Page 7 of A Convenient Ring to Claim Her

She honestly believed he had not meant to be violent the first time, that night at the club. He hadn’t been, but it had been close. He had dragged Remy back from kissing Eden and whirled him around into a confrontation that had descended into shoving.

It was the only time Quinn had ever seen him lose his temper, let alone come close to blows. Thankfully, the bouncers had immobilized both men before anyone was assaulted, but it had still been very unsettling.

The silence in the car on the way back to Micah’s home had been deafening.

The elevator doors opened on the top floor. Quinn hurried after him as he strode purposefully down the hall. The room door had been propped open by the inside lock-latch. He shoved in.

Quinn followed and was hit by the same thing that halted Micah.

Nothing.

Eden and Remy had flown the coop. Again.

CHAPTER TWO

MICAHQUICKLYSEARCHEDthe suite of rooms. It was likely billed as a VIP residence since it was on a top floor and had accoutrements like a bar, a kitchenette and dining area, and a large jet tub placed to allow a view of the falls. He was more interested in the fact that the shower had been used and Eden’s wedding gown was abandoned on the chair next to the king-size bed.

The bed appeared unrumpled and he didn’t like to spend any time contemplating his sister’s sex life, but Remy Sylvain had tried the route of coldly seducing Eden before.

Micah came back to the living room where he took note of the contents of various gift baskets strewn about. The wine in the bucket was open, as was the bottle of scotch on the bar. There was a rack of women’s clothing that he assumed had provided whatever Eden was wearing.

He was not a man who gave up, but even as his haze of fury urged him to race back to the lobby to confront them, the thunderous rush filling his ears became deafening.

It was the falls. Quinn had opened the doors to the balcony and stood outside to photograph them with her phone.

It was just like her to make the most of a moment in case she didn’t have another opportunity. Over the years, he had learned small quirks like that about her.

Not everything, of course. She was a closed book. Or rather, a set of encyclopedias that appeared unobtrusive at first glance, but brimmed with more knowledge than a single brain ought to be able to contain.

She drove him a little mad for that reason. Most people were obvious in their motives, eager for attention, and were wrong more often than they were right. Quinn was focused, ambitious and understood human nature better than most.

Please don’t be violent.

He hadn’t planned to be, but that didn’t stop a hot brand of shame from settling in the pit of his stomach. Paris had been the closest he’d ever come to behaving like his father. He had actually sought counselling for a time afterward. Eventually, he was reassured that he didn’t have the same potential to lash out, but Remy Sylvain still got under his skin in a way no one else did.

Micah knew Quinn thought he was overreacting, but Quinn didn’t understand all that Remy had cost him. Maybe Remy felt equally justified in coming after Micah. He, too, had had a taste of Kelvin Gould’s temper, but that didn’t mean Remy should involve Eden in their conflict. Eden was the most precious person in Micah’s life, untouched by the belittling and manipulations that had permeated his own life and that of their mother. He would protect Eden at all costs.

And he hadtriedgiving Remy the benefit of the doubt. When he had learned Remy was Hunter’s best man, he hadn’t interfered, hadn’t assumed the worst.

His complacency had come back to bite him, though, hadn’t it? Remy kept persuading Eden to go with him.

Why? What did he want with her?

Outside, Quinn lowered her phone to read it. In the car, she’d pulled her hair loose from its complex wedding arrangement. The red-gold strands were frizzing in the humid breeze and the same wind ruffled the hem of her sundress, pressing it to her ass so he could discern the Y shape of her thong.

Be mine, valentine.

A knot of want twisted in his gut, messing with his ability to think.

He tried to tamp it down as she turned and came inside to waggle her phone at him.

“Eden says Remy is taking her to Toronto.”

Micah swore tiredly and looked to the door. Did a car chase all the way to Toronto make any sense? No. Not when their mother was still at the vineyard, expecting Micah to drive her home in the morning.

He swore again, hating to lose on any level. This loss was particularly punishing.

“Relax. He’s not a serial killer.”

---