Page 25 of Blood and Magic
“Don’t I know it.”
After she hung up, I sat back in my seat and told myself not to hack into Maeve’s laptop again. No good would come from whatever I found there. But knowing that had never stopped me from destructive behavior before, and I figured, why change now?
As I watched her get herself off, I begrudgingly stuck my hand in my pants and wondered how the hell I’d keep myself away from her if I was only two doors down the next time.
CHAPTER 8
Maeve
The next morning, I showered and dressed before I went downstairs for breakfast. Which was fortunate because I rounded the corner to see Mill sitting in the same spot as the day after the wedding, his hat on the table, his hands around a mug of coffee.
“Morning,” he drawled, raking his gaze over my jeans and boots and back up again.
I’d planned to go riding before my first appointment. My rides with Molly brought me the only solace I’d managed to find in the days stuck here. Despite being sober for over a week now, my head still pounded like I was hungover. I figured the fresh air and the wind in my hair would do me some good.
“Breakfast again? Lucky me.” I blew out a pretentious whistle and sat at the place opposite him. “Should I plan to have you join me tomorrow, or do you enjoy the spontaneity of surprise intrusions?”
His stoic expression almost cracked as he took a drink of coffee.
I ignored the pang in my chest at the sight of his tousled dirty-blond hair and those dark eyes capable of piercing even my strongest attempt at apathy. This strange pitter-patter in my chest that always happened around him didn’t mean anything. It was just some deranged holdover from childhood.
Ellen poured my coffee and asked what I wanted to eat. I ordered the same thing I always did before returning my attention to the Bastard on the other side of the table.
“To what do I owe the great honor of your dour presence?”
“Our perimeter was breached last night,” he explained. “It seems your sister’s former fiancé didn’t appreciate being stood up.”
That got my attention. “The Scorpions were here?”
He nodded and leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table. I glanced down at his hands—such strong hands, likely capable of terrible, delectable things.
“We picked them up on the security cameras around seven yesterday,” he explained. “We need to take extra precautions.”
“Such as?”
“Well, if you’re planning on riding”—he gestured to my outfit—“you’ll need to take an escort. And stay out of the woods.”
“Volunteering for that position?” I grinned at his scowl.
“I’m supposed to be preparing the cattle drive next week,” he said. “But your safety is a higher priority.”
That surprised me, and a quick pang of alarm went down my spine. “My safety? What exactly is going on?”
Mill cleared his throat. “The president of the Bloody Scorpions threatened you. He seems to think he’s owed a Vanderbilt daughter, and it doesn’t matter which one.”
The text.
Realization dawned on me, hitting me square in the chest.
“I got a random message from a number I don’t know,” I explained, reaching for my phone. I unlocked it, pulled up the message, and placed it on the table between us. “Do you think this is him?”
Mill read through the messages, his eyes darkening as his eyebrows dropped into a deeper scowl. “You shouldn’t have responded to him.”
“I didn’t know who it was,” I said. “I thought it might have been Sol or Galahad or…”
He made a noise that sounded like a growl before tapping the screen.
“Hey! Stop that. What are you doing?” I stood to snatch my phone, but he twisted away, causing me to nearly fall across the table. “Give it back.”
