A Terrible Misunderstanding (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 6)

“The cousin too?” Niall’s brows lifted. “Why hasn’t someone done something about it?”

“We can’t get any proof. Erasmus and that cousin of his cover their tracks well. We know Boyle’s business dealings are shady and he has links to a gambling den, but we can’t get a man inside to find out just what they are doing while they are there.” Richard dismounted and checked his gun while he waited for his colleagues to join him.

“We don’t think it is just gambling they are doing there but have no way of knowing right now. We were working on it, but then were distracted by something else going on.” Morgan tugged his cloak around him and eyed the empty garden.

“Thankfully, his cousin’s term in office ends this year. However, it is several months away, and the boss doesn’t want him in power for that long. So, we have news, and are going to deliver it, and will keep a man on our Erasmus while his cousin is away. If Erasmus takes one step out of place, we will have him behind bars for abduction.”

Niall smirked at Richard when he grinned with satisfaction.

“Well, gentlemen, let’s get on with it, shall we?” Niall rubbed his hands together and turned to look for a way into the house.

Minutes later, they all converged in the hallway outside the study door. Inside, the house was deathly quiet and encased in darkness. The only sound that could be heard was the steady ticking of a clock somewhere in the deeper recesses of the house which was undisturbed because Erasmus was the only one at home. It helped the Star Elite considerably that there were no staff in residence, although it was highly unusual given the size of the place that Erasmus shouldn’t have at least a few servants to help him.

That’s because Erasmus has something to hide, I don’t doubt.

Niall, shaking his head in disbelief that they were having to do

this, stepped forward and slammed the door open to what turned out to be Erasmus’s study, the only room in the house with a candle burning. Within seconds, the men from the Star Elite had surged into the room and descended on a stunned Erasmus who half launched out of his chair in outrage only to drop back into it with a heavy thump when he saw Niall.

“What in the hell are you doing here? Get out of my house at once. I shall have you arrested for trespass,” Erasmus blustered.

“No, you won’t,” Niall drawled. “We are here on business.”

Erasmus leaned back in his seat. His gaze flickered over the men and remained wary when it returned to Niall, but Erasmus lost none of his arrogance.

“I don’t believe we have any business,” Erasmus drawled. “I am a little selective who I do business with. Now get out. I shall inform the local magistrate about your intrusion. He will have you behind bars where you belong. Oh, and by the way, stay away from my fiancé. Miss Potter is nothing to do with you.”

“She is not your fiancé,” Niall snorted. “I do believe that Miss Potter has told you on several occasions to leave her alone. She will stringently deny having ever accepted any proposal you might be foolish enough to make. However, seeing as the proposals you prefer to make are disreputable, I think her father would object to you having any connection to her, or himself for that matter. Seeing as Atticus isn’t here to warn you away from her himself, I shall be the one to do it. Clara Potter is nothing to do with you. Harass her again and I shall have you arrested for trespass, harassment, and attempted abduction.”

“You cannot come in here and threaten me like this,” Erasmus snorted disparagingly. “I don’t give a damn who her father is. You have no authority to come into my house. It’s trespass. Stay out of my house and my damned business.”

“Miss Potter is my business,” Niall drawled. “Now what kind of fiancé would I be if I allowed any arrogant oaf to try to drag her off, eh?”

Erasmus’s brows shot up. “I was doing no such thing. I just wanted a private word with her.”

“And she said no. You seem to have a problem with that word, don’t you, Erasmus?”

“Like I have said, my association with Miss Potter is nothing to do with you. I don’t care where you came from or what you think you are doing in Serpentine, but you will move on eventually and I shall have Clara Potter as my wife.”

“Why? Why are you so determined that your wife should be her? Do you think you can make use of a connection to her father to protect yourself from having to face the law for your illegal activities?” Niall perched a hip on the desk and picked up a quill. He barely turned it over in his fingers before Erasmus launched out of his seat and snatched it off him. He then proceeded to drop it into a drawer and slam it closed with a resounding thud.

With a smirk, Niall pushed to his feet and sauntered over to the shuttered window. He then leaned his shoulders against it and turned to look at the man still seated behind the desk.

“I have not committed any crime,” Erasmus drawled quietly.

“Really?”

“Prove it.” Erasmus began to smirk because he knew his tracks had been covered well. “Who are you? Do you want in on our little enterprise?”

“Do you have a little enterprise?” Morgan asked.

Erasmus squinted at him. “Sir, I am a businessman. Of course I have an enterprise, and a very good one.” As if to prove his point, Erasmus lifted his hands out, palms up to indicate the room they were in was the evidence of his success.

None of the Star Elite asked him what kind of business Erasmus was in because they didn’t want him to have the satisfaction of knowing they didn’t have any idea what he was up to. Richard slowly closed the door before he positioned himself in front of it, effectively blocking anybody’s exit. Will quietly headed straight over to the shutters and slid them closed before he stood before the French doors.

“Just what do you want?” Now that the men had all blocked his exit from his own study, Erasmus began to look a little worried. “Who are you? How did you get into my house?”

“We come with authority before you issue any more threats,” Richard began. “I think you should know that your cousin isn’t going to be in any position to protect you for much longer. He has been ordered to go to London to account for his lack of professionalism.”