Unfortunately, it had to be with Gregory.
Our estate manager pulled up in a large, sleek golf cart shortly after breakfast. The vehicle gleamed, its polished chrome reflecting the morning light. Gregory flashed a toothy grin as he hopped out and looked us over. His eyes lingered on Seri, and maybe he was trying to be friendly, but there was something in his gaze that made me bristle.
I also didn’t like how his eyes lingered onmenext.
“After you, Miss Bell.” He offered his hand to help Seri into the middle seat.
“Mrs. Cimmerian,” I corrected him, my voice flat.
Seri hesitated, her gray eyes darting toward Casimir, who stood like a silent sentinel at her side. Without her needing to say a word, he stepped forward, looming over Gregory.
“Move,” he said, his voice deceptively calm, and Gregory was smart enough to scurry back.
After helping Seri into the cart, Cas climbed in beside her, his green eyes locked onto our estate manager as if the man were a demon in a human suit.
Hell, who knew? Maybe he was.
Zane, the jerk, hopped into the back seat before I could.
“Finders keepers!” he called out, sprawling across the wide bench with a mischievous grin. “C’mon, Brummy!”
The wolf pup yipped excitedly and scampered up to sit beside him, his tail wagging furiously.
I glared at Zane, who just grinned wider, his brown eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Front seat’s all yours, Ko. Enjoy the view.”
Noctem maledicta.
Muttering under my breath, I turned to the front only to find Gregory’s eyes raking over me as I approached.
Please don’t flirt. Please don’t flirt.
The mantra played on repeat in my head, but luck has never been my strong suit.
Gregory started the cart with a smooth purr of the engine and began to drive us through the winding paths of the estate. The air carried the faint scent of blooming apple trees and fresh-cut grass. It was peaceful, but I couldn’t relax. One of Gregory’s hands rested casually on the back of my seat, his fingers brushing against my shoulder every so often. Whether intentional or not, the touch made my skin crawl. I tried to shift away, but there wasn’t much room.
“Comfortable?” he asked.
“Fine,” I said shortly, trying to keep my tone even.
I heard Zane snickering and knew he was enjoying this. Cas, however, was silent. The kind of silence that warned of a storm brewing beneath his skin. Only Seri seemed oblivious to the tension. She leaned forward, her soft voice filled with curiosity.
“What’s that over there?” she asked, pointing in the distance.
Gregory obliged her, launching into a detailed explanation of the estate’s layout. I tuned him out, focusing instead on the way the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground, at least until his flirting became more overt. He leaned in closer, his breath brushing my neck, and my chest burned with both discomfort and anger. I heard Zane stifling a laugh, but Cas was no more amused than I was.
“Mr. Storms,” he snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut glass, “focus on driving, not Koa.”
“Of course.” Gregory chuckled, but it sounded forced. “Just trying to be friendly.”
Friendly, my ass,I thought, staring straight ahead.
My heart was pounding, and not in a good way as his gaze lingered on me, and it took every ounce of self-control not to bolt from the cart.
This was supposed to be a relaxing day with our beloved. Instead, I was stuck next to a guy who clearly didn’t understand the concept of personal space.
“You know,” his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, “you have a really intense energy. It’s captivating.”
