by Jane Cousins
“So bloodthirsty. You know that’s just a turn on right? We Merrow are considered predators of the ocean deep, there’s nothing we like more than a challenge.”
“Ohh, colour me scared. A big wave of water is coming to get me.” Devon frowned fleetingly, sure she’d heard Liam mutter, yes it is, under his breath. Huh?
“So, this curry your Aunt made? How hot is it?”
“With the damage already done to your oesophagus I highly recommend you skol that medicine before you attempt to eat anything.” Devon’s eyes widened as Liam immediately chugged the entire contents of his glass down his throat on her advice, he was either brave or crazy.
“Bah… slimy.” Liam fought the urge to wipe his tongue on the sheet covering his lap.
Devon shuddered in sympathy. “What did that taste like?”
“Nothing good.” Liam started spooning some rice and curry onto his plate. “All I can say is whoever caused my accident will pay doubly for their crime now.”
“Did the police come by today to take your statement?”
“This morning. The Chief. Have you met him? Very large, very scary. He showed me pictures of what’s left of my bike.”
For the first time since she’d met him, Devon saw real anger flare from Liam, it was the in the way his lips clamped together and the white knuckled grip he had on his fork.
“Do they have any idea who attacked you?”
“No, but I know why.”
“Hmm, let me guess, being a Merrow, I’m thinking it was someone you owed money to?”
“Think again Princess. I’m pretty sure you are the reason I had my accident.”
“Excuse me? Me?”
“That’s why I was racing here. To warn you. Someone, I’m not sure who, wants you dead.” Liam tensed, waiting for her reaction to his news. She didn’t seem the type to cry so he was guessing she’d get mad, nuclear explosion – mad. What he wasn’t expecting was for her to fling her head back and laugh… and laugh. It was an amazing sound, joyous and throaty. Absently he rearranged the sheet on his lap once more, come hell or high tide he was going to wear jeans tomorrow. “You’re taking my news surprisingly well Princess, I’m not joking you know.”
“Apologies…” Devon took two deep breaths. “It’s just, I’m a Makura, there’s always someone trying to kill me. You may not know this about my kind, but we have a reputation of not playing nicely with others.”
“After spending some quality time with your Aunt I could have guessed that.”
“Oh, no. Nabha is a real sweet heart compared to my Mother… and my Grandmother! Rivers and Lakes, the stories I could tell you about our queen. So, if someone wants to kill me, why try to take you out of the equation first?”
Liam took a moment to taste the curry… Poseidon’s Trident! Shit, frantically he shovelled rice into his mouth. That was some seriously hot curry. Fuck, if he hadn’t skolled the purple slime juice he was betting Devon would have been calling for an ambulance about now. He blinked away tears. “You sure… your Aunt isn’t trying to kill me?”
“If she is, it sounds like she might have to get in line. So come on, if the ominous ‘they’ are after me, why hit you first?”
“I’m guessing because I was coming to warn you about the threat.”
“So, this mysteriously vague intel of yours. Who knew you were coming to warn me?”
For a moment Liam didn’t speak, just pushed rice and curry around on his plate.
“Liam?”
“My father. I contacted my father.” He pushed his plate away and picked up a large piece of Naan bread, ripping off a piece to dunk into the small bowl of raita Devon had placed in front of him. The cooling yoghurt and cucumber dish helping to soothe further the persistent burning feeling lingering in his mouth.
“The plot thickens.” Devon wasn’t overly perturbed to find out that someone was planning to kill her or that her future father-in-law might somehow be mixed up in the whole sorry mess. “Was there a reason given as to why I am being targeted?”
“No.” Liam broke off some more bread. “So you need to be ultra-careful.”
“Why do you care?” Devon asked the one question that had been bugging her the most about this whole deal. Why would Liam Chambers care if she lived or died? In fact, in his eyes, wasn’t she better dead? That way marriage would be off the table for the Merrow boys until one of her younger cousins came of age.
“If you die it will probably mean war. I’m not going to let that happen.”
