a mistake in allowing
the strangers into her house. “Mr. Cunningham, please,” she said
weakly. “I don’t know how we wronged you, but Chantay is not to
blame.”
It was highly unlikely that Byron would listen to anything she
said. Clearly, the Cunninghams were furious on Layton’s behalf. But
Preston’s mate was intent on keeping his word.
“Father, please,” Layton said. “Mr. Arceneau is right. It’s not his
son’s fault.”
“No, it’s not,” Byron replied. “But I’d just love to see how he
feels when his offspring suffers.”
“Byron.” Skylar’s voice was barely audible. “Let’s hear him out
first, okay?”
If there was anyone on the world that could influence Byron, it
was Skylar. Indeed, Byron seemed to calm down a bit. He released
78
Scarlet Hyacinth
Chantay, and Preston half expected the young man to take heed of his father’s warning and rush off. He didn’t. Instead, he glowered at the gathering. “What in the world is going on? Who are you people?
Rhys, who did you bring here?”
He actually sounded hurt, and Preston didn’t envy the incubus. He
wondered what he’d have done had he been in Rhys’s position.
Would he have risked it all to help Layton, who was, in a way, a
stranger? He didn’t know. In many ways, incubi were still a mystery
to him.
“I think you should explain, Father,” Rhys said. “And no one is
going to be harmed, as long as you cooperate. I have Layton’s word
on that.”
Romaine didn’t seem convinced, but when Byron released him, he
no longer looked so panicked. He took a seat as far away from
Preston’s group as he could, and his mate and son plopped down next
to him.
The incubus stole a look toward his family. “I don’t want Chantay
to hear this.”
“Too bad,” Morgan offered. “He deserves to know.”
Preston was growing irritated. They’d been understanding enough
with the incubus. Preston had no intention of hurting the man’s
family, but he wanted to find out who was behind the spell. He very
much doubted Romaine would have any personal interest in hurting
the Cunninghams.
“Just talk already,” he said. “We’ve been patient enough. Why did
you cast a spell on my mate? What do you have against him?”
The blunt questions made Romaine wince again. For his part,
Chantay looked shocked, but Preston could no longer bring himself to care about this family’s sensibilities.
“It was never about Layton,” Romaine finally said. “The fact that
the spell was on him turned out to be just a bonus.” When Byron
tensed, ready for attack, the incubus hastily added, “Not for me. For the people who hired me.”
The Seahorse Who Loved the Wrong Lynx
79
“Who hired you?” Garth asked softly. “And if it wasn’t about
Layton, what was it about?”
“About you and your family.” Romaine’s gaze went to Preston.
“Do you really think it’s a coincidence that your mate fell in love with your brother? It was engineered to be that way.”
Preston gaped at the man. “But why?”
“To hurt you. To hurt your brother. Layton would always be
between you two, and it was only a matter of time until you’d be at
each other’s throats. At one point, you might not have been able to
control your beast, and you could have even killed your own brother.”
“I’d never do that,” Preston shot back.
“Oh, no?” Romaine arched a brow. “What if you saw them
together, every day? What if you felt them fucking, every night? You might not do it now, but that sort of thing can drive a shifter crazy.”
Preston remembered how he’d felt when Layton had kissed
Corbin. It had been only a kiss, and still, it had angered him so much, made him so nauseous. Just the idea of Layton sleeping with Corbin
urged his beast to attack.
Thankfully, Layton was there. He pressed closer to Preston, and
his presence gave Preston a measure of calm.
“Who was it?” Nicolas finally asked. “Who did
the strangers into her house. “Mr. Cunningham, please,” she said
weakly. “I don’t know how we wronged you, but Chantay is not to
blame.”
It was highly unlikely that Byron would listen to anything she
said. Clearly, the Cunninghams were furious on Layton’s behalf. But
Preston’s mate was intent on keeping his word.
“Father, please,” Layton said. “Mr. Arceneau is right. It’s not his
son’s fault.”
“No, it’s not,” Byron replied. “But I’d just love to see how he
feels when his offspring suffers.”
“Byron.” Skylar’s voice was barely audible. “Let’s hear him out
first, okay?”
If there was anyone on the world that could influence Byron, it
was Skylar. Indeed, Byron seemed to calm down a bit. He released
78
Scarlet Hyacinth
Chantay, and Preston half expected the young man to take heed of his father’s warning and rush off. He didn’t. Instead, he glowered at the gathering. “What in the world is going on? Who are you people?
Rhys, who did you bring here?”
He actually sounded hurt, and Preston didn’t envy the incubus. He
wondered what he’d have done had he been in Rhys’s position.
Would he have risked it all to help Layton, who was, in a way, a
stranger? He didn’t know. In many ways, incubi were still a mystery
to him.
“I think you should explain, Father,” Rhys said. “And no one is
going to be harmed, as long as you cooperate. I have Layton’s word
on that.”
Romaine didn’t seem convinced, but when Byron released him, he
no longer looked so panicked. He took a seat as far away from
Preston’s group as he could, and his mate and son plopped down next
to him.
The incubus stole a look toward his family. “I don’t want Chantay
to hear this.”
“Too bad,” Morgan offered. “He deserves to know.”
Preston was growing irritated. They’d been understanding enough
with the incubus. Preston had no intention of hurting the man’s
family, but he wanted to find out who was behind the spell. He very
much doubted Romaine would have any personal interest in hurting
the Cunninghams.
“Just talk already,” he said. “We’ve been patient enough. Why did
you cast a spell on my mate? What do you have against him?”
The blunt questions made Romaine wince again. For his part,
Chantay looked shocked, but Preston could no longer bring himself to care about this family’s sensibilities.
“It was never about Layton,” Romaine finally said. “The fact that
the spell was on him turned out to be just a bonus.” When Byron
tensed, ready for attack, the incubus hastily added, “Not for me. For the people who hired me.”
The Seahorse Who Loved the Wrong Lynx
79
“Who hired you?” Garth asked softly. “And if it wasn’t about
Layton, what was it about?”
“About you and your family.” Romaine’s gaze went to Preston.
“Do you really think it’s a coincidence that your mate fell in love with your brother? It was engineered to be that way.”
Preston gaped at the man. “But why?”
“To hurt you. To hurt your brother. Layton would always be
between you two, and it was only a matter of time until you’d be at
each other’s throats. At one point, you might not have been able to
control your beast, and you could have even killed your own brother.”
“I’d never do that,” Preston shot back.
“Oh, no?” Romaine arched a brow. “What if you saw them
together, every day? What if you felt them fucking, every night? You might not do it now, but that sort of thing can drive a shifter crazy.”
Preston remembered how he’d felt when Layton had kissed
Corbin. It had been only a kiss, and still, it had angered him so much, made him so nauseous. Just the idea of Layton sleeping with Corbin
urged his beast to attack.
Thankfully, Layton was there. He pressed closer to Preston, and
his presence gave Preston a measure of calm.
“Who was it?” Nicolas finally asked. “Who did
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