Page 35 of Finding the One (River Rain #7)

“Jerusalem”

Dair

“ I know this is in bad taste, but it must be said,” Gage began. “When I die, do up my gig right in this place. It is the absolute shit.”

“You’re correct,” Sully told him. “That was in bad taste.”

“He’s also correct that this place is the absolute bomb,” Cadence added.

They were in Wells Cathedral, because the passing of the latest Coddington merited a fucking cathedral.

It also merited the study at Treverton eventually being turned into a kind of war room with everyone pitching in considering there were hundreds of “mourners” showing, a good number of them people of importance.

This not only necessitated organizing eulogies, floral arrangements, choir selections and choices of hymns, but also coordination of security details, collaboration with the police, and plans to contain the media.

It was like a fucking timed tactical mission.

And Nora Ellington was, as far as Dair could tell, the general.

He was standing in the vestibule of the cathedral with Sully, Gage, Dru, Cadence, Rix and Hale.

Though Dair reckoned it was only he and Hale who had their eyes glued to Blake (he’d noted she was especially close with the multibillionaire) as she stood wearing a classy, though demure (however, it was skintight, and she was Blake, so not that demure) black dress and very un-demure, high-heeled, shiny black pumps. Ned and Alex were with her.

Rix likely had his attention locked on his wife.

The G-Force, all of them (as well as a couple of Blake’s girlfriends) were surprise arrivals.

They were taking this opportunity to have a holiday in England, and as such, were staying in London as their first stop. They’d texted a couple of days ago to share they’d be coming. They’d taken the train that morning in order to attend the service, but mostly, to attend Blake.

However, taking time out of their lives to fly across an ocean to be there for Blake had shaken his woman—in a good way.

And Dair had been right. He’d met Ryan, Bryan, Byron, Wallace, Teddy and Faunus, and he liked them immediately.

He liked them more now as they circled Blake and her family like sharks, ready to take a bite out of anyone who caused the slightest unease. So, aye, it was safe to say he liked them very much.

Regardless of how the two sisters felt about her, even if Nora was at the helm, Blake and Alex had painstakingly crafted this event as something Helena would approve of. The flowers, music choices, and for some reason it was important that they were both wearing hats.

Alex’s was no-nonsense black, 20s style what Blake referred to as a “cloche.”

Blake’s was more daring and dramatic, had some see-through elements, a bow at the back and was worn tipped high on one side and slanted over the other eye.

They were perfect for each woman.

Those hats had been a scramble, one of many Nora had bested. Then again, Dair had noticed that there wasn’t much Nora couldn’t best. She was a stern but loyal general and a miracle worker rolled into a tall, attractive, loving package.

“You know, the ‘butler’ is a problem,” Rix said, keeping his voice low, and gaining Dair’s attention.

“Blake gave him hell a few days ago,” Dair replied. “He should toe the line for a while. Or at least until she figures out how to get rid of him.”

“Days ago?” Rix asked in a tone that made Dair stop watching his woman and look to Rix.

“She did it the day you and Alex arrived,” he said.

Rix shook his head. “Man, I hate to tell you this, but that asshole has been seeping attitude everywhere he goes.”

Hale grunted his agreement.

Dair started to get pissed off.

“Chloe needed something for JT,” Rix went on, “and he told her to keep her pants on, using those words. Then he never showed with it. Chloe isn’t at home. She doesn’t know where shit is. Eventually she flagged down one of the maids who got it for her.”

Dair clenched his teeth.

“Chloe is not one to cross,” Hale put in. “The only reason she’s keeping quiet about it is because she doesn’t want to upset Blake, Alex or Ned.”

“His deal is, he’s being cool whenever those three are around, and you,” Rix added. “Outside of that, he’s being a total fuckwad.”

“Hmm, I heard the word ‘fuckwad’ said in a church. Are we talking about Jeff ?” Chloe asked as she joined them.

“Baby,” Judge, who was with her, murmured his warning.

“Apparently, Blake had words with him,” Rix filled her in. “Just not enough of them.”

“Yes, like he needs to behave all the time, not just when a Sharp is around.” She turned her attention to Dair. “Or someone very Sharp adjacent.”

She meant him.

“I’ll have a word with her, or more likely him, when we get back,” Dair told them.

“Are you fucking…” Rix started.

“Joking?” Hale finished on a growl.

Dair turned back to where they were looking, or more to the point, scowling at the Sharp family greeting funeral guests in the vestibule, something they decided to do that flew in the face of tradition because most of the attendees were acquaintances.

