Page 42 of Brandy Snap: Part One

I tried to remain calm, but I was certain he had a skill that allowed him to sense the tension in another person, like a shark circling bait.

“You’ll have to excuse her absence. Summer is a difficult time for her.”

There was another pause as his chin dipped. “As is the spring, autumn, and winter?” he asked with an arched brow.

“Indeed,” I replied with a nod, as though the not-so-subtle conversation would keep him away from Camille. He had already found her enough times at various events since she’d presented as an omega, and he still waited for her to accept his proposal.

“You know my offer is always on the table. Noon or night, all you have to do is call.” He sighed, as if he was actually concerned. “I would hate for her to have another—hm, how shall we call it? Anotheraccident.”

Camille having another ‘accident’ was exactly what he had hoped for since her aura manifested and things began to go awry. If he hadn’t noticed her issue when he did, chances were she wouldn’t have lived so long.

But accepting his advice regarding her illness was a far cry from allowing him to gather her up and hide her away at one of his ‘research’ facilities.

“You can’t keep her safe forever, Mr Risler,” he said, the warning even more jarring with his smile.

“We are perfectly capable of dealing with it by ourselves, thank you.” I refused to be cowed by the spike in his aura as I denied him yet again.

His weight shifted, and a corner of his lips hitched. “The Hiscoxes and their little potions are not the answer to your dilemma. I've already experimented enough with their ‘methods’ to know they will fail.”

My heart froze for the second time.

Thankfully, I was pale enough that he failed to notice how the blood drained from my face as fear rolled in my stomach.

How had he discovered that piece of information? The Hiscoxes had an agreement with my family that the details of their bonding would remain a secret until they exchanged bites. And that any medical treatments they gave to Camille should never be made available to the public. Absolutely no one outside of our families and our lawyers should know of the plans.

But I couldn’t show my surprise. Any more signs of weakness, and he would close in.

“As I’m aware,” I replied smoothly. “Which is obviously why we are searching for other avenues. Ones that do not involve you.”

Michael chuckled before bowing his head. But I would be a fool if I thought he was conceding.

“If you say so. But please don’t forget I have already warned you what will happen if she goes, ah, untreated.”

The fabric of my gloves tensed as I squeezed my hands at the memories of how deeply Camille had been wounded in the past.

Even if her body suffered further damage, it was better to keep her with us and her bodyguard, where we could make sure she was taken care of properly.

Michael claimed he could help her, but he was still the owner of the Spa, and Knottinghill clubs, and a hundred other facilities where people were sold for sex.

“It’s always a pleasure, Mr Risler. I’ll call an attendant to show you back to your room, since you are so very clearly straying.” He arched a brow.

“How kind of you,” I replied, tucking my hands behind my hips to ensure he didn’t see my minute response.

Caspian may call me a ‘stoney-faced asshole’, but it was particularly useful in situations such as these.

Another soft smile followed. “Well then, I wish you well in your endeavours.”

I felt especially drawn to violence the moment he lifted a hand to the brim of his hat, tipping it. He left me with another brush of his aura that sent shivers of wrongness fluttering through my body.

As soon as he was out of sight, I extracted my phone from my breast pocket.

I needed to call home and make sure Camille’s nurses and bodyguards were still in place. If he really wanted to, Michael could take Camille without much struggle.

He had no qualms about killing to get what he wanted.

Once I knew she was safe, I had to continue with my mission to find our omega. Both for my mates’ sanity, and my own.

Melanie

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