"And you went to Finley for this?" Ronald''s voice cut through the room, sharp with disbelief.


    Ste nodded. "Yeah. What else would I need help with?"


    Ronald just stared at her.


    Annoyed, Ste tugged on his sleeve, lips pinched in a pout. “Why are you looking at me like that?"


    He raised an eyebrow. "How did you know Skye was in Yornd?"


    "Finley told me," she replied.


    "And why would he tell you that?"


    “He said that with Skye watching over Tegan, she''d be much safer.”


    Silence settled between them, thick and uneasy. Ronald just kept staring at her, unreadable. She stared back with those wide, pleading eyes, growing more anxious under his gaze.


    "What is it? Don''t look at me like that," she muttered.


    "So let me get this straight-Finley told you Skye was in Yornd, could protect Tegan, and then you went begging him for help?" Ronald pressed.


    "I asked him myself! I only wanted him to call Skye for me since I barely know her," Ste protested.


    "You..." Ronald let out a slow sigh, shaking his head. Her logic amazed him sometimes. How had she survived all those years in Portis City with that kind of thinking? He reached over and gently pinched her cheek. “He should be the one begging favors from you."


    That Finley... Clearly, he hadn''t learned his lessonst time.


    Upstairs in the study, Finley was pacing restlessly, anxious as a cat in a


    thunderstorm. He was terrified Ste would spill everything to Ronald. He could only hope-please-that girl had enough sense to keep her mouth shut.


    But that hope was dashed in an instant. Since her pregnancy, Ste''s shrewdness had all but disappeared.


    When Ronald strode into the study, his look was enough to make Finley''s nerves snap tight. He met Ronald''s eyes and swallowed hard. "What-what is it?"


    "What do you think?" Ronald''s voice was low and dangerous.


    I''m dead, Finley thought to himself Star couldn''t keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. She''d thrown him to the wolves without a second thought.


    Ronald doted on his girl-like hell he''d let someone else make her beg for anything.


    His own neck still ached from that earlier grip.


    "I didn''t do anything!" Finley protested.


    “And you like having her beg you for help?" Ronald''s tone was ice.


    Finley winced, wishing he could bang his head against the nearest wall. “She insisted, not me! I didn''t ask her to!"


    Suddenly, something heavy hurtled through the air toward him. Instinct took over and he ducked-a sharp thud rang out as it hit the wall behind him. If he hadn''t moved he was sure he''d be sporting a massive welt right now.


    Finley looked up, flustered to the point of tears. "It''s true! I didn''t put her up to anything!"


    Ronald scoffed, lips curling in a biting smirk. "You think I don''t see through your little game?"


    Finley fell silent.


    "You''ve got your eye on Tegan, haven''t you?" Ronald said bluntly. When it came to feelings, he loathed pussyfooting around.


    The words hit Finley like a brick. He froze, ncing away in embarrassment. "N-no, that''s not—I mean—"


    “Take a lesson from Hull,” Ronald said, without missing a beat, steamrolling right over Finley''s protest.


    That stopped Finley short. "What...?"


    "Hull and Susanna barely know each other, and they''re already living together." Ronald''s voice was t.


    "What?" Finley gawked, stunned. Hull? Living together-with Susanna?


    That made zero sense. Hull was a walking cier when it came to women. How did he manage


    avel


    sweep a woman off her feet so fast?


    just defied logic


    fo