Arranged: An Array Series (Book #1)(36)

“How did you do that?” I found myself saying out loud.

Reddington’s eyes widened for a moment before stretching an embarrassing grin over his face. “That story isn’t very gentlemanly.”

I leaned closer, resting my elbows on my knees, and my lips quirked. “Now I’m intrigued.”

Reddingon paused. “Well…I was drunk, for one.”

“More like past the point of inebriated,” George chuckled, still looking over his papers.

Reddington ignored him and continued, “The owner was cheating other men, so I came with a stacked deck.”

I narrowed my eyes, my finger tapping my bottom lip. “A stacked deck?”

“He duped George and I out of a hundred apexes. Twice. One of the whor—ladies of the night informed me that he used rigged decks. So, I had her sneak one in at our table. The liquor got to my head, and I bet the gambling hall on the first hand.”

I gasped, holding my hand over my mouth. “The first hand?!”

“This is why I never mentioned him, Ava. He’s a lunatic,” George jeered, walking over to the fire.

“It was the liquor,” Reddington murmured with a deep chuckle. He brushed a piece of his blond hair out of his eyes and looked at me.

“I guess everyone has irrational moments at times.” I shrugged. I knew I’d had mine.

Reddington leaned forward, taking the chair with him. “Like when you loosened the saddle of Lord Wentz’s horse?” He regarded me, his lips quirking at the corners, and his eyes looking lazily at me. I sat back in my chair, folding my arms to keep my head level.

“It was Lord Wentz’s son, Thomas. And it was because he called me ugly when I said I didn’t want to kiss him,” I corrected, biting my lip to keep from laughing.

His eyes constricted, trying to look serious, while his grin said he approved of my actions. “So, you sabotage people’s things when you don’t want to be kissed?”

“Depends.”

“On?”

I kept my eyes locked on his. “On if they deserve it.”

“And poor Thomas did?”

I tried to keep a straight face. “Poor Thomas was a spoiled brat who pulled my maid’s hair and threw enormous temper tantrums.”

“He was a shit,” George agreed, leaning on my chair. “Is there anything else you needed besides dropping these reports off?”

Reddington shook his head and said, “There wasn’t. Cranfield’s man practically knocked me over when handing them to me. I don’t think the word gentle exists in their vocabulary.”

George chortled. “Garr wasn’t looking for wobbly men when he made his team. He takes it very seriously.”

Reddington sighed. “So I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.”

George walked over to him, slapping him on the back. “Thank you for sacrificing yourself to bring these over. I’ll see you at the council parley tomorrow.”

“Well, now that Lady Barlow is here”—he brought his gaze back to me—“I’d like to stay and find out how she is enjoying her stay.”

I didn’t expect the conversation to come back to me, and the interest in his eyes caught me off guard. Not knowing if it was the obstinate nature that we shared, or that he was just a decent-looking man looking at me with such attentiveness, but he intrigued me. “Are you enjoying your stay?” His question brought me back to the conversation.

I nodded quickly. “Yes. I am, thank you.”

He grinned. “I’m happy to hear that, Lady Barlow.” He straightened in his chair. “What marvelous activities do they have you doing here. Knitting, playing the piano, gossiping about—”

I burst into laughter. “Femme Fatale, no! My goodness, no.” I covered my mouth. “I’ve been playing chess and cards.”

Reddington raised a brow. “Cards, hm? Not many ladies play.”

I crossed my arms with a smirk. “I don’t play; I win.”

He smiled, standing from his chair. “I would love to play you in a game sometime.”

“I don’t have any gambling halls to wager over, but if you’d like hairpins and books, I’m all in, Lord Reddington.”

“I’d like that.” He held out his hand to take mine. “George has me running around like a lunatic, running errands”—he kissed the top of my hand—“but I’d like to take you up on your offer.”

“Start practicing,” I replied. His thumb grazed my palm before releasing it.

“Until next time.” He strode from the room, flashing a grin over his shoulder at me “See you later, Georgie!”

I smiled at the closing door, having a feeling that he was going to change my life somehow.





Garrett





Chapter 17





Even after pondering over days of reports, I discovered no new leads on the assassins. Pierce’s men only spoke of a man, dressed in black, that paid them and left abruptly after. Those brutes had no fear and were harder to break than I thought they’d be. Killing one of them got me nowhere, and time was running against me. My patience was wearing down, and I wanted to kill them all with their worthless information. The pressure led me to pace a trail across my red rug in my study, as I racked my brain for more solutions to this everlasting problem. I wouldn’t have but strands of this rug by the time this was all over.