Everett got up and moved to her. He cupped her shoulder and squeezed gently. “We will work it out. And I will stay here, too. No one will be able to harm you, Naomi, I swear that.”
She glanced up in gratitude. “Thank you. I appreciate that you’re both taking this so seriously.”
“Of course,” Marcus said, rising and turning away from the scene before him. It made him want things. Everett said he wanted them, too. And yet he wasn’t certain they could have those things and not come out with one or more of them…damaged. “Now why don’t you go up to your room? You can rest a bit and change.”
Naomi glanced at him, and he realized his tone had been sharper than he intended. She blushed as she slowly got up. “Very well,” she said softly.
He moved to the door and pulled the bell. When Verrick appeared, he said, “Will you show Lady Walridge her chamber?”
Naomi glanced at him once more as she slipped past to follow the butler. His heart sank at her expression. One of confusion, guilt, pain. But he said nothing as she left on Verrick’s heels and disappeared up the hall.
“Close the door,” Everett said, his tone tense.
Marcus sighed as he did just that and turned to face his friend. Everett was glaring at him.
“What is wrong with you?” he snapped.
Marcus shrugged. “We aren’t just here to fuck the woman. I thought she needed the rest after last night and after what you two obviously did on the ride back to my home.”
“Jealous?” Everett asked, raising both brows in challenge.
Marcus bent his head. “You know I’m not. The idea of you having her is…it’s stimulating to say the least. I wish I could have seen it. But Everett, this is a dangerous road.”
“One that leads to you having what you deny yourself regularly,” Everett said, folding his arms.
Marcus jerked his face up. This was a topic they avoided, more because of him than Everett. And every time it was broached, it set off a longing in him that ached for days.
“Not everyone can have what they want,” he said softly. “And that is just the way life is sometimes. Now, why don’t we talk about the investigation?”
Everett shook his head, and it was clear he had a great deal more to say than Marcus wished to allow. But he threw up his hands. “Fine. If that’s what you want, then by all means, let’s just keep ignoring what is right in front of us and get back to business.”
Marcus paced away. Being near Everett was too difficult in this moment. He moved to his desk and sat down, pulling out a sheet of vellum and dipping a quill in ink so he could take notes.
“Although Naomi doesn’t believe the earl’s death is related to anyone at Donville, I think it’s still worth investigating,” he said. “I can talk to Rivers and see if he’ll give us any information.”
Everett’s jaw was set and tight as he jerked out a nod. “Rivers protects his club membership information jealously, as you know. But if there’s a murderer in his midst, he might be more open to discreet sharing with the understanding we won’t make anything we find public.”
“We also need to look at the servants in each of Naomi’s households. Find any common denominators. Her maid, for example, and anyone else that might have come from place to place with her.”
“She mentioned something in the carriage today,” Everett said, arching a brow. “Before I made her come.”
Marcus lifted his gaze and narrowed it. Everett knew exactly what he was doing by throwing that last sentence at him. He ignored it. “And what was that?”
“She said she married the earl to escape a bad situation,” he said. “Mentioned something about a protective stepbrother and an unpleasant sister-in-law.”
Marcus tilted his head. “I’ll add them to the list.”
Everett nodded. “I think that would be best.” He folded his arms. “Are you going to have a problem with my staying here?”
Marcus let out his breath in a long sigh. “Why would I?”
“Because of her. Because of us. Because of everything,” Everett snapped.
Marcus set the quill down and stared at the sheet before him blankly. He finally glanced up at Everett. “Having you here will help,” he said softly. “It always does. Look, I know what you want. I know what I want. I think the fact that you and Naomi shared what you did in the carriage means she could want it, too. I’m not going to deny any of us that. Even if I think it could end poorly.”
Everett’s hard expression softened a fraction. “You would try?”
“At least for a little while,” Marcus said. “What could a little while hurt?”
