“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Brinkley.” Percy nodded to the room. “I will hand out everyone’s assignments by tonight.” With that ominous statement, he led his groundskeeper to a spot by the fire and spoke with him in confidence.
Danny made for the door, prepared to walk to her father’s estate immediately to request her sister’s assistance.
Camille stopped her exit with a light touch to her arm. “Shall I accompany you?”
“There’s no need, Duchess.”
“‘Camille,’ please. I never use titles if I can help it and never with family.”
Danny watched her snuggle the cooing baby in her arms, understanding for the first time what they were asking of these people. Charlotte and Hamish had become good friends, but their relations—while with a stake in the outcome of Nic’s plots—had just had a child. There was no surety they’d come out of this unscathed, but still, they’d jumped on board Percy’s plan without fail.
“Thank you,” she said and she meant it.
“Family doesn’t thank each other, either,” Camille said with the perfect tone of an older sister. “Remember to use your head and trust your instincts. These creatures”—she jabbed her thumb in the men’s direction—“will have you believe their superiormaleexperience makes them infallible.”
Danny smiled at her new friend’s—sister’s—concern. “No need for the reminder. I have a brother as well.”
“Older?”
“Yes.”
Camille nodded. “Enough said.”
Danny laughed, and her attention fell on her husband across the room. He looked up from his conversation and their gazes snagged. Danny’s chest warmed to the point of pain, a pain she no longer could deny.
She loved him.
The comfortable warmth between them had been spreading and growing for weeks now, until Danny couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment gratitude and friendship had shifted into something deeper, something that felt like her life would shatter if anything happened to him.
He was a strong man, skilled. A lone hunter who couldn’t see he was a born leader. There were still so many things she wanted to learn about his life and his past, but more than that, she needed to teach him about what their future could be, about the wonderful man he was deep down. There’d be laughter and children, sports and erotic exercises performed wherever their passions took them.
Whoever this Nic Brandt was and whatever his schemes, she’d fight for that future.
For the man she loved, she’d save him.
And herself.
