"Let me guess. Is it that maniac you’re keeping in the castle?"
"Lan Singh, curiosity killed the cat, understand?"
William Guillen paused, then burst into loud laughter, clapping his hands. "Great! Threatening your brother over a woman. Thomas, you’ve got guts!"
Thomas Shannon frowned slightly, his voice tinged with a hint of impatience. "What’s the matter?"
"Did you swallow dynamite or something?" William Guillen rarely saw him so agitated.
"Or are you just sexually frustrated?"
"William Guillen, are you asking for it?" Thomas Shannon slammed the table, his handsome face filled with impatience.
His deep eyes flickered with two clusters of burning flames.
William Guillen watched his furious expression and laughed fearlessly.
Raising his wine glass, he smiled slightly. "Let’s drink."
Thomas Shannon didn’t even look at him, picking up his glass and downing it in one gulp.
The crimson wine slid past his thin lips, his sexy throat bobbing as he swallowed.
Putting down the goblet, he walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Beneath him lay the bustling and brilliant night view of Imperial City.
William Guillen drank until he was slightly tipsy, then picked up his wine glass and staggered to Thomas Shannon’s side. "Three days from now is the Zane Family’s daughter’s birthday banquet. You attend on my behalf."
"Zane Family?" Thomas Shannon frowned slightly. "Which Zane Family?"
William Guillen took a sip of red wine, the name lingering on his tongue before he slowly said, "Fluffy Zane."
"Whoever provoked her should handle it themselves."
Thomas Shannon wasn’t in the habit of cleaning up other people’s messes.
"Thomas, are you just going to stand by and watch me die?"
If I don’t go, Thomas Shannon is the best choice for an escort.
"I’m not interested in those messy women."
Thomas Shannon gave him a cold glance and returned to sit down on the sofa.
His long legs were comfortably propped up.
He took out a cigarette with one hand, placed it between his lips, and slowly lit it with a lighter.
Messy women? William Guillen laughed. "Thomas, isn’t that maniac a messy woman? She’s even of unknown origin."
Thomas Shannon took a deep drag from his cigarette. Is the maniac of unknown origin?
It seemed so. A maniac from the asylum.
The corner of Thomas Shannon’s lips curved slightly. "I’m afraid if I attend for you, there’ll be no role left for you to play."
William Guillen chuckled. "If Fluffy Zane took a liking to you, that would be perfect. It would solve a huge problem for me."
Just drinking was getting quite dull.
Thomas Shannon suggested they go down to the casino to play a few rounds. William Guillen raised an eyebrow. "My thoughts exactly."
Sophie Sullivan had gone to bed early to rest.
Her body hadn’t recovered after her fever had subsided.
In her deep sleep, she was trapped in a nightmare.
In the dream, there was a horrifying ocean of blood, its scarlet color blinding.
She crawled slowly on the ground, using every bit of her strength to struggle towards the bright exit.
Footsteps approached from behind, as terrifying as a demon come to reap her soul.
Each thudding step seemed to crush her heart.
She sped up in panic, subconsciously knowing that the person behind her wanted to kill her.
Sophie Sullivan was drenched in cold sweat, trapped in the nightmare. Her hands gripped the silk quilt so tightly that blue veins stood out on their backs, and her knuckles turned a stark white from the strain.
She screamed and suddenly sat up.
Waking from the nightmare, Sophie Sullivan was dazed, unsure even of what night it was.