,” Mason said, slipping his hands into his pants pockets.

“Really?” Peyton asked, clearly skeptical. “He’s an honest-to-God earl?”

“Oh, yes.” Mason sighed. “But the earldom has been bankrupt for some time. Nevertheless, FitzGeorge has connections at the highest levels of society all over Europe. They furthered his career quite a bit. When he started spending more lavishly, he claimed to have found a cache of family antiques that he was selling to finance an early retirement. He even waved some auction catalogs around the office, pointing out things he was supposedly selling to establish a backstory.”

Matthias leaned forward. “I don’t care if he’s the fucking king of England. Be aware—I’m going to be usingmynetwork of connections to make sure the son of a bitch pays for what he has done.”

“Have at him,” Mason said. “I’m not going to stop you.”

“Is Travis at Interpol, too?”

“Not to my knowledge. He seems to know the ins and out of the agency. However, he came up as an independent contractor. So did the third man you clobbered.” His weary air dropped away. “Well done, by the way. It appears you broke his collarbone by dropping down on him like that.”

“Hmm. I thought they were both agents,” Peyton said, ignoring the praise. “Do you think you’ll find proof of FitzGeorge’s involvement with the Belarus incident?”

“I think I can do you one better,” Mason said, smiling for the first time. “He’s already talking, trying to broker a deal. He’s giving up everyone and their grandmother. If the intel is good, we may be able to trace the group if we move quickly.”

“Then what the hell are you waiting for?” Liam snapped. “Go get them.”

He tossed the keys to the Lotus to the agent. “Return these when you can.”

Catching the set in mid-air, Ward grinned like it was Christmas morning.

“Will do.” The agent hurried away before Liam could change his mind.

“But Mason just saved us,” Peyton pointed out. “We should at least invite him to dinner.”

“He didn’t save anyone,” Liam countered. “You saved yourself, then you saved us. Now we’re going to the hospital to get your head scanned. Then you’re going to stay in bed for a week,” he ordered.

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