Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,138

his faithful friends. May loyalty run thick in your veins, lest your blood be spilled like a river through this very house.” He sipped his whiskey and my skin prickled as I mimicked him, his warning clear and ringing in the air.

“Hm…notes of mango, apricots, a touch of honey and…a finish of woody spices,” Saint said, his eyes closed like a prime pretentious douchebag and I almost snorted at how intrigued Liam looked by the comment. “Is it Bushmills twenty one year single malt?”

“It is,” Liam said in surprise, glancing at Kyan. “I didn’t realise your friend had such good taste.”

“He has the finest taste,” I said a little teasingly and Liam’s eyes cut to me.

“That so?” he asked as Saint smiled smugly.

“Yeah, well he thinks he does anyway,” I replied.

“The kings of the world know they are royal before they are crowned,” Saint said. “If you assume the life you wish to lead before you have it, the world must one day offer it up. It is inevitable.”

A beat of tense silence passed then Liam laughed, clapping a hand to Saint’s shoulder and shaking him. “I like you, lad.”

Servants arrived with our first course, laying out little plates of bruschetta for everyone and we all silently tucked into our food.

By the time our main course arrived, the silence was making my ears ache and I glanced over the table, catching Blake’s eye as he offered me a cheeky wink when no one was looking. It was super risky and made my heart race, but I couldn’t help but slide my foot further under the table to brush my leg against his.

“So.” Liam dabbed at his mouth with his napkin as he finished his meal, tossing it down and taking a sip of water as his eyes fell on Kyan. “We have received an invitation to the annual Moguls’ Banquet at Royaume D’élite,” he announced, letting that axe fall and my stomach knotted as I glanced nervously at the others. “We will head there together next week.”

“No,” Kyan’s hard voice rang through the room.

“Excuse me, lad?” Liam asked dangerously, his fingers brushing the knife beside his plate.

I took Kyan’s hand, sitting upright in my chair as I readied to go to bat for my husband if he needed me. Because there was no way he could go there again. Not when Troy would have seen the passport photos from the camp they’d been sent to. He’d have put the puzzle together and realised their antibody levels were so high because they’d taken a vaccine, figured out that my boys were the ones who’d saved me from his fucking lab. And we couldn’t go anywhere near that man unless we were in a position to destroy him.

“I can’t go,” Kyan said, staring his grandfather down while Saint observed the situation critically.

“And why not?” Liam growled, his eyes glinting with darkness.

Kyan looked to me then the others, his lips pressed tight together. “I just can’t.”

Liam opened his mouth, but Saint got there first, speaking calmly yet capturing all of our attention with the power behind his words. “Unfortunately, Mr O’Brien, your grandson - along with the rest of us - have made a few powerful enemies recently. Enemies who include my father.” My heart pounded harder, unsure if this information should be handed over to Liam so easily, but I trusted Saint’s judgement. And if he thought this was what needed to be done, then I had to let him do it.

Liam’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Saint. “Oh?” He rounded on Kyan. “What’ve you gotten yourself into, lad?” His voice was cutting, and I could see the murderous man he was on full display, his shiny exterior cracking to show the monster within.

Saint continued as if Liam had addressed him. “We stole vaccines from my father’s laboratory and took them. All of our blood now contains valuable antibodies and he’s on a war path to destroy us for the mess we left of his facility. I have had my suspicions for some time that he is an important member of Royaume D’élite, so Kyan cannot risk going there or he will be captured the moment he arrives.”

Liam drummed his fingers on the table and I noticed a large gold signet ring with a shamrock engraved in it on his middle finger. “Vaccines, you say?”

“Yes, they were in the trial stages, but by all accounts are entirely effective,” Saint said.

“Hmm.” Liam grazed his hand over his smooth jaw as he looked from