Page 61 of My Lord
“Can we keep the sex out of it next time?” I asked as I sat behind the steering wheel.
Mackenzie turned sharply towards me. “Huh?”
“The game, can we keep that out of this situation. She’s my cousin, you’re my friend, we’re being accused of murder, potentially, and we have evidence to bury Stanton who may, or may not, be the one that set us up. I don’t think we need to add a Dom and sub scene in as well.”
“I…” He had the grace to look a little embarrassed.
“You have no shame, do you?” I said, driving away from the house, and laughing.
“Sorry,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Although I think ourrelationshipis coming to an end. I don’t think I’m up for her next level of play. There’s someone else better suited. I’ve told her that. It was fun while it lasted, I want you to know, I very much respect her, and we’ve never actually had penetrative sex, just—”
I held up my hand, not wanting the details. I fully understood what he meant, of course “Shall we make a call?” I asked, and he nodded.
“Hello, old boy,” I said brightly when Stanton answered his phone. He stammered through a greeting and I continued, “I’m pleased to receive your notification that my father’s debt has been paid in full. Maybe we need to chat about the other people you’ve strangled over the years.”
“Business is business, old chap. I didn’t put a noose around their necks, did I?”
“Ah, yes, talking of necks. I have some rather unflattering photographs in my possession. They’re not at the club anymore. They’re rather compromising, Stanton.”
“You bastard. How much do you want for them?” If we had been face to face I could imagine being covered in spittle such was the force of his words.
“Nothing. In fact, I’ve handed them to a friend. I’m not sure you’ve met Mackenzie Miller, have you?”
There was a long pause where Stanton didn’t speak. “What do you both want?” he asked eventually. “I assume he is there with you?”
Mackenzie answered him, “I am.Wewant nothing, but you’re going to close your loan shark operation down, write off all debt and keep your mouth shut from now on.” Stanton cut off the call without answering.
“How bloody rude,” I said, focussing on the road ahead.
Chapter Twelve
When we arrived back in London it looked like a posse had been formed.
“Where have you been?” Gabriella asked. “We’ve been trying to contact you for over an hour.”
I checked my phone to see that I had it on silent and there were three missed calls, two voicemails and two text messages.
Mary stood with her arms folded and Carolyn was smiling as if she had nothing to do with anything.
“Jesus,” Mackenzie said.
“Don’t you bring the Lord’s name into this,” Mary said, and I tried hard not to laugh. I highly doubted she was religious at all.
Mackenzie pulled at his collar. “We’ve been at a meeting, what’s so urgent?” he asked.
“The police are here, been waiting for bloody ages and I can’t get rid of the buggers,” Mary said.
“Alex, what’s going on?” Gabriella asked. Her brow was furrowed with worry.
“A misunderstanding,” I replied. I looked at Mackenzie. “Shall we?”
Carolyn walked back to her desk and the four of us made our way upstairs. As the lift doors opened, we could see the two policeman—the same two that had visited before—lounging against the large desk. One was looking at his phone and the other was just staring out the window.
“Can I help you?” Mackenzie said, striding across the room.
“Ah, Mr. Miller, Lord Duchoveny, we’ve been waiting for you.”
“You should have called. Made arrangements to meet instead of just turning up to a business establishment demanding to see us, again. Now, unless this is official, in which case I want to see your warrants, make it quick,” I said, aggressively.
