Page 5 of Cruel Love

“I want to see that girl next,” I said before Milligan could speak again.

“Which girl?”she replied, confusion settling on her face.

“The one who brought me my drink.”

Milligan stared at me in silence for a moment before it registeredwho I was talking about.

Christ. The girl really was invisible.

“I’m sorry, but Willow isn’t of age.”

Willow.

The name suited her.

“When will she turn eighteen?”I asked, hoping it was damn soon,otherwise the plansthatwere already forming in my head would be ruined.

Milligan swallowed, seemingly hesitant to answer.“In two weeks,”she said, relenting.

That worked.

Grabbing the glass of scotch, I downed it in one mouthful. I wasdone.

My decision had been made.

“Perfect. I’ll arrange for Willow to be collected on her eighteenthbirthday,”I said, standing and brushing the creases out of myArmanisuit.

“I’m afraidthatwon’t be possible, Mr. Carter,”Milligan said, blockingmy path as I made my way to the door, ready to get the hell out of Peartree House and everything it stood for.

Ironicreally. I hated the place as much as I did, and yet there I was,picking a girl who would become my wife.

“And why not?”I said, pausing when I reached the door.

She didn’t reply, but a few seconds later, a calculated look washedover her face, and a small, devious smile tugged at her lips.“It’s not my place to say, but I never agreed with it in the first place,”she said, shrugging.“Willow isn’t part of the program. She was claimed from the day she arrived here eight years ago.”

It was no secretthatI couldn’t stand Kevin Welch. He was loud andbrash when he had no reason to be. Yes, he was part of Legion, purely because he was born into it. Both his parents had been members, meaning he’d inherited his place, but he had nothing else to offer.

Much like Elijah, but at least he had the family name.

I was pretty certain the feeling was mutual, andeventhoughhe sat across from me with his hands resting on his rotund stomach, talking to me as if we were the best of friends, I could sense the hate rolling off him in waves.

“Anyway, enough talk about last month’s society meeting. Ann saidyou had some business to discuss?”he said, brushing the crumbs off his chin from the biscuits he’d been munching on.

“I want Willow,”I said, not beating about the bush. I wasn’t there tomake small talk with the fuckwit.

His face fell, the color draining instantly.

“Willow isn’t of age,”he protested as I suspected he would.

According to Milligan, the bastard had claimed the mouse forhimself, despite it being against the rules he’d agreed to when he took on the role of Director.

“She will be in two weeks. I can wait untilthen,”I replied, leaningback in my chair.

His beady eyes darted around the room, his jowls wobbling as heswallowed several times.“I’m afraidthatwon’t be possible.”

I quirked a brow, acting as though I didn’t know about his claim, andwanting to see what bullshit he would come up with.“And why isthat?”

“She…um…”he stuttered, desperate to come up with something.“She has already been claimed by another member.”