Page 29 of Devour

He’s not going to let me go. Of course he isn’t because he’s a monster. He murdered someone in public like it was nothing. I wrap my arms around him and hug him. “This is giving me a headache. Can we have this conversation over cake?”

“So you can go back in the banquet hall and tell Tristan?”

Dammit. He saw right through me. Nicholas shrugs and goes ahead and leads me back to the reception. As soon as I see Tristan, I scream his name. Nicholas groans behind me but releases me.

“Maeve, what is it?”

I throw myself into my cousin’s arms. “He killed him. Nicholas Deschamps is dangerous, Tristan. He’s a sociopath.”

“Who’d he kill?”

“Well…” I don’t want to tell Tristan that I wasn’t paying attention again and could’ve been drugged. “This guy and I were playing the slot machine. Nicholas said he saw him putsomething in my drink. So he broke his neck.In the center of the casino.”

Tristan rubs his temples. “Maeve. You let someone hold your drink? Come on!”

“Let’s focus on the murder part of the story.”

“I’m glad he killed him, but I wish it hadn’t been in front of you.”

What? Tristan isn’t the least bit phased other than the drugging my drink part. Tristan isn’t in the underground world as much as Nicholas. No. They’re completely different types of men. My cousin would never…Or would he? Has he?

“Tristan? Have you killed before?”

He sighs and gives me a pained expression. “We try to protect you from this part of our world. I have. Sometimes, it’s the only way.” He growls in frustration. “Fucking Deschamps.”

Nicholas approaches with a smug grin. “I have video footage if you need it.”

“What are you doing here?” I hiss and stand closer to Tristan.

“Funny you’re not afraid of him when our body count is probably the same.”

“I doubt mine’s that high. You were Cleric’s henchman,” Tristan tells him.

“Maeve, can I speak to you?” he asks me.

“No. The deal’s completed. Stay away from me.”

Tristan wraps a protective arm around me. “You carried out your part. I’ll do the same. And thank you for protecting Maeve. I’m indebted to you.”

I almost break my own neck with how fast I turn to look at Tristan. “No, you’re not!”

“He saved you,” Tristan tells me.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to cash in that favor, yet.” Nicholas winks at me and then turns his back on us.

“Tristan. Are you leaving tonight?”

“Yes.”

Thank goodness he has a private plane. Tonight I’m getting away from The Red Château.

Sixteen

Nicholas

Maeve Goodman has made a huge mistake in trusting a stranger. Trusting me. Because now, after gaining her trust and spending time with her, an unhealthy obsession has taken hold within me. I know it’s futile to want her. At the end of the day, the facts are, there isn’t a way for us to be together. I’m building an empire. I’m on my way to building a reputation and being more feared and wealthier than my mentor, Cleric. She’d be nothing more than a distraction and a weakness. This whole game we’d been playing is idiotic at best, but fun. I don’t even remember the last time I had “fun.” I want nothing more than to keep spending time with her, which is the problem. My obsession is dangerous for both of us.

I’ve gotten too caught up in the game, but if I’m being honest, she intrigues me. She doesn’t react the way I’d expect her to. When she demanded in front of everyone to have me, more or less to fuck her, it made me feral. I honestly didn’t think her cousins would allow it. It wasn’t until that barbarian Mark almost gave me a minor concussion that I knew they were goingto let her have her way. Why they allowed it? Who the fuck knows. They were probably hoping I’d do something wrong so they’d have an excuse to murder me. Maybe like now.

---