Page 58 of A Deal in Darkness
Either she hasn't been aware of the rumors of Mordecai's return or she's been deliberately concealing them. The latter would only make sense if she has something to gain from that motherfucker seizing power and she doesn't. Eva's treated well and everyone knows she's as important to me as Byron. She'san equal second in command who's earned her position and ruthlessly held it when others tried to take it from her.
Some might look down on her heritage, but I've never held it against her and I've been more than generous with my time and her rewards. She's shown some interest in Byron in recent months and perhaps it's time I give him a nudge.
More than a fucking nudge if he doesn't take the hint. If we weren't facing this threat, then I'd consider arranging a fuck in. But Adriana isn't ready for an orgy and I don't want to terrify the girl who's still dozing dangerously close to my cock.
I call Byron, determined to keep him in the loop. I need him to help me handle whatever danger is coming. He needs to know what Eva knows and I need to know if he and Eva are working together effectively.
And I need the fucking distraction as my girl keeps sighing in her sleep, millimeters from my cock.
“I heard. I'm already on it.” Byron sounds pissed, and I doubt he appreciates being blindsided by yesterday.
I ask him what he heard, and he growls, giving me a play-by-play account of everything that happened yesterday. He ought to know every one of these details, even if I'd sent him out of the city to deal with a band of Hester trolls. The buggers have failed to pay their dues for the last time, and Byron assures me he wiped them out, reminding everyone of who rules London.
“Have you spoken to Eva?”
Byron pauses. It's unlike him. “Yes, Enzo. She's rather upset after you disciplined her this week. Complained it was Adriana's fault and that she ought to bear any punishment.”
“Did she say anything else?”
Byron sucks air between his teeth and he knows something's up. “She is loyal, Lord. Whatever has happened, I'm damn sure it's a genuine mistake and not one many would make. Eva's good at what she does, and it takes a lot to get one over on her.” He forces half a laugh. “I should know. I've tried and failed. On many occasions.”
I arch my eyebrow, wondering what he tried to get over Eva. But this isn't the time for that conversation, not now he's told me she hasn't mentioned Mordecai to him.
“She didn't mention Mordecai?”
Byron clicks his tongue. “Why would she? That cunt's been dead for centuries.”
Either Eva's lying about the rumors or Byron is woefully out of touch with the word on the street. Neither option is good. I don’t know which is worse and one of my lieutenants is in trouble. Serious trouble. The permanent kind of trouble.
I stroke Adriana’s hair as I muse over what I’ve heard. Byron’s breathing hard down the phone and he’s thinking hard, trying to piece together a puzzle he doesn’t understand as he tries anticipating where I’m going with this. He knows I’m pissed, he just doesn’t understand why I’ve mentioned Mordecai.
“Just some idle rumor I heard,” I sigh.
“What rumor?” he snarls. “You said that cunt was dead, Enzo. You killed him with your bare hands. At considerable cost to both of us.”
I’d forgotten that Mordecai is the reason Byron is bound to me. He was in enough danger and had little choice but to side with me, and the price was his freedom. I control him because ofthe magic binding him to me, but that isn’t absolute. Few things are and there are ways around the incantation.
“The rumor is he’s returned and is behind last night.”
Byron growls and his breathing turns ragged as he snatches air. He's so damn angry I can hear it down the phone and I’m certain he still loathes the demon I was sure I’d vanquished centuries ago.
“I’ll deal with it, Lorenzo.”
“I’msureyou will,” I sigh.
“I fucking mean it. If he’s back, then we need to know. And if he isn’t, I deal with the devious cunts that think they can use his name to cause chaos or undermine your rule. You have my word on this, Lord. My indisputable word. I’ll tell Eva.”
I pull my fingers through Adriana’s hair and she adjusts herself, cuddling into me like a cat. My girl purrs on my lap and I adore it. She’s making me melt and I enjoy the moment, basking in the contented sounds coming from her precious little mouth.
“Don’t,” I say to Byron. “I want you to handle this, Byron. Do it quickly and take out anyone who stands in your way. Anyone Byron, unless Adriana somehow gets caught in the crossfire.”
I’m met with silence for a few moments. “Anyone except Adriana, Lorenzo. You have my word on it.”
16
FIRST DAY BLUES
ADRIANA
