He sat forward and rested his chin on his fist. “And let me askyou, Amelia, given you have questioned me, and given what you are, what do you have to gain from Karson?”
My head thumped as his claws tried to dig in. The pressure increased and I winced, my fingers automatically rubbing my temples to ease the pain.
“Rodney.” Karson’s growl rumbled through the room. “Amelia does not want you in her head.”
The pressure against my head ceased abruptly. I sucked in a breath and dropped my fingers.
Karson was still, the rise and fall of his chest the only movement, his face blank. He was in the state where his enemy could only guess his movements. He would move if he needed to. Part of me wanted him to. Nothing would have given me greater pleasure than seeing that asshole slammed up against a wall, dinner canceled, and them on their merry way.
Michael topped up Georgie’s glass with wine. She clutched it in her hands and drank it like it was water given to her after days lost in the desert.
A flash of displeasure moved through Rodney, but he bowed his head in a show of respect. “Sorry, old friend, I meant no disrespect. It’s a habit when I meet their kind. One you would understand given your history with them.”
I clenched my jaw in an effort to curtail the heat that rose in my veins and begged to be dispersed from my mouth.
Rodney smirked. The prick smirked. I glared at him.
“Rodney,” Michael said calmly, “I would suggest you curb your habits while you are in our household, for the interests of all. Amelia has our complete trust.”
He placed the bottle in the middle of the table, but he needn’t have bothered. The speed Georgie was drinking, her glass would need filling again soon.
Rodney tilted his head in a poor resemblance of a nod. “But of course, Michael. Should we have dinner first, or shall we attend to business first so we can relax?”
Business, what business? I looked to Karson.
“Dinner,” Karson said flatly, ignoring me, his attention on Rodney, his eyes flaring with warning.
“Ah, I see,” Rodney answered, his lips curling. Making me want to punch his smug face.
“I’m sorry it’s a little late,” Mary said, making a timely entrance.
She was carrying a large silver tray almost twice the width of her tiny frame, and it was filled with bowls of vegetables. It looked heavy and I jumped up to help her.
“Amelia, sit down,” Karson ordered.
I didn’t sit down. I wasn’t leaving a seventy-year-old woman to carry a tray of food; I scurried over to help her.
Josh rose too, using his vampire speed to beat me to her. “Here, let me take that.” He took the tray from her hands.
“Mary, where are the girls I hired to help you?” Karson asked, standing.
“Oh, you know young ones these days.” She smiled but looked worn. “Too busy on their phones to do what they’re paid to do.”
Karson strode into the kitchen. He roared at them to get to work, or he’d make sure they would never work anywhere again. The girls were unaware, but he absolutely could make good on his promise, and by the level of his anger, he would.
Mary and I exchanged awkward glances.
He came back looking composed, as though nothing had happened.
“You know, Karson, if your staff are no longer up to it,” Rodney said, watching as Mary leaned over to take a used wineglass, her hands a little shaky, “then perhaps it’s time to let them go.”
My blood simmered.
Mary bristled, bolting upright. Monique opened her mouth to speak, but Mary came back first. “You speak about me like that again, young man, and I will give you a good clip up the ear.”
A shaft of something altogether unpleasant filled his eyes. He wasn’t used to being spoken to like that. His lips curled up in a poor attempt at a smile, but in contrast his voice was smooth and unconcerned. “I’m hardly young, Mary. I was around long before you were even a twinkle in your granddaddy’s eyes.”
“Yes.” Her eyes, normally soft and gentle, blazed down at him. “One would think you would have learned better manners by now.” She snatched up the empty bread plate.
