Page 105 of Convict's Game

He nudged me. “What are you grinning at?”

“Are you a secret vampire?”

He rolled his eyes. “As much as I love your blood, baby, I’d rather feast on your pussy than your throat.”

The door swung open, Tyler in the frame. His expression told us that he’d heard the last words said, but he did a stand-up job of not reacting.

My cheeks flamed when we followed him into the room.

“Cassie’s on her way down,” I told them.

Tyler lifted his chin. “Figured she’d have an interest in this. I’m waiting on someone as well.”

He showed us the live feed on his tablet. Esther’s mother sat on the edge of the bed, her mouth open and her fists tangled in the blanket beneath her.

“She followed the cars from her flat. I was wrong to disregard her as an unlikely threat,” Tyler said.

He’d been the one to take her down, arriving out of nowhere only half a second behind her, though not fast enough to stop her from throwing the blade.

He tapped the sound icon, and wailing filled the room. He tapped it again to silence her. “She’s been like that ever since she woke. Screaming her head off.”

I traced my gaze over her features, recognising Esther’s rounded cheekbones and querulous mouth. “I hate what she did, but being locked up must be horrible for her.”

“She’s calling out for a drink more than freedom.”

“You didn’t give her water? Isn’t that a basic right for prisoners?”

“Not that kind of drink. She has bottled water and food in the room but trashed both. That alcohol dependency will be useful for getting her to talk.”

Convict tugged me against him, and I guessed his thoughts. Her attack could’ve ended so differently. I hugged his arm around me. All the drama of last night had brought us closer.

A minute later, and Cassie bounded into the room, her thick curls tied back in a barely contained ponytail and a skeleton crew bandanna around her throat. Then the door opened again and my brother entered.

His gaze flicked to me, lingering on Convict’s arm around my waist. “Mila.”

I smiled to see him. It faltered at what I had to say. “Did you hear about theEden?”

“That a boat?”

“A ship. Our grandfather’s favourite of the fleet.”

Kane’s gaze shuttered in a way it always did when I referenced the family. “What about it?”

“It was blown up last night. Convict saw it happen.”

He switched his focus to the man beside me. “Have a temper tantrum, did ye?”

Convict curled his lip. “Still sore that you failed to protect Mila?”

Kane’s knuckles tightened. “If protecting her is important, try doing it without treating her like property.”

Convict’s laugh was razor-edged. “Better than treating her like she’s disposable, hey, brother?”

Cassie perched on the huge black desk. “Boys, I swear to God. Whip them out and measure. It’ll be faster.”

Both glowered, and she snickered a laugh.

Then she picked up the tablet. “Mother Eavis has some explaining to do. Tyler, I assume there’s still nothing on Salter?”