their fathers could be laid to rest with them.
Woodland Creek might finally be free of corruption and organized crime.
“Thank you, Wes,” Avalon said. “I don’t know what else I can say. That is kind of you.”
Wes shook his head. “It’s nothing, really. It’s all yours, free and clear. You can move back in whenever you want.”
“Are you serious?”
“I am.”
Avalon was silent a moment as he seemed to think over what Wes had proposed.
When he looked up at Wes, Wes once again felt an unusual sense of dread. Something about Avalon made him unwary.
He was hiding something.
“You swear that you don’t plan to kill me?”
Wes gave a single nod. “As long as you keep to your side of Woodland Creek and swear to leave my family alone.”
Avalon nodded. “Aye. I can do that. But you have to do something for me.”
“What is that?”
Avalon stood. His face seemed to darken as the light from the flames cast his shadow behind him on the stone walls.
“I’ll leave your family alone, gladly . Just hang yourself from that weeping willow tree in the front of Scarlett Hall.”
Wes’ face paled as he watched Avalon’s expression turn to one of humble gratitude to that of unadulterated hate.
“What?”
Avalon narrowed his eyes into thin slits. “You really think I need anything from you? You’re a petty criminal, a murderer, and I will make you pay for it with blood.”
Wes stood, ready to strike.
“And then I will make that sneaky wife of yours pay as well.”
Wes’ mouth twitched at the mention of Olivia. He was seconds away from tearing Avalon apart.
“Was I supposed to let it go that your father killed mine?”
Avalon shrugged. “Was I supposed to let it go that you felt the need to do the same to my brothers?”
Wes balled up his fist. This was not how he imagined this meeting going at all.
He contemplated killing Avalon right there where he stood. All he needed was to lift a finger and blast him out the back window.
It would be loud.
Messy.
But it would end this for good.
Avalon saw Wes’ index finger, ready to strike. He ran his hand through his blood-red hair.
“Go ahead and try it, Wes,” Avalon said. “I know all about you and your measly power. But you have no idea what I can do.”
Wes blinked. “What?”
Avalon nodded. “You heard me. I’m not afraid of one wizard .”
Wes’ shoulders tensed.
“I’ll keep Prince Manor for myself then.”
Avalon chuckled. “That’s rich.” He clapped his hands in jest.
The sound infuriated Wes.
“How dare you laugh at my offer? I was being generous.”
Barely a second passed before Avalon flew into Wes, sending such a powerful blow to his chest that his body slid across the floor and crashed into the far stone wall.
It took a moment for Wes to register what had just happened.
Avalon could fly.
Everything stung as Wes pushed himself up to his knees. He coughed.
“You think I need you for anything? You’re weak. Pathetic.”
Avalon seemed to tower over Wes as he struggled to come to his feet. Lights flashed behind his eyes from his head hitting the wall.
“You can keep Prince Manor, Wes Scarlett. I’ve already bought the old Albrecht Mansion. I don’t want to relive those memories from Prince Manor anyway.”
Avalon took a step forward. His eyes narrowed.
Wes resisted the urge to flinch. He lifted his hands and Avalon beat him to it. Avalon sent a gust of wind into Wes’s body, pinning him to the polished marble floor so that he was unable to move his arms or legs.
Wes bucked, trying to sit up. It was useless. His eyes widened in terror.
“What kind of wizard are you?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Avalon knelt down beside Wes’s body. “You weren’t actually going to try to put a spell on me?”
Wes tried to stand. Avalon put a thumb on his forehead.
“No. I didn’t say you could get up.”
A jolt shocked Wes’ body at the touch of Avalon’s thumb to his flesh.
“What are you doing?
Woodland Creek might finally be free of corruption and organized crime.
“Thank you, Wes,” Avalon said. “I don’t know what else I can say. That is kind of you.”
Wes shook his head. “It’s nothing, really. It’s all yours, free and clear. You can move back in whenever you want.”
“Are you serious?”
“I am.”
Avalon was silent a moment as he seemed to think over what Wes had proposed.
When he looked up at Wes, Wes once again felt an unusual sense of dread. Something about Avalon made him unwary.
He was hiding something.
“You swear that you don’t plan to kill me?”
Wes gave a single nod. “As long as you keep to your side of Woodland Creek and swear to leave my family alone.”
Avalon nodded. “Aye. I can do that. But you have to do something for me.”
“What is that?”
Avalon stood. His face seemed to darken as the light from the flames cast his shadow behind him on the stone walls.
“I’ll leave your family alone, gladly . Just hang yourself from that weeping willow tree in the front of Scarlett Hall.”
Wes’ face paled as he watched Avalon’s expression turn to one of humble gratitude to that of unadulterated hate.
“What?”
Avalon narrowed his eyes into thin slits. “You really think I need anything from you? You’re a petty criminal, a murderer, and I will make you pay for it with blood.”
Wes stood, ready to strike.
“And then I will make that sneaky wife of yours pay as well.”
Wes’ mouth twitched at the mention of Olivia. He was seconds away from tearing Avalon apart.
“Was I supposed to let it go that your father killed mine?”
Avalon shrugged. “Was I supposed to let it go that you felt the need to do the same to my brothers?”
Wes balled up his fist. This was not how he imagined this meeting going at all.
He contemplated killing Avalon right there where he stood. All he needed was to lift a finger and blast him out the back window.
It would be loud.
Messy.
But it would end this for good.
Avalon saw Wes’ index finger, ready to strike. He ran his hand through his blood-red hair.
“Go ahead and try it, Wes,” Avalon said. “I know all about you and your measly power. But you have no idea what I can do.”
Wes blinked. “What?”
Avalon nodded. “You heard me. I’m not afraid of one wizard .”
Wes’ shoulders tensed.
“I’ll keep Prince Manor for myself then.”
Avalon chuckled. “That’s rich.” He clapped his hands in jest.
The sound infuriated Wes.
“How dare you laugh at my offer? I was being generous.”
Barely a second passed before Avalon flew into Wes, sending such a powerful blow to his chest that his body slid across the floor and crashed into the far stone wall.
It took a moment for Wes to register what had just happened.
Avalon could fly.
Everything stung as Wes pushed himself up to his knees. He coughed.
“You think I need you for anything? You’re weak. Pathetic.”
Avalon seemed to tower over Wes as he struggled to come to his feet. Lights flashed behind his eyes from his head hitting the wall.
“You can keep Prince Manor, Wes Scarlett. I’ve already bought the old Albrecht Mansion. I don’t want to relive those memories from Prince Manor anyway.”
Avalon took a step forward. His eyes narrowed.
Wes resisted the urge to flinch. He lifted his hands and Avalon beat him to it. Avalon sent a gust of wind into Wes’s body, pinning him to the polished marble floor so that he was unable to move his arms or legs.
Wes bucked, trying to sit up. It was useless. His eyes widened in terror.
“What kind of wizard are you?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Avalon knelt down beside Wes’s body. “You weren’t actually going to try to put a spell on me?”
Wes tried to stand. Avalon put a thumb on his forehead.
“No. I didn’t say you could get up.”
A jolt shocked Wes’ body at the touch of Avalon’s thumb to his flesh.
“What are you doing?
Similar Books
