Chapter 278
The divorce would follow. It had to
I just needed them in the same place at the same time, with a paper trail that pointed back to Ellie and no one else
But how was I supposed to make that happen?
“Vivian?” Mara wiped her forehead, which had begun to bead with sweat. “That’s all I know, so…”
I sighed. “Go. I’ll handle it from here.”
She ducked her head and slipped out. Just as she did, however, I heard a low, familiar voice say, “Hey! Is Vivian with you? Is she in there?”
Shit
I could hear Mara stammering something, followed by the sound of Colt’s footsteps rapidly approaching. Before I could think of an escape, not that there was one, the door flung open and flooded the closet with light.
Colt stood in the doorway, his hand on the knob, staring at me with surprise written across his face.
“Viv” he said, shoulders sagging a little. “What are you doing in the closet?”
I was about to tell him not to call me “Viv” when something suddenly hit me.
“Colt.” I smiled sweetly. “I was just looking for you.”
He furrowed his brow. “In the closet?”
“Yes.” I stepped out into the hall. “I need you to run an errand for me tomorrow.”
“Can we talk first-”
“Errand first,” I said, wagging my finger at him. “Talk after.”
Colt looked like he wanted to argue, but sighed and nodded. “Okay. Sure.”
The notes were easy enough. I wrote them that night. Two of them; one addressed to Ellie, written to look like it was from Laicas An invitation to meet for a picnic in the forest. It said not to tell Dominic, or anyone for that matter, and that he had something important to tell her.
The second note, addressed to Lucas, was written to look like it came from Ellià. Same location, same time. Said she had information she needed to share, said it was urgent.
I sealed them both and tucked them away until morning.
The next morning, Colt was waiting for me in the gardens, behind the shrubbery, right where I’d told him to meet His hall was neatly combed to one side and his uniform looked freshly pressed, like he had actually prepared himselt for our meeting
He perked up a little when he saw me.
I held out both envelopes. “I need these delivered,” I said. “The one marked with the ‘E’ goes to Ellie’s toom The one marked with the ‘L’ goes to Lucas. I’ve written his address for you here.” I handed him a sticky note with the address to Lucas’s home on
Colt took them slowly, looking down at the envelopes and then back up at me. “What are these?”
I saw that intelligence wasn’t at the top of his skillset. “Letters,” I replied, restraining myself from adding an “obviously” onto the end. The last thing I needed right now was to set off his alarm bells.
“Why can’t you deliver this one to Ellie? She lives with you.”
1/2
- 310 Berus
“I have my reasons,” I said, keeping my voice even and pleasant. “Just Don’t let Ellie see you drop off the letter, okay’ Ant don’t tell Dominic, either ”
“But he’s the Alpha…”
“Please?” I tilted my head and bit my lower lip.
Colt looked at me for a long moment. I held his gaze and batted my lashes. I could see his eyes flick to my mouth, and his cheeks turned a little pink.
“And if I do this,” he said, “you’ll talk to me? Properly?”
There it was.
“Yes,” I said, smiling. I took a step forward and touched his arm, noticing the way his muscles bunched under my touch. “We can talk then.”
Colt let out a small breath. He nodded and tucked the envelopes into his breast pocket, smiled with one corner of his mouth, then turned and left.
As soon as he was gone, I let my smile fall. I quickly headed back inside and beelined for the kitchens.
Now, to prepare the rest of the trap.
262
+30 Bonus
