Page 59 of Wicked Queen

Laughter caught my ears as soon as we opened the door. The small interior courtyard contained a colorful variety of exotic plants. It had its own gardener who specialized in each species’ particular needs. I loved to walk through it, but after tonight it would never be the same.

Not after seeing Sarah pressed against an exterior wall and Jonathan’s pants around his ankles. Between the leafy plumage around them and the sounds they were making, I almost thought I’d stepped into the jungle.

“Should we…” Brex began in a low voice.

“Let them finish?” I shrugged, not bothering to afford the same courtesy. “I don’t think they care either way.”

“Bloody hell,” Sarah yelped, pushing Jonathan off her and shoving at her skirt. He stumbled, nearly tripping over his pants as he tried to pull them up.

“Party’s over,” I informed her.

“Just because you’re too stodgy to do something like—”

I held up a hand to stop her. If she thought Alexander and I hadn’t done the very same in the courtyard and every room of the house, she clearly needed to catch up on her palace gossip. “Let’s go.” I swished a finger in the air. “Collect your panties and your dignity.”

“What is going on?” Alexander’s deep voice boomed through the quiet courtyard and everyone stilled.

“Brilliant,” I muttered, shooting Sarah a look that told her to shut up. “I was just telling Sarah that it was time for her friends to leave.”

I rounded on my husband and grabbed his sleeve, hoping to drag him out before he saw who Sarah was with.

“What is wrong with everyone?” Sarah whined. “I haven’t been shagged in ten years. A girl has needs.”

“You…what…who?” Alexander was already near the point of an aneurysm, so I continued my futile attempt to remove him from the situation. It was too late. He looked around, his eyes landing on Jonathan Thompson. “You.”

I wasn’t Jonathan’s biggest fan, either. He’d completely screwed over Belle at university, and he’d proven to be a first-class wanker at every opportunity. But Alexander hated him and he had good reason. Jonathan had been the one to give Sarah drugs the night of the accident.

“How dare you set foot here? And touch my sister—after what you did?” Alexander roared.

“Help,” I called to Brex. He came and took Alexander’s other arm but paused when Alexander continued.

“You drugged her. She nearly died. She lost ten years of her life and you come into this house and fuck her?

Brex dropped his hold on Alexander’s arm with a look that said he was about to go get the shovels.

“Stop this,” I demanded. “Jonathan is leaving.”

“He is not.” Sarah planted her hands on her hips. “You two might not be friends anymore, but newsflash, I took the drugs. So it’s up to me if I want him to stay—and I do!”

“There you are!” Edward called striding out to join and skidding to a stop.

“Gang’s all here,” Sarah muttered, crossing her thin arms over her chest.

“You look like a women but the second you speak—” Alexander started.

“X!” I grabbed his chin and forced him to look to me. “I need you to leave and let us handle this.”

His eyes burned into me, muscles ticking along his strong jaw. I didn’t know if he was more offended by the challenge to his authority or the situation.

Before I could convince him, Jonathan stepped closer to us. He’d taken off his jacket and he was rolling up his sleeves.

“Let him go, Clara. It’s time we dealt with this.” He flexed his wrist.

“You need to leave.” Brex moved toward Jonathan, but Alexander shook his head.

“The last time I kicked your ass wasn’t enough?” he said to his old friend. “Maybe you like getting knocked around.”

“I’ve never tried it. What does your wife think of it?” Jonathan taunted.