Page 89 of The Winter Laird

“How about this,” Colin responded. “You answer my questions, and I’ll sign your papers.”

“Games?” Matthew smirked. “I thought you were above that.”

“I’m not,” Colin growled. “Was the entire reason for dating Bri just to get her company?”

“It sure as hell wasn’t to get her into bed,” Matthew replied with a snort. “She isn’t exactly what I would calleager. She hasn’t a responsive bone in her body.” He laughed.

Reilly tensed, but Colin stayed him.

“Okay. Question two,” Colin continued evenly. “If you wanted the company so badly, why not just offer for it?”

“A hostile takeover of a matchmaking company?” The frustration was evident in Matthew’s voice. “It’s a PR disaster. No person paying the kind of fees Brianagh charged would want to be involved in a company bound by red tape.”

“All right,” Colin said slowly. “Question three. How many women were you with during your time with Bri?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, not that it matters now. So if I were you, I wouldn’t say anything, to save her feelings…if you ever find her, that is.”

Brianagh ducked between Reilly and Colin. “Hello, Matthew. How kind of you to search for me.”

Matthew’s jaw dropped.

“I know,” she continued. “As you can see, I’m very much alive. And very much willing to tell everyone how I’ve never—and will never—sign anything over to you.”

“Brianagh, it’s not what you think,” he started.

Brianagh looked him up and down, then shook her head. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” Looking over her shoulder, she asked, “If Nioclas ever met Matthew, I don’t see how it would end well.”

“Who’s Nioclas?”

“My husband. He’s a very jealous man, and a very strong one. Irish warrior and all that.”

“You’re married?” Matthew asked. “But you’re engaged to me!”

“Well,” she mused, “Iwas.”

“BRIANAGH MACWILLIAM!”

“The medicine wore off,” James called from the kitchen.

Bri gave Matthew a quick smile. “That’d be him. He gets a bit…passionatewhen I’m not there. Gotta go. Good luck with the hostile takeover.”

* * *

Two hours later,Brianagh and Reilly finally had Aidan calmed down enough to explain what was happening. He looked shell-shocked.

“Please let James put the IV back in,” Brianagh asked patiently. “It is giving you good medicine, Aidan. You’ll heal faster with it.”

“Your healer has some powerful magic,” Aidan replied forcefully. “My head feels as though it’s separated from my body!”

“That’s the pain medication,” she explained. Glancing at Reilly, she continued. “Aidan, we need you to be as strong as possible. We think Nioclas is in grave danger.”

“How so?”

Reilly gave him the abridged version of their suspicions.

Aidan nodded. “Aye, I can see Burke doing exactly that. If he subdued Nick and was able to take him alive without threat of being overthrown again, he’d take it.”

“I don’t know where the dungeons are in the castle,” Brianagh said. “We need your wits and your sword.”

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