Page 72 of Honeythorn
Raphael let out a slow breath, shooting Milan a grateful look, having agreed beforehand that Milan should do most of the talking.
Miss Claude nodded. “I will take with me the documents about the past accountant’s dealings and contact him.”
“If he doesn’t respond,” Missus Lint said, “I’ll send one of my people to collect him.”
Mister Gale coughed. “And if anybody wants me to look at any documents and verify the condition the estate’s books were in when I was hired, I’d be happy to do so.”
Milan smiled. “Perfect. Thank you so much, everybody. If that is everything?” Everybody nodded. “Then we’ll be in touch soon.”
Milan walked them to the front door, thanking them again before returning quickly to Raphael. He found him slumped on a couch, looking exhausted. Milan sat beside him, taking his hand.
“How are you?” Milan asked. Raphael shook his head.
“I do not know how I am, only that I am grateful to you.” Raphael wrapped an arm around Milan’s middle so that they were pressed side-by-side.
“You and me, Husband. You’re not alone.”
Raphael looked down at him seriously. Milan felt the bond flare. “No. I’m not.”
Milan smiled, brushing a kiss to his lips before cuddling close.
Milan had not a doubt—Jack was no match for them.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
As Milan had been both expecting and preparing for, a note was sent that Jack was headed their way.
“I don’t want to see him,” Raphael said quietly. Milan knew that Raphael had the fear that Jack would somehow enchant him again—take him back to that place filled with fear, where Raphael had only wanted to please him.
“And you don’t have to. I’ll ride to meet him.”
“Milan—” Raphael protested, but Milan cut him off.
“Husband. Believe me—I will enjoy it. There is no need to worry.”
“You are being asked to do too much.”
“Who is asking? I’m offering. Trust me, Raphael. I’ll take care of it.”
In the end, Milan managed to convince him that he would go meet Jack, with the condition that Milan could not do anything that would get him arrested.
A crawler appeared in the distance not long after that. Raphael looked pale as Milan mounted Saturnus, but Milan’s heart was racing more with excited anticipation than anything else.
Perhaps he couldn’t blast a hole through the man who had hurt his husband, but he could threaten to. It would bealmostas fun.
Before Milan knew it, Saturnus was rearing before the crawler, stopping it in its path. It took just a few seconds for who could only be Jack—a skinny man with sharp features and cunning eyes, hair thick and a dark brown—to step out of the crawler.
Milan sat proudly on Saturnus, who also seemed displeased at the company, stomping closer before backing off.
“You are trespassing,” Milan called out coldly. Jack raised his eyebrows in what looked like amusement.
“I don’t believe I am. Who are you?”
“Pretending you don’t know? What a bore you are. I am Raphael’s husband and bonded, and this is our estate. If you believe your silly lies owe you even a square meter of this, you are more deluded than I thought.”
Jack’s mouth pinched. “Sent his little whore to battle for him, I see? He always was weak,” he sneered.
Milan leaned back in surprise. He hadn’t expected Jack to be so outwardly vitriolic. It made him nervous—why was he so confident?
