Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,139

Saint to his grandson, his expression giving nothing away about his feelings on the mention of a vaccine. “Well, it seems you’ve got yourself into quite the mess, Kyan,” he said coolly. “I will give you until the end of the month to fix it. Troy Memphis is a powerful man. If you can handle him, I’d say you may just be able to handle the family business. But you will do this by your own hand, don’t go calling on your uncle Niall or I’ll step in and deal with this situation myself.” He smiled conspiratorially as he pushed out his seat. “Consider it a test of your capabilities.” He strode past Kyan then laid a hand on my shoulder, his skin hot against mine as he dug his fingers into collar bone. “And if you fail, I’ll be forced to offer up retribution to Mr Memphis somehow. There are three people sitting at this table who would go a long way to pacifying him. Remember that, my boy.” He strode from the room and a chill swept down my spine from his threat.

“Let’s adjourn to our room,” Saint said, standing from his seat, not seeming at all rattled by the threat, but I sure as shit was. “Our next conversation is best had in private.”

“Adjourn,” Blake sniggered and Saint smacked him around the head as he led the way out.

Monroe followed them but as I got up, Kyan tugged on my fingers to keep me there, giving me an intent look. “I’ll fix this,” he said in a whisper, his words laced with a promise.

I reached up to cup his jaw, the pads of my fingers grazing over his stubble. “No, Kyan, we will fix this.”

I turned and he hounded after me, his hand on my waist as we exited the dining room. Some of Liam’s staff were walking toward us with little glasses of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, seeming surprised we were leaving already. Blake grabbed one, dunking his fingers into a glass and sucking the sugary gloop off of them with a grin. “I’ll take them all.” He gathered them up in his arms as Saint tsked at him and kept walking while a smile pulled at my lips. I jogged forward, snatching one from Blake and hooking a spoon off a tray before dunking it into the ice cream. It tasted like a dream and I moaned as I swallowed, earning myself hungry looks from all of my guys.

Saint arched an eyebrow at me over his shoulder and I smirked.

“What? Are you gonna try and force me back onto the lettuce and carrot diet you had me on before?” I asked, my voice sharp enough to tell him I wasn’t fond of that memory. “Because I will fight you.”

“No,” he said simply and I frowned, jogging to his side and swallowing another mouthful of ice cream.

“Because you know I won’t listen or…” I trailed off, leaving it open for him to answer.

“Because I have witnessed your waist too thin and your ribs too prominent at the hands of my father. I will never control a single thing that enters your body again, siren. I will not be like the man who tried to own your body and use it as he saw fit.”

My heart stuttered and I leaned my head against his shoulder, grateful for his words as he wound an arm around my waist.

“You’re not like him,” I whispered.

“I am. But I would like to be better than him too,” he said.

“You are,” I swore and his fingers ran in soft circles against my side, the tension in his brow easing.

We made it back to our room and headed inside, the sound of the door locking making the tension run out of my shoulders. I placed my empty ice cream glass down on the side with the spoon, still a bit hungry for more.

“Will you undo my zip? This dress is digging in everywhere,” I asked Saint and he moved behind me, his fingers skating down my spine as he freed me from it.

I let it drop to my ankles, stepping out of it with a sigh of relief and throwing myself down on the bed in nothing but my silky green panties with my black high heels still on. The dress hadn’t allowed for a bra.

“Get dressed,” Saint clipped. “We need to have an important conversation and I cannot lay out my thoughts clearly with you looking like that and while the