Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
Annoyed he couldn’t honestly refute that, Ripper felt his jaw tighten.
‘I think they were hoping she’d blame me; that she and I would go head-to-head, and then I’d have done their dirty work for them. Except it didn’t pan out that way, so they took it a step further and riled up the crowd – it was clear that somebody had. They seemed sure they could gather enough people to “storm the manor”.’
He tensed. ‘That was what they were planning?’
‘According to Mari, yes.’
Motherfuckers. ‘Was Reena there?’
‘She showed up after the crowd launched their sad little attack. Apparently, she’d already told them that she didn’t believe I was responsible for the Rabid’s appearance at Bellcrest. They’d gone against her orders to leave me be. She apologized to me on their behalf and made it clear that they’d be punished.’
As Reena didn’t have a great history of dishing out punishments that properly fit the crime, Ripper wasn’t mollified by that. ‘Why did you even go to Bellcrest?’
‘Mari called, telling me she had some info I’d want to hear. I was a little suspicious, but I couldn’t think what ulterior motive she could have for asking me to come see her. And I didn’t want her showing up here at my home.’
He felt his teeth grind. ‘She set you up?’
Emberlyn pulled a face. ‘Maybe. She claimed it was to prevent the whole storming the manor thing from occurring. I don’t know if that’s true. But she did seem genuinely upset about how everything went down. Or it could be that I want to believe that because it bums me out to think my own blood would lure me somewhere to be attacked.’
His chest clenched at that. The urge to comfort an itch beneath his skin, he nuzzled her face and curled both his arms around her shoulders. ‘I’ll have a little talk with Mari; find out for sure.’
Emberlyn’s hands settled on his hips. ‘She wouldn’t confess to any such thing, so there’s no point in questioning her over it.’
‘Do you think the people who came at you could be the rebellious faction?’
Thoughtful, she absently touched her tongue to the inside of her lower lip. Just like that, his attention zipped right down to that mouth he was a little obsessed with.
‘I would’ve thought they’d avoid drawing so much attention to themselves, but I could be wrong,’ she said.
He forced his eyes to return to hers as he considered her point. ‘Their actions will make Reena look at them closely. It doesn’t make sense that the faction would want that. Or that they’d officially make themselves enemies of you.’
‘But it’s very possible that whoever riled them up is part of the faction.’
The best way to confirm that would be to ask the members of the crowd. Placing his nose behind her ear, he breathed deep and gently pressed, ‘I want the names of those who confronted you today.’
Impatience flitted over her face. ‘As I said before, going after them will only make things worse. I get why you’re angling to huff and puff and kick some asses, but you’re smarter than that.’
‘Right now, I don’t care about what’s smart. My concern is you.’
A little softness leached into her expression. ‘And I’m fine.’
‘I know you are. I know you’re too tough for them to ever break you. But you can’t tell me it didn’t sting big time that they yet again tried to pin something on you. You can’t tell me you were blasé about them surrounding you, coming at you from all sides, and trying to cuff you.’
She looked away, exhaling heavily. ‘It stung because I’m tired of it. And no, I wasn’t blasé about the scene that unfolded. But I don’t care about those people, so their actions don’t hurt me. They’re just irritating.’
Hurt, irritated – it was all the same to him. Any negative emotions they caused her would be completely unacceptable to Ripper.
The air chilled abruptly, and then a chair skidded across the floor and clanged against a cupboard. Like it had been angrily shoved by someone he couldn’t see.
He couldn’t lie, his pulse jumped.
The fine hairs on his nape lifting, he refocused on his witch. ‘The entities in this house aren’t happy right now, are they?’
‘Nope.’
‘They can take a ticket and get in fucking line. I want the names of the witches who went at you, Emberlyn.’
‘Oh my God, you are beyond obstinate.’
As was she. So he knew he’d have a hard time changing her mind. Unless . . . he made a suggestion she’d support; came up with a way of handling things that wouldn’t worsen the situation. ‘How about you come with me while I talk to each person?’
Her brow pinched. ‘Go with you?’
‘Yeah. Together, we’ll pay them each a quick visit. I’ll make my feelings clear to them. In doing so, I’ll get the message across to the entire coven that I will personally seek out anyone who comes at you.’