Scott’s stomach dropped, and he refused to take the note. There was no way…
Lisa sighed and unfolded it to flash the unhappy face at him. She frowned, checked the back of the paper, turning it over in case there was something else.
Warren was there, somewhere in this mismatched building.
He’d followed them.
“Where?” Scott managed to force out. “Which room?”
Lisa shoved the note back between her breasts. She gestured to the darkened doorway he’d come through. “Through there, second room on the right. He’s at the bar, already bought you a drink.”
Scott swallowed hard, contemplating going through a different door and getting the hell out of there.
Lisa raised an eyebrow. “Well…”
“I’m going,” Scott whispered, heading in the direction she’d pointed, which meant going back into the room Thomas and Russell were in.
Ten minutes had passed, and Thomas hadn’t gone looking for him. That was the plan. It was working exactly as Scott had hoped, but stepping back into the room and glancing over to see Thomas laughing sent a dagger straight into Scott’s heart. He paused and watched them interacting from across the room while his brain chanted out the words,No,not again,and,You bloody idiot, Scott.
There was no way he could’ve made the same mistake twice and fallen for the fantasy of being with the unattainable. He’d only just got Thomas to admit they were friends.
Thomas laughed, and smiled, and drank his beer, never once looking over, never once even checking the time. Scott wanted him to look over; he stayed in case he might.
Lisa cleared her throat from behind him, and his feet began moving again, taking him to the room where he knew Warren would be waiting. He was numb before he’d even got there, trailing his eyes on the floor rather than looking at anyone.
“Hello, Scott.”
That cool, smooth voice was one he heard in his nightmares.
Warren wore black polished shoes, black smart trousers, and a white shirt with an unfastened black waistcoat hanging from his shoulders.
“Up here,” Warren said until Scott looked at his face, his masculine jaw, his stylish stubble, swept-back hair, dazzling eyes and sharp eyebrows. Like Scott, his shirt was undone, flashing the top of his chest and the rug of dark hair beneath.
“Take a seat,” Warren said, patting the stool beside him.
Scott slipped onto it wordlessly.
“Are you enjoying your night?”
Scott didn’t answer, but Warren didn’t seem overly concerned. “It’s a quirky place, isn’t it? Lots of interesting characters, that’s for sure…” He eyed Lisa, who moved behind the bar. “But I think I’m most interested in the one you arrived with.”
“Thomas is not a character.”
“Ah…” Warren raised a finger. “But the Beast is, as is Beauty.” His eyes sharpened, reminding Scott of a shark. “That sure is an interesting channel you two have made.”
“I had to come up with something after you tried to trap me, then scared off all my clients.”
“Has he told you about my requests?” Warren asked.
“What?”
“I guess not.” Warren smirked. “You should ask him.”
“Look, I know I made you angry, taking your money, then vanishing for three years, but I was desperate. My sister, Megan –”
“I know why you needed the money, Scott. I paid it directly to The Priory. I know your sister was supposed to be there eight weeks but only lasted five before she gave up.”
Scott curled his toes in his shoes.
