The Underdog Son-in-law

008

 The change in her expression was subtle, but not enough to miss. Her jaw tightened. Her grip on her clutch stiffened.

Edrin's being shifted seeing such a stunning lady beside Caelen and almost melted.

She crossed the distance quickly.

“You’re enjoying yourself,” Lyra said, her voice controlled but edged. “We’re not even divorced yet.”

Caelen looked at her calmly. “You made your position clear.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to parade around like this,” she replied, eyes flicking again to the woman beside him. “Not with her.”

Seraphine was her mortal enemy. She didn't care who Caelen was with but anyone but her. It caused her stomach to chun painfully.

Caelen’s reply came without heat. “You don’t get to decide that anymore.”

They landed harder than she expected.

Lyra’s lips pressed together. Anger flooding her vines. 

“So this is what you’re doing now,” Lyra said coolly. “Using him to provoke me?”

"Don't flatter yourself, if I wanted to provoke you you would know."

"I'm just naturally drawn to such a delicate young man," she stepped further to dig her hands into his, Edrin and Lyra almost died.

"You're making a terrible mistake, beauty, the only thing that he would do is drag you down with him!"

"As long as I am with him, I don't care!"

Lyra puffed with controlled rage.

Lyra watched the exchange closely, irritation flickering beneath her composure. “You’re embarrassing yourself,” she said sharply to Caelen. “And you’re embarrassing me.”

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “I won’t protect you from the consequences this time.”

Caelen inclined his head slightly. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”

"Fine," she stomped

As the groups separated, the Seraphine leaned in close to Lyra as they passed.

“I should thank you. If you didn't leave him I would not stand a chance."

She winked at Edrin and his skin bristled. He could only imagine that she liked him and was sending him signals.

Lyra stopped short, her shoulders stiffening and bee breath caught.

By the time she turned back, the woman was already walking away.

"He's such a fool, desperate and allowing himself to be used!" She mused.

"Yes!" Edrin reckoned.

Seraphine was only using Caelin and when she was done, he would have her.

He was going to move the chess piece a bit at a time. Get hold of Lyra and her assets and then go for Seraphine. A smile tugged his lips imagining an Harem with the two ladies, he was going to be the most pierced man in the world.

A man approached Lyra openly, his presence jarring against the refined restraint of the room. His suit was expensive but worn too casually, confidence bordering on disrespect. He smiled broadly, eyes lingering longer than necessary.

“You look like someone worth knowing,” he said. “Give me your number, maybe we could run tights together tonight."

Lyra stiffened and then frowned. 

"Sorry, but I don't like strangers!"

He didn’t move away.

“I wasn’t asking,” he replied, tone light but insistent. “I’m someone you should think twice before bending to my wish!"

Before she could respond, Edrin stepped forward.

“You should leave,” he said sharply.

The man laughed. “And who are you?”

"I'm Edrin Vox, heir of the Box!"

Edrin answered by slapping him.

The sound cracked through the hall, sharp and unmistakable.

The room recoiled.

Security hesitated. Guests gasped. Someone laughed nervously, mistaking the violence for dominance rather than disaster.

The man staggered back a step, eyes narrowing. He didn’t retaliate. He didn’t speak.

He simply smiled once, wiped the corner of his mouth, and walked away.

People turned toward Edrin immediately.

“Bold move.”

"Only Edrin Vox could pull that!"

Edrin straightened, basking briefly in the attention. He glanced around, his gaze flicking toward Caelen’s position across the hall, satisfied that he’d once again placed himself at the center.

The doors opened again.

The man returned.

This time, he wasn’t alone.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop as the second figure stepped in beside him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed simply in dark clothing that carried no ornament and required none. His presence bent the atmosphere around him without effort.

Varek Nox.

He walked forward calmly, eyes sweeping the hall once before settling on Edrin. There was no anger in his expression. No urgency. Only interest.

Varek stopped a few feet away.

“That was my man,” he said quietly.

The room suddenly felt very small.

Edrin opened his mouth and everyone in the hall froze.