Page 101 of Poison Vows

“Uh…”

I stare at the gorgeously appetizing platter of Wingstop chicken tenders in shock.

“Young Miss, the young master said if this doesn’t alleviate your hunger or pain, then you should know that there’s a fully stocked kitchen in the east wing of the residence as the one in the north is now shut down pending reconstruction due to the breach in etiquette from some people who forget themselves.”

Wow!

The hit is definitely aimed at Vaughn, but would Emmett go so far as to reconstruct an entire kitchen just because some fish was prepared in there?

Yes. Yes, he absolutely would.

“The young master also said if you choose the second option, his personal chef is ready to make anything you’d like as he would like to avoid a situation where you cook. He said it’ll only result in a repeat of last time, however the hospitals here might not have an antidote for your brand of self-poisoning,” Ty goes on, looking deadly serious.

“What?”

Oh, that jerk! It was only one time!

“He also said if you burn the house down, you’ll have to pay to rebuild it, but he’s afraid you can’t afford that just yet.”

My jaw drops to the floor and before I can muffle it, laughter erupts from me.

It’s absurd but then again, absurd people clearly do absurd things without care. Laughing seems to be the only response as my mind races back to the past.

When I was ten, Grammy had brought me to the estates to check on Astraea who had gotten a bad cold. I went to Emmett’s house and found him in the kitchen…

I told him I could make pancakes, but I had never cooked a day in my life. He let me do it with a skeptical look on his face, and well, a big fire broke out.

“It was only one time! How long is he going to hold that over my head?” I laugh but immediately catch myself when I realize all eyes are one me… and none of them find this exchange funny.

Awkwardly, I shift in my seat, but I can’t help but feel a slight warmth in my chest.

Years later Emmett still remembers our childhood antics enough to use them as a way to tease me like this. He even remembers that I’m severely allergic to seafood!

But more than that, I know this is Emmett’s way of communicating with me.

He’s aware of everything happening here.

The silence in the room is loud as the plates with seafood are quickly taken away.

The tough-looking men in black open all the windows in the room, letting in a fresh, clean breeze. As if chasing out the fishy smell…

While this happens, no one says a word.

Ty doesn’t move away from where he stands a few paces behind me.

No one tells him to leave, but they all keep glancing at him.

Emilio and Giovanni exchange looks several times, uncertainty in their eyes.

Hell, even Grandpa Armando doesn’t say anything. He just calmly cuts through his steak and starts eating like Scarlet, while everyone else just stares at their plates in shock, not moving at all.

“This is very interesting.” Grandpa Armando chuckles, glancing at me. “I have never seen my grandson do anything of this sort before.”

If my blush was transparent, it would be over for me.

“Uh, yeah…” I mumble, not knowing what to say.

“Oh, don’t let me stop you,” he says, gesturing to my platter with a mix of lemon pepper and garlic parmesan tenders with a smile, his eyes twinkling, like he knows a secret that he’s dying to share. “Go ahead and enjoy yourself, sweetheart.”

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