Helena, unsurprisingly, had very few true friends. Those true friends were invited to the burial ceremony followed by tea at Treverton after the service.

But Blake and Alex had decided, especially due to the clamoring of paparazzi outside, they wanted to get out of there and get home as soon as they could when the service was over.

However, at what he saw when he turned their way, he felt fire ignite in his veins.

“Excuse me,” he grunted.

“I should think so,” Chloe snapped.

As he prowled to his woman, he took in Ned’s angry shock, Alex’s stunned surprise and Blake staring at her ex-fiancé in complete astonishment.

And distress.

Aye.

Chad fucking Head was there.

The man who cheated on her. The man who humiliated her. The man who broke her heart.

A man who should know better than to show up, unannounced, and as far as Dair could see with the reactions of all three of the Sharps, uninvited at her mother’s funeral.

And he was now a man who was reaching for Blake’s hand and staring at her earnestly.

Oh…

Fuck no.

The G-Force was preparing to pounce, he could tell, but they backed off as Dair got right up close to him. So close, Chad jerked and turned to look at him.

“Can I help you?” he asked, shrinking back.

“A word,” Dair clipped.

“I don’t know you,” Chad stated.

“Then ye dinnae pay attention to social media, or ye would,” Dair retorted, seeing as, with Helena’s death, they were all fucking over it.

There were photographers at the end of the lane at Treverton, 24/7, for fuck’s sake.

Hale had to have his assistant switch out all their rental vehicles for ones with tinted windows so, if they needed to go somewhere, they didn’t do it and half an hour later, have a picture of them racing over the Internet.

And right then, outside, there was a pack of media behind steel cordons, taking photos of the people who arrived.

“Then again, I could see why ye wouldn’t ever get on social media,” Dair continued.

The man seemed to be getting angry.

Dair ignored that and said, “Now, I’d like to have a word .”

“I’d have a word with him if I were you,” Alex suggested.

Chad looked to Blake. “I just wanted to be here for you today?—”

Dair pushed between Chad and Blake, planted a hand in his chest and carefully pressed him back. When he did, he heard several members of the G-Force make noises of approval.

“Excuse me,” Chad ignored the G-Force and snapped at him.

“I’m her man,” Dair told him quietly. “And we’ll be having a fucking word .”

“You are…you…” His gaze went to Blake, to Dair, up and down Dair, back to Blake, then again to Dair before he turned and walked away.

Dair followed him.

Chad stopped well to the side of the doors to the sanctuary.

“Is this necessary?” he asked irately. “I realize you know who I?—”

Dair cut him off. “Aye, I ken who ye are which begs the question why you’re here.”

Chad looked dumbfounded by the demand. “We were once very close.”

“And now you very much are not.”

Chad squared his shoulders.

He was still three inches shorter than Dair.

“Helena has been a family friend for years,” he stated.

Dair looked around then back at Chad. “So, where’s your family?” He narrowed his eyes. “And where’s your wife?”

Chad stretched his neck out to the side, suddenly appearing uncomfortable.

Bloody hell.

“I see,” Dair said quietly. “It didnae work out.”

“I can’t imagine why you would think that’s your business,” Chad returned.

“It’s my business because you thought to use her mother’s funeral to get back in with my woman. I believe ye can see why, considering the ‘my woman’ part, I’d think it’d be my business.”

Chad opened his mouth, but Dair didn’t give him the chance to speak.

“I dinnae know ye, but what I know about ye, I shouldn’t be surprised you’d pull something like this. It’s out of line. Completely. You treated her like rubbish. You’re not an old friend. You’re the man who betrayed her. Her mother just died. So I must ask, what the hell’s the matter with you?”

Again, Chad was winding up to say something, but he couldn’t because Ned was there.

“The service is starting shortly,” Ned announced, looking at Dair.

His attention shifted to Chad and he didn’t hide his expression of distaste.

“Since you made the effort to be here, you may attend, but you’ll be sitting at the back and keeping your head down. Do not attempt to speak to Blake again. Leave, and crawl back to wherever it is you came from when this is over.” He returned to Dair. “My daughter needs you to escort her.”

Dair nodded. “Aye.”

He wasted a glance Chad’s way to see him pouting but that was all he took in before he smelled Blake’s perfume and felt her hand slide through his elbow.

He looked down at her.

“Let’s go,” she whispered.

Taking her in, Dair completely forgot Chad Head, and for Blake’s part, she didn’t even look at him. It was like the man wasn’t even there.