Ruin (Rhodes #1) - Rina Kent Page 0,49

afraid. Underestimating me is one of the stupidest things to do.

“I—”

Mae’s interrupted as a beep comes from the security’s system.

Tristan’s pissed off voice fills the space. “Open up!”

Bloody hell.

I should have attended the damn meeting today.

Chapter Fourteen

Mae

Something similar to disturbance cloaks Aaron’s features, but he soon masks it.

“Aaron!” The deep masculine voice calls again.

“Who’s that?” I face Aaron to be sucked into the frightening grim of his eyes.

Both his hands clutch my shoulders in a bruising grip. “Listen well, Mae. If the person outside sees or finds out about you, you are well and truly dead. Do you understand?”

His voice flows in its most stern tone, assuring me that he’ll carry out with his threat if not obeyed. Or the other person will. Either way, I don’t want to find out.

I nod slowly.

He gives a curt nod and stalks out of the room. The door shuts behind him with a loud click.

I sigh. The exasperated sound is interrupted when my gaze falls on the black beast, sitting at the middle of the room.

Oh. Hell. Aaron left it behind.

My gut clenches. I crawl further into the sofa, hoping to become a chameleon and blend with it. I can’t look away from the animal’s onyx eyes. What if it jumps and rips me apart?

Only a devil like Aaron would keep such an apex predator as a pet.

As if aware of my thoughts about his master, the jaguar stands. I gasp, and my shaky hands fly to stifle it.

Didn’t Aaron say it won’t move unless he commands it?

Thankfully, the animal doesn’t pay me attention. His large body saunters to the door with natural grace. His paw scratches at the wood, in a clear intent to pry it open.

My feet give way and run to the bathroom. I stumble a few times before locking myself inside. “Safe.”

This survival game will one day give me a heart attack.

A strange rustle comes from the other side of the door. Quiet and loud at the same time.

Don’t look, Mae. You’re falling for the horror film cliche.

Now I understand why they look. Curiosity is a vile, stupid thing.

With the tip of my fingers, I crack the door open, enough to have a good view of the room.

Aaron’s pet is where I left him. Only now he’s sitting, his tail whipping left and right as if in anticipation.

The door clicks open and Aaron strolls inside, searching the room. I open my mouth to scold him about leaving his animal behind, when another man brushes past him, barging inside.

The newcomer looks straight out of a men’s perfume commercial. Tall. Well-built. In a tailored suit. My vision is restricted to his left side, but it’s enough to show his masculine beauty and the power he exudes with each step. His body size and some of his features are similar to Aaron’s. They share the same merciless black eyes.

Are they brothers?

The identical signet ring to Aaron’s on the stranger’s index confirms my theory.

King jumps the newcomer, its paws at his shoulder level. The man staggers backwards but doesn’t fall. His arms encircle the jaguar. “Long time no see, King.”

The same voice as the man earlier. Oh, hell. If he sees me...

My eyes flicker to Aaron and his stern features greet me. I push the door to close it but Aaron shakes his head. The gesture so small, I wouldn’t have noticed it if I wasn’t ogling him.

I step away from the door, leaving a small crack to look through it. Why am I acting like a goddamn thief?

He will kill you, Mae. That’s why.

“There, you saw King.” Aaron’s nonchalant voice betrays nothing of his urgency earlier. “Let’s take him back.”

“You’re not dodging the problem.” The stranger narrows his eyes, his enunciation of words is even more posh than Aaron. “Do you have any idea of the trouble you caused this afternoon?”

“Let’s talk outside.” Aaron’s words are clipped.

Holy... this man must be something if he can talk to Aaron that way and get away with it. Perhaps his older brother? If they’re both nobles, then this stranger must be the head of the household.

If Aron is a lord or an earl, then this could be...

Holy. Hell.

A duke? I’ve never followed aristocracy closely, but a duke is big. Like huge.