“She’s strong now.”
Stella turns, her green eyes looking tired. “What are you doing, Lucius? Since when have you wanted just one woman? Since when have you actually thought about a real future?”
“I guess taking a slug to the chest makes you reconsider things.” I reach over and grab one of the hot potato halves and toss it into my mouth. “There’s just something about her. It was instant. Even before I spoke to her, when I only knew her as a ghost at the edge of my property. It’s like we’re linked. I can’t describe it. I really wish I could.”
“You sure you aren’t just turned on by the idea of her killing you or some twisted crap like that?” She rubs her temples and closes her eyes. “Because that’s you to a ‘t’—just looking for some sort of bizarre thrill.”
“It’s not like that, though, I mean yeah. That’ll be a great story to tell our grandchildren one day.”
Her eyes pop open. “What. The. Fuck? Did you just say grandchildren? You’ve never talked about wanting kids. Not one damn day of your life! What the hell has she done to you? Are you drugged or something?” She steps closer and peers up at me.
“In a way, yes. I’m in love.”
She stands for a moment, her eyes searching my face. But I’ve laid my cards on the table, and there’s nothing I can do to change them. Evie has gotten to me in a way no one ever has, and I know that no one else ever will.
“Holy shit.” She backs up and sits on a stool by the island. “You’re serious.”
“Very.”
“Does she love you?” she asks.
“She said ‘I think I love you’ and I’m sort of going on faith that it will eventually turn into a full ‘I love you’ replete with adoration and blowjobs.”
“God, she doesn’t even know what she’s getting herself into. Your drinking, your sarcasm, your fatalism.” She stops rubbing her temples and sits up. “Someone should warn her.”
“She’s been stalking me for weeks, months even. I think she knows about all those things.”
She holds up a finger. “Okay, so how do you know she isn’t just playing you? Hmm?”
“I know you’re deprived because you married my brother, but trust me, Stella, when you give a woman as many orgasms as I’ve already given Evie, you can taste the truth on her.”
“Gross.” She stands right as the oven starts beeping. “I hope you’re right. I really do. Because if you’re not …”
“I trust her. Would I have let her go play with Teddy if I had any doubt about her?”
Stella sighs and pulls out the hot roast. “No.”
“Okay. Trust me about her.”
“I’ll try. But if she tries to hurt any of us—including you—” She rams a thermometer into the meat.
“Point taken.”
“Good.” She peers at the reading, then pulls the thermometer out, seemingly satisfied. “What about this guy that killed the Sovereign? Sin told me he has a thing for Evie?”
“He’s gone silent. I’ve had my contacts looking for him everywhere, but he’s disappeared. I guess after the bloodbath he pulled at the party, he’s come to his senses and realized killing the Sovereign wasn’t a great idea. The rest of them are probably after his head, if they haven’t got it already.”
“If he’s busy avoiding them, that’s one less thing we have to worry about, so I’m all for it.” She pulls out a long knife to slice the roast. “But if he’s as much of a loose cannon as he seems, he’s far more dangerous than the rest of them. They go by their ‘rules’ to a fault, including the ‘untouchable Sovereign’ one. It’s the only reason they haven’t started a full-on war with us. If this Charles doesn’t care about the rules, then he’s a completely different animal.”
She’s right about that.
“We’ll find him. I’ve already had my people check in at Beau Corrigan’s. His widow is still there; otherwise, the place is empty. We’ve checked all his homes—asshole has a plum condo in the Warehouse district—he hasn’t been back. I’ve put lookouts all over the place for him.” I want to catch him quickly and put him down like the rabid dog he is. If he bit the hand of his master so easily, he’ll have no problems coming after Evie.
“If he comes for us, he’s mine.” She slices through the meat with finesse.
“If he comes here, he’s even dumber than I thought.” I can’t imagine the fun Sin and Stella would have carving up that raging dickhead.
I turn when I hear footsteps on the front stairs, then walk out to meet Teddy, Sin, and Evie.
“Everything all right?” I ask her.
“I showed her my Lego Hogwarts.” Teddy is beaming up at her. “She loved it.”
“He’s Slytherin.” She raises her eyebrows.
“It’s the best house, don’t you think?” He walks into the dining room with her as Sin shoots me a dark look.