Page 47 of Born Free

“A real businessman never reveals all his cards,” Mason says as he walks toward our circle of Roman, myself, Elena, and Jon. It’s an obvious dismissal that this conversation is over.

“I have a feeling you’ve got access to a few dollars yourself,” I say, trying to ease some tension, putting some tease into my words because Orlando seems to like it. “I bet you booked one of those fancy flights where the seats lay all the way down, and you’ve practically got a little bedroom to yourself.”

“Oh, sweet Juliet,” he says, turning on the charm and the smolder. “We’ve done one better. Chartered jet is the only way to go.”

“Ah,” I say, giving just a slight bow of my head. “Of course. Very posh.”

Orlando laughs, his head tipping back. He claps a hand on Roman’s shoulder. “You’re sure you don’t want to come with us? We could make a quick pit stop in Las Vegas.” He waggles his eyebrows.

I really wish everyone would stop with the wedding talk. It’s nobody’s damn business.

“I’ve got to catch up on a lot of work, brother,” Roman says coolly, not rising to Orlando’s wild joviality.

Orlando makes a slightly disgusted face. “I still don’t get it. You choose work over not. But as you said, you’re the elder brother. You make your own choices.”

I see it. Roman bristles. His anger and annoyance levels are already rising, and the night has only just begun.

Orlando’s pocket vibrates loudly. He seems annoyed at it, but when he looks at the screen, he immediately walks across the room and answers it.

We should probably be talking. At least trying to act like we aren’t eavesdropping on the conversation, but none of us are that smart. We all stand there, silent, quiet, trying to hear what is being said.

But the room is just too loud, with the music pumping through the speakers and everyone talking.

Echo walks in with a huge black bag slung over her shoulder. Her eyes scan the room, and as soon as she sees me, she walks straight over.

“Why the hell is Dr. Vincent back in the city?” she asks, her voice low, worried but angry.

“You’ve seen him, then?” I ask.

She nods. “He was just looking to buy some supply. Didn’t say anything but congratulations on taking over the blood trade. It was completely terrifying, and I’m not a fan of feeling scared.”

She truly does sound annoyed.

“We had some complications, so we had to allow it,” Roman says simply, a warning in his tone for Echo to take his word and move on.

She glances at him warily and crosses the room to set her bag on the table in the middle of the room. She dumps dozens of blood bags out.

Like ants swarming ice cream dropped on the road, the vampires descend on the free blood. It’s not fresh, but cold blood is better than no blood.

Echo looks over at me as she heads straight back for the door, her delivery complete. I don’t blame her for being scared or concerned. There are too many high-level players involved right now.

Just as she walks out, Orlando walks back toward our circle.

“Everything alright?” Roman asks.

Orlando takes in a deep, annoyed-sounding breath. “Just some little shit causing drama in a public way at the bar closest to the House.”

Roman had a plan. Cause trouble back in Spain, drawing Orlando back.

There’s no way his plan is as simple as Orlando is saying.

If I know Roman, this is only phase one of Orlando’s troubles.

“And that warranted them calling you?” Roman questions, though he sounds casual and innocent. He’s brilliant when it comes to this kind of thing.

“It’s a party, brother, are you so American now you’ve forgotten it’s rude to talk about work?” Orlando says as he claps a hand down on Roman’s shoulder before bouncing off to dance with some woman from Mason’s team.

The lot of us glance at one another, nervous and on edge before we all step forward to intermingle with the party.

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