Hull walked in from the cold, shaking the snow off his boots, and saw Finley pacing like a cat on a hot tin roof, talking rapidly to Ste. Ronald''s face was as dark as a thundercloud.
Hull unwound the scarf from his neck and said with a smirk, "Keep yapping, and you might just talk yourself into a stitch-up."
He tossed his coat to the butler waiting nearby. With his striking features and gold-rimmed sses, Hull looked every bit the part of a stern intellectual. But the moment he spoke, his yful demeanor shattered that illusion. Finley shot him a re. "Easy for you to say-it''s not your sister, so why worry?"
Hull raised an eyebrow. "Your sister?"
Finley spluttered and fell silent, unable to retort.
"Skye? She''s got a wild streak, huh?" Hull chuckled, already up to speed with the buzz about Skye arriving in Portis City, and with Yvonne''s crew no less.
Yvonne had just been dragged back to Ferrond by Ronald''s men, and here Skye was, rolling into town with Yvonne''s entourage. Everyone knew what was up with that.
Finley rubbed his chest as if trying to calm his racing heart.
Hull pped him on the shoulder. "Why can''t they just be rivals? Now they''re working together like sisters."
Finley shook his head. "They''re definitely not sisters."
Skye and Yvonne? Those two had been at each other''s throats for years. No way they''d suddenly be besties.
Hull pressed on, "So why''s Skye dragging Yvonne''s people here?"
Finley was stumped, words failing him.
How was he supposed to know? He''d been stuck in Portis City with Ronald all this time,pletely out of loop about whatever drama was unfolding back in Ferrond.
How did Skye and Yvonne end up tangled together? It used to be a miracle if they didn''t fight when they met, how could they possibly be sisters?
Finley felt a headacheing on.
"Star," he finally said, turning to Ste for help.
Ronald had a soft spot for Ste, and he never seemed to say no to her.
Ste sighed, clearly feeling Finley''s distress. She tugged on Ronald''s sleeve, looking up at him with those big eyes.
"What is it?" Ronald asked, ncing down at her.
Ste suggested, "When you find Skye, just send her back home, okay?"
She couldn''t bear to see Finley so worked up after all their years of friendship.
Finley felt a weight lift off his chest when Ste finally spoke up for him.
Ronald raised an eyebrow and leaned in close, his voice a low whisper as he spoke directly into Ste''s ear, "You know, Star, asking favors usuallyes with a price." en
Ste blinked, confused. "What?"
Ronald''s words wereced with a teasing undertone that made Ste blush.
Finley and Hull stood a few paces away, quiet words, but Finley could see the glint of mischief in Ronald''s eyes as he whispered.
wordable to catch Ronald''s
He couldn''t help but feel a jolt in the corner of his eye. What was he saying to Ste?
Especially Ste, why was she blushing?
Ste, flustered, stammered, "Just... just don''t hurt anyone, okay?"
She was reminded of Jaxon''s fate and shivered. She didn''t want Ronald to treat his close ones like that.
If Ronald ever turned on his people, it would only be because they had seriously crossed a line.
Before Ronald could respond, Ste''s phone buzzed in her pocket.
It was an unknown number, and she ignored it, only for it to start ringing again immediately.
"I''ll take this upstairs," she said, eager to escape the tense atmosphere.
She hurried off to answer the call, leaving the room''s tension behind.
Ronald cast a sidelong nce at Finley but didn''t say a word. Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Yvonne.
"Hey," Yvonne answered quickly.
"Why''s Skye bringing your crew to Portis City?" Ronald asked, his tone leaving no room for nonsense.
Silence stretched across the line.
Ronald''s stern voice rattled Yvonne, even making her breath hitch for a moment.
Yvonne had always been a handful more like a rambunctious tomboy than a sister, and Ronald often found himself at his wit''s end with her.