“I found a select group of prostitutes who have agreed to Lady Ava’s plan about obtaining information. I’ve sent them out to the neighboring town, to see if we get a bite.”
“Good,” I replied, exhaling a breath. I couldn’t keep all these people safe. These criminals would more than likely go to the next village and do the same exact thing.
“We already have information.” He took a seat in front of my desk.
“What?”
“Last night, one of the woman said a man with a scar across his stomach spoke about a plan. He called it ‘a reign of terror’ that was going to be released against the throne.”
I groaned. “So, what do we do? Ask all the men in town to take off their shirts, so I can look for a scar?”
John rolled his eyes. “She also said he was younger, blond hair, very handsome.”
“Still not enough.”
“Looked like Reddington.”
I froze. That son of a bitch.
“Reddington? Find out where he was last night. Tell George I want to see him—now.”
“I’ll do that right away.”
“Is Reddington’s mother still alive?” I inquired.
John rubbed his chin a moment. “I don’t believe so. She was murdered by a man she was living with.”
“How long ago?”
“Back when Reddington was a young lad. His mother hung around gambling halls and brought abusive men home.”
“And now he owns a gambling hall?”
John shrugged. “Ironic, isn’t it?”
“It’s fucked up,” I retorted. “I need more information on his past. I don’t trust the prick.”
John bowed his head. “Anything else?” I glanced back at the report and the words ‘two men gravely injured’ popped out at me.
“Send the second Elite group out. They’ve trained enough. I want them to send word across the villages that any man wandering around outside will be brought here for questioning. We need more men. Grab that list of assassins. I need to write some letters, recruit more men.”
“I’ll do that right away. When did you want to make a trip out to the village? It might do some good for them to see you.”
“Tomorrow.” John nodded again and turned to leave the room. “Wait!” I bellowed. “Have the blacksmith make more weapons. We are going to teach these people how to defend themselves.”
“Knives for the woman as well?”
I nodded. “All of it. If I can’t get a hold of one of these traitors, maybe one of them will.”
∞∞∞
“We will be leaving in about a week,” my mother concluded, as she poured me a glass of blackberry punch. I hadn’t been listening to a damn thing she said. I was fantasizing about a woman with stunning red hair and curves for acres, which, thanks to my mother, was just shattered with her news.
“Why now?” I asked, irritated. I wasn’t up to having this discussion again. I thought having a nice picnic in the gardens would be an enjoyable way to spend time with my family, not discussing how she wanted to take off without my protection.
Mama huffed. “Were you not listening to a word I said?”
Hara giggled. “No, Mama, he was too busy daydreaming.”
“Daydreaming?” she repeated, furrowing her brow.
“I wasn’t daydreaming,” I denied. I was planning my next visit with the seductive vixen. Hara hid her smile with her hand.
“Edward has confessed to your sister that he has a prince coming to meet her,” Mama sniffed, laying out the food the servants brought over moments ago. I shrugged. My father was still using me as his number one choice of landing more money, not Hara. Mama worried too much.
“How can you be so calm about this, Garr? He is going to marry her off,” she continued.
“I’m still his golden opportunity to obtaining more funds for his armies. We’ve discussed this.”
“Well he must be getting smarter because now he has two. Both of my children!” Mama shouted, her face turning red.
Hara shot me a glance, silently telling me to do something to calm her down. Attempting to keep my temper at bay, I placed a hand on Mama’s back and rubbed gently. “I’ll look into it, Mama,” I replied. “Everything is going to be fine.”
“You better do it quickly,” she retorted. “You might be used to gambling, but I’m not going to take a chance. Get your father under control, or we’ll be on the first carriage departing.”
“You should come with us,” Hara piped in. “I think it’s time to come home.”
I raised a brow. “You know I can’t do that until this is all finished.” I looked at both of them. They’d been talking about me again; guilt was plastered all over their faces.
“But if I leave,” Hara said, her expression turning sullen, “Garrett will be forced to marry Lady Chitwood. I couldn’t live with myself if he lost Ava. There is no way I can do that. I’ll stay with you, Garr.”
A pang of irritation tapped at my nerves. I was tired of hearing Chitwood’s name. “I’m not going to marry Chitwood. I’ve made that perfectly clear, a dozen times.”
“Then she will marry the next man that your father sees fit,” Mama stormed, pointing at Hara. “I know him, son. He loves all of you, but his head gets so involved with the kingdom that he will put it above all else.”
I didn’t want to agree with her, but she spoke the truth. My father slept, ate, and dreamed of Telliva.
“Then you will take my men with you when you leave,” I grumbled, knowing she wouldn’t change her mind. I’d never won a fight with my mother; today wouldn’t be any different.
“As you wish,” Mama conceded. She handed a plate of assorted sandwiches. “Now, onto our next subject. Ava.”
Fuck.
“What about her?”
“I’d consider letting her come with us.”
“No,” I barked. “She stays here with me, under my personal eye.”
“She is growing tired of this place. You are keeping a wild bird in a cage, and she will flee the first chance she gets.”
Flee?
My heart raced at the thought. Hell, we just made love last night. I told her no one would make her feel the way I do. Shit, I’d never felt this way about anyone myself. She wouldn’t desert me after all that.
“She would never leave me,” I said confidently.
“Oh? And why is that?” Mama scanned me, looking for clues.
Because I just made her mine. And I would chase her down to the ends of the Universe.
“Because I’m going to ask her to marry me,” I babbled.
Wait…what?
I’d never thought of marriage before. I didn’t want to be bothered with a woman’s fretting and complaining for the rest of my life. I would just give my lands to Hara’s children and be a good uncle to them. But marrying Ava didn’t seem bad at all. It actually sounded amazing. I could take her travelling, something she always spoke about; introduce her to new cultures and foods. Shit, I really wouldn’t mind her in my bed every night. Her hair sprawled across white sheets, in a new country we’d just arrived in. Just me and her; everything else would be left behind.
Hara squealed with delight, scooting over the large blanket to hug me.
“Oh Garr!” Hara exclaimed. “I’m so happy!”
“That is wonderful news!” Mama praised. “But you don’t expect her to stay here, do you?”
“Uhh...no. Of course not,” I replied, taking a bite of my sandwich.
“Have John start looking for a home for you two,” Mama put in.
“But what about Father? He will never have it,” Hara said, her forehead puckered.
Mama nodded. “You’ll have to disappear for a little while. Edward will be furious.”
“And what about her father? She would never leave him behind,” Hara mused.
“She’ll have to,” Mama continued to my sister. “Only for a little while. You, my dear, we’ll need to hide you away too.”
They both continued to talk about their grand plan, but my mind stuttered at the idea of marrying Avie. It would make sense. I’d thought of her dozens of times in the past. She was the only woman that had ever held my interest and without her life wouldn’t seem complete. I just didn’t know how she’d take it. She’d been arranged to marry twice already, to my lucky bastard of a brother, and I knew she craved her freedom. Marriage might seem like a prison sentence to her right now.
I needed to know where her head was at.
Ava
Chapter 31