Arranged: An Array Series (Book #1)(84)

“Is Reddington’s mother still alive?” I inquired.

John rubbed his chin a moment. “I don’t believe so. She was murdered by a man she was living with.”

“How long ago?”

“Back when Reddington was a young lad. His mother hung around gambling halls and brought abusive men home.”

“And now he owns a gambling hall?”

John shrugged. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

“It’s fucked up,” I retorted. “I need more information on his past. I don’t trust the prick.”

John bowed his head. “Anything else?” I glanced back at the report and the words ‘two men gravely injured’ popped out at me.

“Send the second Elite group out. They’ve trained enough. I want them to send word across the villages that any man wandering around outside will be brought here for questioning. We need more men. Grab that list of assassins. I need to write some letters, recruit more men.”

“I’ll do that right away. When did you want to make a trip out to the village? It might do some good for them to see you.”

“Tomorrow.” John nodded again and turned to leave the room. “Wait!” I bellowed. “Have the blacksmith make more weapons. We are going to teach these people how to defend themselves.”

“Knives for the woman as well?”

I nodded. “All of it. If I can’t get a hold of one of these traitors, maybe one of them will.”

∞∞∞

“We will be leaving in about a week,” my mother concluded, as she poured me a glass of blackberry punch. I hadn’t been listening to a damn thing she said. I was fantasizing about a woman with stunning red hair and curves for acres, which, thanks to my mother, was just shattered with her news.

“Why now?” I asked, irritated. I wasn’t up to having this discussion again. I thought having a nice picnic in the gardens would be an enjoyable way to spend time with my family, not discussing how she wanted to take off without my protection.

Mama huffed. “Were you not listening to a word I said?”

Hara giggled. “No, Mama, he was too busy daydreaming.”

“Daydreaming?” she repeated, furrowing her brow.

“I wasn’t daydreaming,” I denied. I was planning my next visit with the seductive vixen. Hara hid her smile with her hand.

“Edward has confessed to your sister that he has a prince coming to meet her,” Mama sniffed, laying out the food the servants brought over moments ago. I shrugged. My father was still using me as his number one choice of landing more money, not Hara. Mama worried too much.

“How can you be so calm about this, Garr? He is going to marry her off,” she continued.

“I’m still his golden opportunity to obtaining more funds for his armies. We’ve discussed this.”

“Well he must be getting smarter because now he has two. Both of my children!” Mama shouted, her face turning red.

Hara shot me a glance, silently telling me to do something to calm her down. Attempting to keep my temper at bay, I placed a hand on Mama’s back and rubbed gently. “I’ll look into it, Mama,” I replied. “Everything is going to be fine.”

“You better do it quickly,” she retorted. “You might be used to gambling, but I’m not going to take a chance. Get your father under control, or we’ll be on the first carriage departing.”

“You should come with us,” Hara piped in. “I think it’s time to come home.”

I raised a brow. “You know I can’t do that until this is all finished.” I looked at both of them. They’d been talking about me again; guilt was plastered all over their faces.

“But if I leave,” Hara said, her expression turning sullen, “Garrett will be forced to marry Lady Chitwood. I couldn’t live with myself if he lost Ava. There is no way I can do that. I’ll stay with you, Garr.”

A pang of irritation tapped at my nerves. I was tired of hearing Chitwood’s name. “I’m not going to marry Chitwood. I’ve made that perfectly clear, a dozen times.”

“Then she will marry the next man that your father sees fit,” Mama stormed, pointing at Hara. “I know him, son. He loves all of you, but his head gets so involved with the kingdom that he will put it above all else.”

I didn’t want to agree with her, but she spoke the truth. My father slept, ate, and dreamed of Telliva.

“Then you will take my men with you when you leave,” I grumbled, knowing she wouldn’t change her mind. I’d never won a fight with my mother; today wouldn’t be any different.

“As you wish,” Mama conceded. She handed a plate of assorted sandwiches. “Now, onto our next subject. Ava.”

Fuck.

“What about her?”

“I’d consider letting her come with us.”

“No,” I barked. “She stays here with me, under my personal eye.”

“She is growing tired of this place. You are keeping a wild bird in a cage, and she will flee the first chance she gets.”

Flee?

My heart raced at the thought. Hell, we just made love last night. I told her no one would make her feel the way I do. Shit, I’d never felt this way about anyone myself. She wouldn’t desert me after all that.