Her Wicked White: Dark Duke’s Legacy by Tammy Andresen

Author:Tammy Andresen [Andresen, Tammy]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Nine

Chloe woke to the sound of several voices filtering up the stairs. After ringing the bell cord for help, she quickly dressed and pinned her hair, then made her way down to the drawing room to see what all the fuss was about.

Her question was quickly answered.

Standing side by side were Ben and his brother Dez. Millie and Esme sat on opposing settees. A silence had fallen about the room as the two men glared at one another.

“Good morning,” she murmured dropping into a curtsy as she looked to Millie, her brows raised in question.

“Good morning,” her friend replied, her eyes rolling as she spread her skirts wider. “Would you please tell my brothers not to kill each other?”

Chloe pursed her lips. Drawing in a long breath through her nose, she cleared her throat. “Millie, dear. I really feel like that advice would be better coming from you.”

Esme smiled at her, shaking her head. “You’re right not to get between arguing Whites.”

Millie sniffed. “I’ve already tried. They’re not listening to me.”

“Cease discussing us as though we’re not in the room,” Ben growled.

“I agree,” Dez said, glaring at his brother.

“Finally,” Millie said, rising. “They agree on something. My wrongness, of course. But it’s something.”

That made Chloe smile just as she understood that Millie hoped for someone to moderate the White reunion. Chloe shook her head a little. There wasn’t enough money in the world to make her get between the arguing brothers. “I’m sure they agree on a good many topics.”

“Such as?” Ben said as he started toward her.

She took another cleansing breath. Had she gotten herself involved even without trying? “I couldn’t begin to say.”

“Why not?” Dez crossed his arms glaring toward her. “You’ve been around long enough.”

“Have I?” she asked as Ben reached her side. He didn’t touch her, but his look held such heat and intensity, he might as well have put his arm about her. Her own body shivered in response.

“You know our father was a complete ass,” Dez added, his gaze travelling between her and Ben.

“True,” she answered, her hands folding together. She’d not add anything more.

“And you know we both want the best for Millie,” Ben added.

Chloe saw Millie purse her lips. “Of course, you do.”

“But there are also several points on which we disagree.” Dez stood straighter. “For example, I do not feel it’s appropriate to bring the rest of our brothers here.”

Chloe began to understand the outlines of the conversation that had happened before she’d arrived and why she’d woken to voices. Those voices had been yelling.

Ben raked a hand through his hair as he spoke, his words clipped. “He’s tied our inheritance into a family reunion and that benefits everyone. While I agree, it was a final manipulation on his part, in a relationship full of deviant influence, you can’t deny it would help everyone here.”

Dez scowled. “You don’t know he’s actually going to give us anything. This could very well be a trick or a trap. Like his ‘inheritance’ is the lesson to only rely on ourselves and not expect anyone to give us money.

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