He smiled. It was cold and hard, and sent trepidation crawling across my skin.
“Then I shall release the leash.”
“That,” Monty said, “sounded a whole lot like a threat. And in front of witnesses.”
“No, it was just a statement of fact. I’m here to broker a deal between two legally bound parties, one of whom is not in the best state of mind currently. If terms cannot be agreed on, we will return to Canberra. I cannot be held accountable for what may happen after that.”
“If he comes into this reservation,” Aiden said, voice deceptively mild, “and makes any sort of threat or move against Liz, I’ll rip his goddamn throat out.”
Clayton’s laugh was a short, sharp sound of contempt. “You won’t get within ten meters of me, wolf, and that little trinket around your neck won’t in any way protect you.”
“Perhaps not, but you might be wise to remember that wolves always hunt in packs.”
Clayton bared his teeth, but at my father’s curt “Enough, both of you,” refrained from replying.
Monty thinks we’ve really got no choice but to agree to the terms, Belle said. If the audit is done here, then you’re at least fully protected against anything they might attempt afterward—especially if you’re right in believing the wild magic won’t release you.
I resisted the urge to scrub a hand across my eyes. I hate the thought of doing another audit.
With a whole lot of justification. But if it gets Clayton out of your life without any collateral damage, it might be a small price to pay.
The key word there is ‘might.’ And even if we do agree and my father does drag Clayton back to Canberra, would he stay there now that he knows where we are?
I seriously doubted it.
As do I, but to echo your earlier statement, let’s deal with one thing at a time.
“Daughter? Do we have an agreement?”
“I want the marriage annulled—and I want the paperwork in my hands—before we either remove the spell or I’m audited again.” I paused. “And I want assurances that once the spell is removed, Clayton won’t seek any sort of retribution for our past actions.”
“I so swear,” Lawrence said. “Clayton?”
“You have my word I will not seek retribution. I will, however, need to return so that the spell may be removed.”
“Indeed—but not alone. I don’t trust you, Clayton. I don’t trust you’ll hold to your word.”
“He will.”
I glanced at my father and wondered if he was being willfully obtuse or whether the years of friendship between them were blinding him to Clayton’s ultimate intent.
“He’d better, because I’m not that frightened sixteen-year-old anymore, and I will do whatever it takes to protect both Belle and myself.”
My father studied me for a moment, then nodded once. He understood and accepted what had been left unspoken. I doubted Clayton did.
“Then we have an agreement.” He removed a small metal object from his pocket and placed it on the table. I wasn’t entirely sure what it was and was disinclined to admit it. “It has been recorded for posterity.”
“I want an unredacted copy of that audio,” Monty immediately said.
“And I will ask the same of whatever record you might have of this meeting.” His gaze came to mine. “While I certainly did consider you a disappointment when it came to power, I never thought you were stupid, Elizabeth.”
I snorted. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”
His smile was cold—distant. “I suppose it is too late for that.”
“You suppose right.”
He nodded and glanced at Clayton. “We may leave, now.”