“It would only mean war if there was proof left behind of who paid for the hit. Are you really that worried the money trail will lead back to your father? Is that why you contacted him? To have him call the whole thing off?”
“No! My father and I may not get along… well ever, but he’s not stupid. We have trade agreements with the Makura and with the majority of the other betrothal clans. The one thing my father loves most in the world is money, he wouldn’t do anything that would threaten his income streams.”
Devon ate a few more forkfuls of curry, savouring the taste of home in Nabha’s cooking. It didn’t make her feel homesick exactly, the Makura court came with way too much baggage for that but it did make her feel slightly nostalgic. “So you can’t tell me who, and you can’t tell me why. What proof do I have that this whole story of yours isn’t some elaborate plan you’ve concocted?”
Liam dipped a piece of bread in the sweet mango chutney. “Seriously? You’ve seen my injuries, I’m not faking those, and only an idiot would expose himself to magic fire.” He caught her sending him a look of wry suspicion. “You really think I did all this to myself?” He waved a hand at his face and legs. “Why? What could possibly be my motive?”
Devon picked up her wine glass and took a sip. “I can only surmise it’s the same one as all of your brothers-”
“Half-brothers.” Liam automatically corrected.
“Excuse me?” Devon eyed him over the rim of her glass.
“Same father, different mother.”
“But you and your half-brothers were all raised by your father? Together?”
“The Merrow genes always win out when it comes to male children and Merrow sons are, without fail, raised by the father.”
“And your mother was just okay with that? Giving you up?” Devon was surprised at her own curiosity.
“My mother was far from okay with it. That’s why she took me and ran. It took him five years to find us.” By then the damage had been done, Liam thought to himself. His father never had sway over him like his half-brothers who been taught from the cradle the Merrow ways and to love and revere their father, the king.
“What about-”
Liam interrupted Devon’s next question, he didn’t want to talk about his mother. “We’re getting off topic. What possible reason would I have for inflicting this amount of injury on myself, wrecking my motorbike and effectively placing myself at the mercy of you, and the inhabitants of this district?”
Devon pushed her plate away, leaning back in her chair, the sinking sun’s rays casting a crimson tint over her dark locks. “Oh, I doubt you intended to damage yourself or your motorbike to such an extreme but perhaps things got a little out of hand when you attempted to finagle a way to get out of our date.”
Liam pushed his own plate away. “You think I did all this, just to get out of our date?” He threw back his head and laughed. “Princess, if that were the case then my plan back-fired bigtime. How long have we spent in one another’s company now?”
“A-hah. But maybe that was your secret cunning plan all along.” Devon began stacking the plates back on the tray. “A double cross, distract left, and really go right kind of thing.”
Between the layers of seaweed, Liam’s aquamarine eyes narrowed. “Come again?” He shifted in his wheelchair, the ache in his legs was reduced to a dull throb, it was a sure sign he was actually getting better.
“Well, you know what they say about familiarity breeding contempt.” Devon
finished her wine, placing the empty glass on the now full tray.
“Wait? What? Princess, we both know the more you get to know me the more you’re growing to love me.” He flashed her a grin. “I mean, seriously, what woman could resist the Cookie Monster?” He imitated the Muppet as he said the last three words.
Devon shook her head, the corners of her mouth tilting upwards, not quite a smile but close. The man really was kind of amusing but then she recalled he’d used the ‘L’ word. Even in jest she didn’t want to hear that word bandied about. Love had no place in her life or her future. She was a practical, rational, level headed woman, any decisions she made would be based upon logic… now there was an ‘L’ word she could get behind.
Logic dictated her future husband needed to be intelligent, sensible and at the very least only mildly grating on her nerves. This Liam Chambers could hold a conversation but he was too flirty, laughed too easily, and according to his questionnaire was a drifter of no fixed address, and dabbling in photography, didn’t exactly equate to a steady, respectable income.
