Page 73 of Blades and Bone

She was out-scheming them all. “Maybe if I hadn’t tied up my guard, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“If you hadn’t tied him up, how do you know that wasn’t the day he was going to do something to you? Tie you up somewhere inconvenient, or worse. If they wanted to break the treaty, having you go missing is a great start.”

Protect the treaty at all costs.

“When are you going to talk to Garrick about your other idea?” He rinsed the dildo and stuck it on a clean tea towel to dry.

“After I have spoken to Vivian. It is not my place to present it. It is hers.” He checked the time. “Why don’t we have breakfast? I’ll set up a meeting with her before lunch, attempt to do some of my actual work, and then we will sit very close to where Vivian and Felicity are eating.”

“Felicity will know you’re not her guard.”

“She doesn’t know you, and extra security is normal in these situations.”

“If she knows what Lara is doing, then she will know who I am, and may try to kill me.” He passed Brodie his cup. “Make a last-minute venue change, then anyone who has been put in place will be in the wrong place.”

“A good, and also very paranoid, idea.” He kissed Hamish on the cheek. “I will pass the suggestion to Vivian.” Brodie opened the fridge and stared at the contents. “Cheese omelet? I think I remember how to make one.”

“Just go and do your stuff, and I will sort out breakfast. I actually know how to cook.”

“I can help.” He slid his hand around Hamish’s waist. “I did enjoy watching you wash up.”

Hamish smiled. “I’m sure it gave you a thousand ideas, but breakfast will be quicker if you let me get on with it.”

He kissed Hamish’s neck. “Hmm. Then I will enjoy watching you cook.”

His smile widened, and his pulse quickened as he basked in the attention. Even after Brodie stepped away, he was still aware of being watched and…it took a few moments to realize what it was…appreciated. He wasn’t an inconvenience or a disappointment. Brodie was making plans that included him.

Brodie sat at the table, typing on his phone. Texting his sister or replying to emails? For the moment, it didn’t matter to him. All he needed to worry about was breakfast, and then he’d go to work and lunch with Brodie.

He sipped his coffee as he made the cheese omelets.

Someone else was going to sort out the problems. As much as he didn’t want to be dealing with them, it also meant letting go of the need to be part of something instead of feeling as though he were being left out.

He’d thought diving in and being blooded would solve his issue, not make it worse. Now he saw he should have stepped back and let the family do its thing, while he did his own. In trading him for the treaty, the Reids had released him from everything he owed them, real or imagined.

He slid the omelets onto plates, grabbed some cutlery, and carried them over to the table where Brodie was still typing. He glanced up. “Vivian doesn’t want to change venue.”

“Why?” He set the plates on the table. Changing the location was the smart thing to do. The safe thing.

“Thank you.” He took a swig of coffee. “Because she likes the restaurant.”

Hamish frowned. “She can go there another time.”

“I’ve told her that…she’s just being stubborn. No doubt she had a craving for something on the menu. I’ll offer to pick something up for her so she can have it later.” He went to type again.

Hamish put his hand on Brodie’s. “Eat. Give her a few minutes to think about it. Maybe she’ll come up with the idea herself…you’re usually more patient.”

Brodie put his phone on the table. “I’m not usually feeling threatened.”

“I think I’ve gotten used to feeling unsafe over the last eight months.” Even though he hadn’t expected the vampire marriage, he hadn’t felt unsafe with Brodie. Maybe it was because they agreed with the treaty, or perhaps it was the way he’d always been calm and maybe a little controlling. “I felt safe here.”

“You will feel safe again…we will be safe. We will stop the Orlans.”

Hamish wanted to believe that was true, even though they were now four steps behind.

Chapter Thirty-Three

The last thing Brodie wanted to do was attend another meeting about the Orlans, yet he was once again in the bungalow meeting with Garrick about the situation. He had actual work that he needed to do, and lunch had taken longer than he expected, in part because Vivian and Felicity had been catching up, and they had all been watching Felicity’s reaction to her daughter’s betrayal.