Midnight's Captive(19)

Charon nodded. “Oh, aye. I do.”

He knew much too well.





CHAPTER SEVEN



The more Charon stayed at Dreagan, the more he knew there was something about the place that wasn’t normal.

It looked normal. Its people appeared normal.

But there was much more to it.

Charon couldn’t place his finger on what it was. There was no trace of magic that he could detect, yet at odd times he would feel something that seemed almost like magic.

It disappeared as quickly as it came.

Everywhere they went he spotted men watching, studying him. He’d know the kind of men they were anywhere from their stance and the way they held themselves.

They were warriors, fighters.

For who, was the question.

“I’ll take you into the main building where Con’s office is,” Cassie said as she looked over her shoulder at him. “Con has done a lot of research on your pub, Mr. Bruce. He’s impressed with what you’ve acquired in Ferness.”

“It’s more than just property,” Charon said as he thought of his men. And Laura.

She really couldn’t be included, but he wouldn’t be standing at Dreagan today without her. Oh, he’d have eventually made his way in, but Laura had done it with finesse.

Cassie nodded as her gaze shifted to Laura. “Yes, he knows of the dedication of Ms. Black. You’re lucky to have such people surrounding you.”

The slight stain of pink that tinged Laura’s cheeks amused him. She was always so surprised when she was given praise. He didn’t understand it, but he liked to see the pleased look in her eyes.

Charon ushered Laura in front of him as Cassie took them on a narrow path. Cassie and Laura walked beneath the wooden arch of flowers, and just as he was about to follow, his gaze was caught by three men.

They had their backs to him, walking away and at an angle, but they stopped him cold in his tracks. Or one man did.

There was something familiar about him, as if Charon should know him, but he couldn’t place who it might be. He needed a closer look.

He took a step toward them when Laura touched his arm. His head snapped to her.

“Charon? What is it?”

“Who are those men?”

Cassie was instantly by his side. “Employees. Is there a problem?”

“Nay. One just looked familiar is all.”

Cassie’s brow was furrowed as she looked at the backs of the retreating men and then to Charon. “Shall I call them over?”

“Doona fash yourself,” Charon said. “After taking so long to get this meeting, the last thing I should do is keep Con waiting.”

With one last look at the place he had seen the men, Charon followed Cassie.

“I’m sorry,” Laura whispered when they were making their way up the stairs to Con’s office.

Charon shrugged off her words. “I doona know what it is about this place.”

“I like it,” she said as she leaned close and smiled. “It’s peaceful.”

“Aye. It is that.”

Cassie turned the corner into a large room where four men stood. Charon noted how Laura stayed close to him. By the appreciative eye the blond man standing a little off by himself was giving her Charon wanted to punch him.

“I hope you enjoyed the tour. I’m Hal Wilson,” said the tall man with black hair and moonlight blue eyes.

“Wilson,” Laura said as she looked from Hal to Cassie.

Cassie smiled. “Yes, he’s my husband.”

Charon gave a nod to Hal. “Your wife is verra proud of Dreagan. I can hear it in every word as she spoke.”

“That’s good to hear,” said the man next to Hal. He had light brown hair and pale brown eyes that watched Charon carefully. “I’m Guy. I’m sure you’ll run into my wife, Elena, around here somewhere.”

Charon held Guy’s gaze until the man closest to Laura, a big brute of a man with short brown hair and gray eyes, spoke to her.

In an instant, Charon’s gaze jerked to him.

As if knowing what he had done, the man simply grinned obnoxiously. “Nice to have you here, Charon. I’m Banan.”

“And your wife?”

Banan laughed easily. “Aye. Jane is probably with Elena looking for one of the kittens that got out of the box this morning.”

Still Charon didn’t relax. He turned to the blond who watched him with a slight mocking smile and black eyes. Charon wasn’t cowed.

He had been tortured with fists and magic alike. Had endured the agony of killing his own father in a fit of rage as he battled the god inside him.

There wasn’t anything that could bend him.

The tension in the room escalated. Charon could sense Laura’s growing unease as she shifted from foot to foot, causing her arm to brush his.