The Camp (Chateau 2)

Her disappointment was obvious, like she didn’t need a cabin, but me. “There’s no door…” Her eyes were still wet from her tears, cheeks red and puffy, and her fingers immediately reached out to my stomach because she wanted me to hold her.

There was nothing I wanted to do more. “No one will bother you. Wait for me there.”

Fender stopped walking and turned around. “Magnus.”

I wanted to cup her face and kiss her, but my brother was far more generous than I expected him to be, and kissing the woman who had destroyed his camp and humiliated us was not the smartest move. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I turned around and joined Fender, not turning back to look at her again because it was too hard. If I did…I wouldn’t be able to leave. I joined his side as we walked to his cabin.

Fender didn’t speak.

I didn’t either.

He preferred to speak in his cabin away from the ears of the guards. He didn’t trust anyone except me, and he treated everyone like they had a knife in their pocket aimed at his back…except when a pile of money was on the table.

Everything had happened so fast, I didn’t know how to process it. I was held down, helpless, and if Fender hadn’t made his surprise visit at that moment…I wouldn’t have saved her. Not only did he show up, but he did something about what was happening, which was a great surprise. He hated Raven and couldn’t care less about her existence.

We were silent as we walked into the cabin.

Fender went into his bedroom immediately to change out of the clothes he’d worn while riding horseback.

I poured two glasses of scotch and sat on the couch across from his usual seating place.

The door opened, and one of the guards delivered his dinner. He left quickly and didn’t speak a word.

Fender returned to the room in just his sweatpants. He took a seat across from me and went for the scotch first. He took a long drink like it was water instead of hard liquor then set it down, wiping his mouth with his thumb afterward. Then he stared at me.

We hadn’t spoken since that heavy conversation through text message. He was livid with me, telling the guards that my sins were forgotten when he’d never forgotten them. I held his gaze and stared back. “Thank you.”

He had no reaction to my gratitude.

“I know you probably did it for Melanie, but—”

“No.” He shook his head. “I did it for you.”

I inhaled a deep breath as I stared at my only relation in the world. There were no aunts, uncles, or cousins in different places around the globe. It was just him and me, and seeing those identical brown eyes made me feel less alone in this bleak world. “Then I appreciate it even more.”

“How long has this been going on?”

I shrugged in response. “You can’t expect them not to hate me…after what I did.”

“That didn’t answer my question.”

“Like you said, I’m not a snitch.”

He grabbed the bottle and refilled his glass.

“I earned their respect by not getting special treatment from you. I don’t want that to change now.”

“But was this today enough to return to normalcy?” He took a drink, his eyes looking at me over the rim.

“Hopefully.”

He set down the glass. “Because I will kill him, Magnus. I don’t care how irreplaceable these guards are.”

This side of him was shown so infrequently that I forgot the last time it happened. He did appalling things, but he was more than that, and I hoped Raven would realize that after what had happened this evening. “I have an idea…”

He nodded then cut into his steak and placed a large bite in his mouth.

“You didn’t bring Melanie.”

He shook his head as he chewed.

“Everything alright?”

“Just needed some space.” He cut into his meat again and took another bite.

I didn’t ask any more questions about her. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“That was the point.”

“I thought you trusted me.”

“You aren’t the one I’m worried about.” He stabbed his fork into his potatoes and shoved the bite into his mouth, chewing the mouthful, bare-chested in front of me.

I watched him eat and let the silence continue.

“You leave in a few days.”

“Yes.”

“I’m having an event. Napoleon will be there.”

I held my tongue this time.

His eyes were down, but he felt my mood. “Feel him out again.”

“I doubt my impression will change.”

“It won’t if you continue to be arrogant.”

“I’m not arrogant. Sometimes you can’t see straight when it comes to money.”

“And you’re less greedy?” He lifted his gaze, still eating.

“Just more level-headed.”

He cut into his steak and put another piece in his mouth, along with a stalk of asparagus. “We’ll see how he conducts himself.”

“Black tie?”

“Always.”

“I want to bring Raven.”

A pause ensued as he took a few more bites of his meal, his eyes trained on me. “I heard Stasia is old news.”