She eyed him, blue, layers of fresh seaweed obscuring his upper chest, throat and his face. It didn’t matter what the man looked like under all those layers. It didn’t matter that his aquamarine eyes made her think of the clear seas off Tahiti, or that his voice caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand to attention and more worrisome, her nipples to harden. Her physical reaction to him was unacceptable.
Abruptly she stood up, picking up the tray. “I have to clean up the kitchen and review some files. You should get some rest.” Devon swung around and headed towards the kitchen. “You’ve told me about the threat. I’m a grown woman. I can look after myself. And the sooner you heal, the sooner you can get back to your life.”
“Um…” Liam watched as Devon disappeared into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. What had just happened? One moment talking, laughing, okay, he’d been laughing. But whilst Devon may not have been smiling with those luscious full lips of hers he’d definitely seen amusement lurking in those gorgeous green-flecked dark depths. Then like a switch being flicked, she’d shut down, shut him down. It became instantly clear that not only didn’t the Hot Doctor take him seriously, she wasn’t going to take the threat looming against her seriously either.
Manoeuvring his wheelchair around Liam headed inside to the living room, for a moment he considered cornering her in the kitchen but she was right about one thing, he couldn’t do much of anything in his current state. He needed to concentrate on healing. Then he could tackle the icy Makura Princess, the woman had to listen to him, the death threat was serious, how else to explain his accident.
Hey, if all else failed he still had one ace up his sleeve. He and the Princess, according to the law, had a date scheduled in their very near future. And he intended to make sure the Princess fulfilled her side of the bargain.
Chapter Five
Nabha Galt watched the Merrow shuffle around the kitchen, his movements awkward an unsteady as he balanced on one crutch, leaning the majority of his weight on the bar stool he’d dragged up to the counter. The man was tenacious, she’d give him that. Not something one normally labelled a Merrow, unless money was involved.
That wasn’t the case here though. The Merrow appeared to be hell bent upon preparing dinner, and she wasn’t strictly sure if his only motive was because she had deliberately made last night’s curry extra hot. No, she had the distinct impression the Merrow… this Liam, wanted to do something nice for her Great-Great-Niece, to repay her for her hospitality, and perhaps spend a little time with her.
Nabha hadn’t missed the spark in those clear blue eyes of his when the subject of Devon came up in conversation.
Hmm, against her better judgement she was finding that she liked… Liam. He was cocky and never stopped talking, yes. But he didn’t have that look in his eye when he spoke to others, the look the Merrow always got. That measured one. Where, even though they might be smiling they were clearly sizing up the mark in front of them, identifying weaknesses and trying to decide the best possible way to steal their ATM pin number and anything else of value in the immediate vicinity not tied down.
Or maybe, the boy was just more devious and under-handed than any she had ever come across before, playing a deep con here that she could not yet guess at. Either way, it was entertaining to watch him and Devon circle one another. More delightful still, to watch Devon determinedly try to ignore the man living under her roof.
Nabha thought that might be proving to be a harder exercise than her niece had expected. Of course she was only gauging Devon’s reaction by the speed with which she had lit out for work this morning. Nabha had the distinct feeling that the Merrow was getting under her niece’s skin. Understandable, sitting at the dining room table off to one side, she studied him from the rear. And it was a decidedly nice rear, those faded jeans he’d put on following Nell’s visit this afternoon showcased that fact very nicely.
“You know you don’t have to watch me.” Liam glanced over at Nabha. “I promise I won’t steal the silver ware or anything.”
“Hpmhf.” Nabha gave him her steeliest look, grateful that she didn’t blush. Fancy being caught eyeing his behind like that, at her age. Thankfully he had misconstrued her close scrutiny of his activities. He made quite the picture standing in the middle of the kitchen wearing nothing but faded jeans, the layers of seaweed were all gone but still a thick layer of blue gel coated his upper chest, throat and face.
Liam smiled, his teeth looking particularly white against the heavy layer of blue ointment coating his skin. “Now, don’t be like that Nabha. Just because I’m ambulatory now doesn’t mean I don’t need you.”
