Page 121 of Wicked Lord

Don’t tell me this idiot is planning to snoop around.

Vaughn stood across the elaborately decorated ballroom, schmoozing two senators while Tate, one of Lorelei’s sorority sisters, hung on his arm. Thankfully, his attention remained focused on the little group, or he’d definitely notice Micah’s shifty behavior.

After another few moments, Micah slipped through the door and vanished into the hallway.

I groaned and set my glass of champagne next to the ornate arrangement of white flowers on a table before following him. Royal Jamison, a tech genius, was hosting this gala tonight in his enormous Victorian home to celebrate the new cybersecurity system his company developed.

He was also a very distinguished Ascended of the brotherhood, in the esteemed Inner Circle. And that was exactly why Micah wanted to explore his house.

The guy really couldn’t help himself.

Royal was close with the current Grand Domnus who replaced Killian’s stepfather, so Micah probably figured there might be evidence to poke through. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if the idiot had acquired the blueprints to locate Royal’s office.

Was it possible Royal had secrets locked away about Susanna?

Doubtful.

But he could have other incriminating info Micah could use to blackmail members into talking.

He would be playing a very dangerous game if he went that route.

As I pushed the door open and strolled inside the narrow hallway, a pang of guilt stabbed at my chest. Micah would stop putting himself in danger if I told him the truth. I might not have uncovered Susanna’s body, but she was definitely dead. After seeing the video she’d taken the night on the bluffs, I had no doubt about it.

And it was all because of me.

I swallowed hard, shaking off the dark thoughts and the guilt clinging to them as I marched through the halls. If I was caught wandering Royal’s house, no one would give a shit because I was a Vanderhart.

Micah was different. He was completely new to this world, and Vaughn was already suspicious. It wouldn’t take muchdigging to find out he had been friends with someone the Lords killed to keep their secrets buried.

As I turned the corner, Micah stood at Royal’s office door, attempting to pick the lock. My footsteps were quiet on the slick marble tiles as I approached and grabbed the back of his tuxedo jacket.

Micah cursed, tensing for a fight, but when I whirled him around, a breath of relief exited his lungs.

“Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Axel?” He squirmed out of my hold and pushed his glasses back up his nose, revealing the long, thin lockpicking tool in his grasp.

“A heart attack will be the least of your problems if you get caught breaking into Royal’s office.” I shoved his hand clutching the tool toward his pocket. “Put that shit away and let’s go before someone finds us.”

He tucked the device away, but shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere until I get in there. You can either help or leave.”

He had a death wish.

I grabbed the collar of his jacket and jerked him forward. “Preston, listen to me and listen good. You’re already skating on thin ice with Vaughn. You’re lucky he didn’t see you sneak back here, but if he gets wind of it, you won’t last much longer in this world. And I don’t mean the Serpents & Daggers. I mean the fucking world in general.”

The color drained from his face. “Are you really telling me Vaughn will have me killed? He doesn’t even know why I’m investigating this.”

“The why doesn’t matter.”

Vaughn would have him killed, and I’d be the one forced to pull the trigger.

Micah gripped my hands, and I allowed him to shove me off. “If you were in my situation and Killian was missing, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to find out what happened?”

I smoothed the blond hair away from my face and sighed. “I would, but I also know how and when to push my luck. You don’t, and it’ll get you killed. I doubt your friend would want that.”

His head bowed as he palmed his nape. “I just can’t let this go. I need to know.”

“Your need for answers is clouding your judgment.” I was such an asshole for keeping the truth hidden.

As if Micah sensed the cloud of guilt swirling around me, his hazel eyes lifted to mine, narrowing. “If you knew something, you’d tell me, right?”