Page 51 of Break My Rules

I wonder how it must feel, being the second son in a family like this. As much as Saint doesn’t want the responsibilities of being heir to the Ashford fortune, I wonder if Robert ever resents him for it, or wishes it was him that was next in line to be Duke. After all, he’s the one putting in the hours at the company, while Saint has been following a different path in life.

It doesn’t exactly make for a sibling bonding experience, that’s for sure.

I turn onto Saint’s street, a pretty, leafy road lined with luxurious mews houses. After our wild adventure last night, I’m ready to spend a lazy evening curled up, taking it easy. Maybe we could order some food in, put on a movie, and—

As I unlock the door, and step inside, I find a skinny brown envelope sitting on the mat, with my name printed in black marker on the front.

I stop dead, a shiver of unease trickling down my spine.

I pick it up slowly. There’s no address or postage mark, which means somebody pushed it through the letterbox by hand.

I glance to the empty street outside, then slam the door firmly, my unease growing.

Who knows I’m staying here?

I remember what happened in Oxford, hearing that stranger noise in the night, and the chilling feeling that I was being watched. Not to mention the man who attacked me, to warn me off investigating the Blackthorn Society.

No, it’s probably nothing, I tell myself. Something from Imogen, or Hugh at the Foundation.

Hand-delivered?

I walk slowly through to the kitchen, bracing myself. A part of me wants to just toss it away without reading it, but my curiosity is too strong for that. I take a deep breath and tear the envelope open. There’s a single page of cheap white paper inside, with a line of typed text:

You don’t know what you’re dealing with. Stop asking questions, before it’s too late.

I read it, then read it again.

Too late for what?

Suddenly, there’s the sound of key in the door. I startle, whirling around with my heart in my throat, before I see it’s Saint, just arriving back from work.

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” he greets me from down the hallway with an affectionate smile. “It felt like this day would never end. How about you? How was your day?”

He pauses by the door to strip off his jacket and take out his wallet. In a split-second, I decide:

I can’t tell him about the note.

He’d only worry, and maybe even want me to drop the investigation completely. But I’ve come too far to back down now; not when we’re finally closing in on the right suspects.

“Fine!” I blurt, quickly tearing it up, and crumpling the pieces into the recycling can. I shove the envelope on top, pressing them both down and out of sight beneath some junk mail. “Good. I saw Imogen, and your brother, too.”

“A regular family reunion.” Saint strolls into the room and pulls me into a warm hug. “While I was stuck entertaining a room of accountants all day. If you want a joke about standard deviation, just let me know,” he adds with a smirk. “I’m an expert in maths puns now.”

I force a smile, even though my heart is still pounding. “There’s nothing standard about your deviant behavior,” I joke, and he laughs.

“See? You’re a natural, you’d fit right in.” Saint drops a casual kiss on my lips, then steps back. “Thai food? Ramen? What do you think? You’re going to need your energy,” he says, giving me a wicked smile. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten you deserve a spanking, I was hard as a fucking rock all morning after your texts.”

I exhale, trying to forget about the crumpled paper just a few feet away from us.It makes no difference, I tell myself firmly. I’ve known the risks in hunting Wren’s attacker.

There’s nothing they can throw at me that could make me stop now.

And if they’re getting worried, enough to send this threatening note and try and warn me off my quest?

That just means I’m getting close.

Chapter13

Saint