Page 39 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck
Drest didn’t respond because he’d not been asked a question. Instead, he increased the length of his steps as he continued toward the building. His hope was they’d lose interest and not follow him in.
Farin caught up with him. “We were just in there. They’ve got your sweetheart on the stand.”
That made Drest come to a stop. “My sweetheart?”
Farin snorted. “The Frankenstein girl. Tell me something, how is she in bed?”
Drest grabbed Farin by the shirtfront.
Gil was suddenly there, prying them apart.
With a snort, Farin straightened his shirt. “Told you he’s sleeping with her.”
Drest had gone above and beyond to stay as far from Rachael as he could since the night the body parts were discovered in the manor. It wasn’t because he wanted to be away from her. No. He wanted to be close to her, but that would have painted a bigger target on her back. The safest thing he could do for her was stay away.
That meant ignoring her calls and timing his visits to the manor with when he knew she wouldn’t be there. The last year and a half had felt like a decade. That’s how slow time seemed to move when he was trying to stay away from her.
So many times over the course of that year and a half he’d nearly given in and gone to her, wanting to hold her. His arms ached for her. It made no sense to him. They’d had one evening together and a heavy make-out session in the wine cellar. It’s not as if he’d actually slept with her. That didn’t seem to matter.
She consumed his thoughts and controlled his actions.
Like now, attacking Farin for daring to talk about her the way he had. Drest glared at Farin. “I’m not sleeping with her.”
But I want to be.
He kept that part to himself.
Farin narrowed his gaze on Drest. “That’s not what Nile said.”
He’d been talking to Nile?
Gil stared between the men.
Drest snorted. “Yeah, take the word of a guy who hacks up dead bodies and hangs body parts around his workshop like they’re Christmas ornaments. Seems like a credible witness.”
“He says you’re sticking it to his niece,” said Farin. “That you were doing her the night shit hit the fan at the manor. Says he walked in on you with her.”
“And you believed him?” asked Drest, hoping he could create doubt in their minds. He didn’t want them gunning for Rachael.
“I do,” said Farin proudly.
“Did you talk to the rest of the family?” demanded Drest. “What did they have to say?”
Farin glanced away and cleared his throat. “They said he’s lying. That you’re not sleeping with the niece. They can’t stand you. Even Henry’s wife seemed disgusted by you and she seems to like nearly everyone.”
“To be clear then, you’re believing the homicidal nutcase over the rest of the family?” asked Drest, ignoring the bit about the rest of the Frankensteins not liking him.
Gil grunted and grabbed Farin by the shoulder, jerking him back from Drest. “Enough for now.”
“I was just getting started,” said Farin.
Gil snarled. “I said enough.”
Drest pivoted and hurried toward the building, a gnawing at his gut telling him Rachael needed him.
Sadly, Gil and Farin followed along behind him.
ChapterFifteen
