Pah!
’Of course a shaless man would be friends with another shaless scoundrel.’
Raina Reddington stood pressed close to Ethan Lancaster. She reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He braced his hands on either side of her. "You can’t open it without my fingerprint. Snatching it is pointless."
"Hurry up and unlock it."
Seeing how anxious she was, Ethan Lancaster stopped teasing her. He took the phone and unlocked it with his fingerprint.
Raina reached for it, but he raised his arm out of her reach. "I’ll make the call."
"Don’t tell him it’s ."
Ethan Lancaster found Caron Fairchild’s number and dialed. "Do you really think he’ll give you the photos?"
Just as he finished speaking, Caron Fairchild’s voice ca through the line. "Fourth Master. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Cut the crap. Where are you?"
"Asking out to dinner? Sorry, I’m busy tonight."
Ethan Lancaster glanced at Raina’s serious expression, noting how she was hanging on their every word. "I need to talk to you about sothing."
"So talk. What is it?"
"This has to be in person. Where are you?"
Caron Fairchild’s voice ca through, laced with amusent. "I’m on a blind date."
"What? You’re on a blind date? Have you had your fun and are finally ready to settle down?"
Raina lightly punched Ethan in the side, and he finally shut up.
"It’s the old man. He’s forcing my hand. The family loves her, they’re just waiting for to give the nod. It’s just a marriage of convenience, anyway. I’m planning to follow your lead..."
"Shut the hell up!" ’Follow my lead? What about ?’ Ethan Lancaster was terrified Caron would run his mouth and spill all the crap he’d said before getting married. "Just send the address. I’ll head over now. I promise I won’t ruin your date."
"Fine." Caron Fairchild hung up, and a mont later, he sent his location.
Ethan Lancaster kept the phone hidden from Raina. "Listen, this blind date is a huge deal for Caron. If you ss this up, the Fairchild family won’t let you hear the end of it."
"His child was just sent away, and he’s already in the mood for a blind date?"
Ethan Lancaster’s expression faltered. "You’re not going to let that go, are you?"
"I promise I won’t cause a scene. I just want the photos."
He reached out and opened the car door. "Fine. But I’ll be keeping an eye on you."
Without hesitating, Raina got into the car. Ethan Lancaster gave the driver the address, and the car sped off toward The Hyatt Hotel.
Caron Fairchild and Julie Spencer’s date wasn’t over yet. Raina waited outside the restaurant, peeking in from ti to ti.
"Have so patience. It’s their first eting. Who knows, sparks might fly, and they’ll head straight to one of the rooms upstairs," Ethan said, pointing up with his finger.
Raina saw Julie Spencer stand up. She left her purse, so it looked like she was heading to the restroom.
"Can I go in now?"
"They’re not done yet!"
But Ethan clearly failed to hold her back. Raina rushed inside, striding directly toward Caron Fairchild. His gaze was lowered, but when he noticed soone standing beside him, he slowly lifted his eyes.
"Well, well. If it isn’t my dear sister-in-law."
Raina held out her hand. "The photos of Minnie Hale."
Caron Fairchild tapped her palm with his phone. "You two must be close for that little thing to tell you about this."
"Delete the photos."
A roguish smile played at the corners of Caron Fairchild’s eyes as he propped his chin on his right hand. "Did Fourth Master bring you? Impressive. He’s even willing to throw under the bus for you."
"I’ll say it again. Delete the photos."
"Alright," Caron said, leaning back as he saw Ethan approaching. "But I have one condition."
"What condition?"
Caron smiled faintly. "I feel just awful that my little issue has caused a rift between you two. So how about this: you agree to move back to The Verdant Garden, and I’ll give you the photos."
Ethan walked up behind Raina, just in ti to hear the last sentence.
’Holy shit,’ he cursed internally. ’This guy is more trouble than he’s worth.’ Raina was bound to fly off the handle when she heard that. She’d probably think he was a part of this whole sche.
Ethan clenched his fists in anger, wanting to shut Caron up, but then he heard Raina reply coolly, "Is that all?"
Caron crossed his long legs. "That’s all."
"Fine."
Ethan secretly relaxed his fists. ’Well then,’ he thought, ’looks like I won’t have to put in any more effort after all.’
"The photos? When will I get them? And you’d better not have kept any copies."
Caron couldn’t suppress a soft chuckle. "Do I seem like soone who’d go back on his word?" As he spoke, he opened his photo gallery and deleted the pictures. "I’m not bored enough to make backups. But, if my sister-in-law breaks her promise, I can always go and bother your little sister again. Tying her up for another photoshoot wouldn’t be a problem..."
Raina stared at Caron. He was a practiced playboy, so casual and flippant with his words that he didn’t even realize their weight. But to her, they were like the sharpest thorns.
Things that others held precious were things Caron trampled on without a second thought. And after doing so, he could still wear that smug expression.
Raina picked up a glass of red wine from the table and splashed it in Caron Fairchild’s face.
The smile on the man’s lips froze. He squeezed his eyes shut as the crimson liquid stread down his chiseled features.
Caron Fairchild wiped his face. As he shot to his feet, his chair screeched backward. Ethan stepped in front of Raina just in ti.
Caron glanced at him. Though a smile still lingered on his lips, his expression was utterly sinister. "Sister-in-law, I’ll let this slide out of respect for Fourth Master. But I suggest you rember that this is your one and only free pass."
"Caron Fairchild, don’t you dare go near Minnie Hale again. It would be best if she never has to see you for the rest of her life. You two already reached an agreent, which ans she wants to move on from this nightmare. Leave her alone."
Wine was still dripping from the man’s chin, and the eyes of many nearby diners were now on them. Ethan knew how much Caron cared about his pride; he was already at his breaking point.
"Whether I go looking for her or not all depends on you."
When Julie Spencer returned from the restroom, she was both shocked and confused by the scene before her.
"Mr. Fairchild, are you alright?"
Caron wiped his face. "I’m fine."
Raina turned to leave. As she passed Julie Spencer, she shot her a look.
"Miss, Mr. Fairchild is very fond of taking pictures. If he offers to take a photo of you for ’old tis’ sake’ when you’re getting intimate, don’t you dare agree. It might just beco the biggest piece of blackmail he has on you."
How could Julie Spencer not understand the implication? Caron Fairchild must have done sothing like this before to warrant such an accusation.
Raina walked out of the hotel. Ethan Lancaster’s car was waiting at the entrance. She went over, pulled open the door, and got inside.
Seth Sinclair saw Ethan Lancaster get in as well and reached out to close the door.
"Fourth Master, where to next?"
Ethan Lancaster said in a level voice, "The Verdant Garden."
Raina’s gaze swept out the window. "Don’t you think it was low of Caron Fairchild to take advantage of the situation like that, Fourth Master?"
"I couldn’t care less about what goes on between him and that young woman."
"I’m talking about him using it to blackmail into going back to The Verdant Garden."
Ethan Lancaster held up his left hand. "That was all him. It has absolutely nothing to do with ."
’Of course, he was just happy to reap the benefits.’
Reviews
All reviews (0)