Nabha sent him another dark eyed look, cheeky bugger was determined to butter her up.
“I could make you some tea… no, how about a glass of wine?” He ignored her stony look and reached up to pluck two glasses from a high open shelf before grabbing his crutch to hobble over to the fridge. “No…” He looked her way, noting she hadn’t moved an inch. “I’ve got it covered, don’t you move a muscle.”
Two minutes later Nabha was eyeing Liam with a dark stony look over the rim of her wine glass. “What do you want?”
Liam, back at the kitchen counter chopping tomatoes, looked her way. “A man can’t provide a gorgeous woman with a glass of wine without an ulterior motive?”
Nabha’s black gaze only turned stonier.
* * *
The sound was so alien, Devon had to pause a moment to process it. No, it wasn’t possible. Rivers and Lakes, her Great-Great-Aunt was actually giggling. She dropped her briefcase in the living room doorway and contemplated the sight before her.
Nabha was seated at the long dining room table knocking back a glass of wine, splashing a little down the front of her black gauzy dress as she chortled with genuine amusement. Liam, doing a passable imitation of a member of the Blue Man Group was sitting on a barstool pulled up to the kitchen counter, talking animatedly as he chopped up a bunch of herbs. Without the seaweed she caught a glimpse through the blue gunk of a jutting strong chin, a straight nose and high cheekbones. Frustratingly Nell’s ointment still obscured too much for her to get a real idea of what the man looked like from the neck up, even his hair was slicked back and bright blue tonight.
Of course, she had a really good idea of what the man looked like from the neck down. The jeans he was wearing low slung on his hips called attention to rock hard abs, and his lean muscular build. It was enough to make a girl hungry… for food, hungry for food. Especially given the delightful smells filling the air.
“Just what is going on here?”
“Devon. You’re home.” Nabha looked up, her face unnaturally flushed, her eyes twinkling.
“Sorry I’m late. I had a meeting.” She eyed Liam, stepping forward to gaze over his shoulder. “Are you making dinner?”
“I am.” Liam shot her a wide grin.
Damn, the blue gunk couldn’t hide the fact th
e man had a devilish grin. “And getting my Aunt drunk?” Devon observed with pointed suspicion.
“I’m not drunk.” Nabha protested. “Just a little tipsy.” She ruined her declaration by giggling again.
Liam fluttered his long dark eyelashes Devon’s way. “All part of my evil plan to get her to relax.”
Devon studied her Aunt, whose eyes looked distinctly unfocused. “I think she passed relaxed several glasses ago.” Pulling out her mobile Devon quickly sent Nabha’s husband a text message.
“That’s only her second glass.” Liam confessed cheerfully. “I can only hope the inability to hold your liquor is a family trait.” He sent her a heated aquamarine gaze accompanied by an exaggerated leer.
“You…” Devon shook her head. “Come on Nabha, let’s go wait outside for Adalard to arrive, I think the fresh air might do you some good.”
“Oh.” Nabha made a reluctant sound.
Devon rolled her eyes and marched over to help Nabha get to her feet, holding her Aunt steady as she swayed slightly.
“Seems like I’m going home then.” Nabha waved at Liam. “See you tomorrow.”
“Wait?” Devon looked between the two. “Why are you seeing him tomorrow? The man is clearly healed. He can leave first thing in the morning.”
“Devon.” Nabha reprimanded her niece with a sharp look. “The poor man is injured, barely able to hobble around.” Nabha shook her head. “Typical doctor, trying to bum rush a patient out before they are ready to leave, you’d think the man doesn’t have insurance by the way you’re acting.”
Liam stifled a laugh and just gave the women his best mournful puppy dog eyes.
Devon shook her head. “Oh please. I’ll stuff him in a taxi, he’ll be fine.”
Nabha stumbled over to grip Liam’s face in one hand. “Just look at this face.” She squeezed, causing Liam to bite back a moan of pain. “This big blue face.” Nabha gave his face a rough shake from side to side.