But didn’t Aila tell me that she had to change her name on her accounts so that Piers couldn’t trace her?
“Full confession,” Piers gets back to business, “it’s the reason why I’ve been tracking them.”
With all these confidential statements flying around, I’m finding it hard to keep track.I can still feel the last wisps of alcohol flowing in my bloodstream.
“Getting a woman to dump her long-time boyfriend as a way of accessing Landslide sounds suspicious no matter which way you want to look at it, Piers.How the fuck did you even know they were here?”
His eyes get wider.
“Are you talking about Kelly and the kids?They are really sweet.We got talking at the hotel in Buffalo Point where she was waiting for the ferry, and we just hit it off.I made a move after she told me about her boyfriend dumping her.All perfectly natural when you look at it.”
“That’s real convenient.”
Piers nods.“Sure.But I was there to try and catch a lift on the ferry anyway, so no harm, no foul.”Tapping the table, Piers looks serious.“I must work out some kind of a deal with the O’Haras, Hunter.You have no idea what it’s like to live in fear of what they might do next.Go to the papers.Write a book.I can’t doanythinguntil those two women have signed an NDA.”
“They would have told you at the hotel that there’s no chance of catching the ferry, Piers.What with Landslide being private property and all.”
He’s not fazed by this at all.“You want to know how I found out the O’Haras were headed to Landslide?One of Amelia’s friends told me.Laura.Amelia’s been borrowing money off her and left Laura with a garage full of crappy furniture to pay it off.She was not best pleased.”
People in the bar begin to say goodnight to each other, but Piers is not finished.“That’s how they roll, Hunter.The O’Haras.They always leave broken, angry people behind them.”
The crowd at the bar is starting to thin out.This batch of holidaymakers are all birdwatchers and yoga fans.It’s not likely they would want to prop up the bar counter until the small hours.
They sound happy as they begin draining their glasses and heading for the door.
The brewery in the basement is thrumming, there to keep them sleeping safe.
Piers stretches and yawns.
“Whew!I hate talking about ancient history like this, Hunter.But thanks.You’re a good listener.”
If he’s expecting me to repay the compliment, he’ll be waiting a long time.
“You’re here to get Aila and Amelia to sign an NDA and pay them money for it.And that’s it?”
Piers opens his hands, holding them palms out.“That’s it.I swear.And also to have a satisfying vacation in the process if I can—ha, ha, ha!”
“I reckon I can arrange that first part for you, Piers.”
There’s a flurry of movement as the door opens and shuts quickly.Luna just ran out of the bar at vampire speed.What bug got up her ass?But Piers drags my focus back to him.
“Do we have a deal?”He reaches over to shake my hand.
I leave him hanging.“Deal.”
ChapterTwenty-Six
Aila
When I wake up, I’m in a strange room in a strange house.For one moment, I’m confused, but then bits and pieces start coming back to me.
Without Theron, the lavvu in the forest seemed oppressive and scary, so I followed the trail back to the inn.I spent some time wondering how many other hidden love nests the Riders had scattered over the island; all of them tempting and delightful.Just like the Riders themselves.
I felt safe.Every flight-or-fight reflex inside me had gone.I remember thinking, if only I could bottle what I was feeling and give it to every woman who felt the need to run, it would make me happy.
It’s not always vampires we should be afraid of.
I’d made my way towards the inn, blissful and content.And yes, I was beginning to plan my life around my feelings for Theron.
