clasped her hands to her chest, said it like Nathaniel would be King. Liberty wanted to choke her. She and Patience really were two of a kind. Upper hierarchy turned them on.
“Oh, no, thank you,” Liberty said before Nathaniel had a chance to answer, her voice as serene as a lake in Pleasantville. “We won’t be moving back.”
“I can understand your hesitation.” Gabriel nodded. “But—”
“I don’t.” Katie glared and raised her voice, “And excuse me, this offer is posed to Nathaniel. I think he can answer—”
Gabriel patted Katie’s shoulder and Nathaniel put his hands up, and waved. “Hey, hey, I think we’ve gotten ahead of ourselves.”
Liberty leaned back, waited to hear the rest, and hoped for her mate’s sake it was good. In the shadows, Adrian flipped through the photo book kept on Liberty’s desk. His chin rested on his hand, unaffected by the conversation.
“We’re happy here.” Nathaniel paused and reconsidered, as if ‘happy’ were the wrong word. “We’ve made a home here and, though I’m honored by Cutler’s proposition, it’s not an option for us.”
It wasn’t a great response--Liberty would have ended with showing them the exit--but it was acceptable. Diplomatic and right to the point. Pure Nathaniel. And probably why Cutler wanted him.
Gabriel hadn’t spoken since Katie had interrupted, but his fingers tapped on a bouncing knee and it looked like he was chewing a hole in his cheek. This man was a far cry from the wild boy he had been in his youth. Had used to be, when they’d all been on friendlier terms.
Even though he and Nathaniel were no relation, Liberty had never registered their strange resemblance before. She studied them. Maybe it was the lighting. Both were tall and muscular, broad shouldered, and had sandy colored hair. Gabriel’s eyes were green, and Nathaniel’s more hazel, but Katie’s mate could definitely pass as her brother from a distance. Liberty wondered if it had been unintentional. She suppressed a shudder.
“Please, be reasonable.” Katie got up and walked toward Nathaniel. “You’ll need somewhere to go.”
Mitch Montgomery, the owner of the property Liberty and Nathaniel roamed, was dying. It wouldn’t be long before he passed, and Katie seemed to know it.
Liberty looked down at her hands, checking to see if she’d disappeared since Katie was acting like she was invisible. Wiggled her fingers. Yep, still solid, so she figured her voice should be heard. She cleared her throat. “Since when is where we live your concern?”
Katie stopped, a mixture of surprise and disdain on her face.
“If, and when, we move,” Liberty continued, “it’ll be our decision.” No need to say they’d already found a new dwelling. One even further away from Proem than this one. Liberty stood. “Oh, and Katie? You can pass that little bit of information onto Patien--”
Before she’d gotten the last syllable out, Nathaniel and Gabriel had shot to their feet.
“What’s Patience got to do with this?” Katie asked, a hand on her hip, though her tone gave her away. Too innocent, too sweet. Pink flushed high on her cheeks.
“Please spare me the act. You really expect me to believe she isn’t behind this? Pulling Cutler’s strings? She’ll never change.”
The perfect example of how a woman should behave, Patience had always gotten her way, obviously taking after her father. More so now that her mate was Governor. She had everything, reverence, respect, and envy. Except when it came to Liberty.
Patience had been the real reason Liberty requested a Pardon. They’d left Proem after a fourteen-year-old Patience had stooped so low as to make false accusations against her and Nathaniel. Said they were trying to get rid of her, kill her. Years later, Liberty realized it was Patience who wanted rid of her. No loss there.
Katie gasped and her brown eyes got wide eyed. Good, she’d offended her. Liberty turned to look at Nathaniel. “Sorry, but you know I don’t have time for this.” She nodded at her uninvited guests without meeting their eyes and then looked back to her husband. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
She turned to leave the chamber and noticed the empty desk chair. Adrian had excused himself as quietly as he’d entered.
Nathaniel followed her out to the corridor. “Wait.” He reached out an arm. “Hold up a minute.”
She stopped and he drew her to his chest. He leaned down close to her ear and his stubble pricked her cheek. Feigning the appearance they were having a tender moment, he murmured, “Don’t be angry.”
She didn’t respond.
“It’s not their fault Cutler made an