Chapter Eleven
Exile sat across from Daring, but his eyes were unfocused as he rubbed his jaw. Some idea flitted around the edge of his thoughts but he couldn’t quite hold onto it. Sin’s entrance into their life had been so sudden and his interest in Diana so immediately intense.
“What’s the matter with you?” Daring leaned forward, waving his hand in front of Exile’s face.
Exile blinked, focusing on his friend. “Something isnae right with Vice’s cousin.”
“He’s fine. You’re jealous,” Daring grunted, sitting back.
Exile pushed off the desk, rising from his chair. “I dinnae think so.” He shook his head. “His interest is unnatural this soon.”
“She’s the most classically beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and that’s saying something. I’ve seen a lot of women.”’
“True.” Exile stared out the window into the night. “But he suddenly appeared and he’s part of our actual business and now our dealings with Abernath and I barely touched his arm and he flinched.” Like he had a wound…perhaps running down his side. “Bloody fecking Christ!” he yelled, barreling for the door.
“What?” Daring asked, jumping from his desk and chasing after him.
His gut churned even as his hands clenched into fists. “He’s wounded on his left side. The attack in the alley. I slashed the man with my right hand…his left.”
“No,” Daring said low and deep. “It can’t be. He’s Vice’s cousin.”
“We’re about to find out.” Exile skidded to a stop in front of the music room and threw open the door. The scene before him made his pause.
Minnie, Bad, and Vice sat laughing and talking. But Sin and Diana were nowhere to be seen. He marched forward, his gaze swinging between one wall to the other, and his heart skipped a beat when he found no one else in the room. Sweat slicked his forehead, and his gut clenched. Where the hell was Diana?
“Where are they?” He barked, his eyes pinging all over the room.
“What?” Minnie squinted at him. “Oh, they’re just out on the terrace. Sinclair wanted her schedule for the next week so that…” But she stopped as she looked outside into the empty dark.
“Minnie,” Daring’s voice held an edge. “What are you talking about? Why would he need her schedule?”
Exile’s chest tightened as his breath came in short gasps. Crossing the room, he headed for the doors.
“He’s going to take Exile’s place. Make sure Lady Abernath doesn’t attempt to hurt her the way she did with Cordelia.”
Daring slammed his fist on the table as Exile stepped outside, picking up speed. Please let her be in the garden, he prayed.
Daring’s voice followed him out. “He isn’t guarding her. I would never agree to that.”
“Help me look,” he yelled, starting down a path. Then another. It wasn’t until he got to the gate that he noticed a piece of ribbon on the path which looked exactly like the ones that had adorned Diana’s hair.
“Anything?” Vice called, coming up behind him.
He reached down and picked up the single scrap of fabric. “I found this by the gate.” His voice was scratchy. How long had he been in the office? Mere minutes. “If he’s taken her, they can’t have gotten far.”
“Taken her?” Vice waved them off. “Sinclair would never take Diana, he’s here to help.”
Exile spun around, grabbing his friend by the collar and slamming him to the wall. He didn’t have time to be nice. “Did you approach him or did he come to ye?”
Vice’s face paled. “He came to me. But that doesn’t mean…”
r /> “I dinnae have time to convince ye. He’s taken the woman I love. And I need her back. Where would he go?”
Vice shook free as Bad came up behind them.
“He wouldn’t,” Vice answered holding his head.
“We can debate later,” Bad replied, attempting to hold back his anger and panic. “They came out into the garden and now they are gone. Daring is having the house searched. But we are going out on horseback. Where are we going Vice? Think.”