Enemy Mine

Chapter 70

Time was not on our side, and the first thing I did was call Julie in the HR department of MegaManhattan Magazine to push my scheduled visit to Friday, citing a family emergency, which was completely true. I was planning to attend a hearing implicating my father in two murders, but I didn't tell her that.

I packed for our trip in record time, and we made our six o'clock flight with ten minutes to spare, arriving in Verona after a long, grueling journey. Upon touchdown, I called the delivery company in charge of my wedding dress and made sure it was on its way from Milan to Verona. Vincent and I were chauffeured to Adamo Ricci's home and given the lover's suite again. Terrance informed us, with a slightly upturned nose, that the high magister would not see us until we left for the hearing.

"What is that guy's deal?" I asked Vincent as we relaxed on the heavily-embellished four poster bed. "He acts like we're pond scum. Or is it just me he hates?"

"It's not just you," Vincent said as he arranged his hands behind his head. "Terrance is very protective of Adamo."

"You mean he has the hots for Adamo? That much is obvious, but why take it out on us? We're no threat to him."

"We're a distraction and he's a petty man." Vincent closed his eyes, preparing for a nap, so I did the same next to him, arranging my foot so it touched his. "You don't have to stop talking," he said.

"Okay." I tried to relax. I really did. The flight had been long and complicated, and my body felt exhausted despite all the sitting and waiting, but my mind would not stop running scenarios by me for analysis. "So, tomorrow Boris gives up his magister crown to Caleb," I said. "And since he and his son will be here for that, Boris invited himself onto the jury for today's hearing. What's with that?"

"It's a gross perversion of the judicial process," Vincent offered calmly, his eyes still closed. "At least we won't have to deal with Boris staying here. He's bunking at a hotel with another jury member, Stanhope. An annoying little turd."

Being a gollum, I figured there was nothing little about Stanhope, but I left Vincent's comment alone, and after a few minutes, he opened his eyes and caught me in their cool, hypnotic depths.

"Reese, I need to tell you something. I didn't want you to stress about it on the trip over, but now that we're here, you need to know."

"Oh, crap. What is it?"

"Deidra will be joining Marco at the hearing. He's bringing her in as his character witness. She also wanted to submit her petition to mate with me in person."

Ugh.

I threw my arm over my forehead and sighed up at the billowy canopy over our heads. "You're right. I would have stressed about it on the trip over. And I suppose they'll both be staying with Magister Ricci tonight?"

"That, I don't know." Vincent's phone chimed with a text, and he scowled as he read the message. "Apparently, our surprise witness ended up on the same flight with Marco and Deidra. Joseph just informed me that he's worried his journey to the hearing will be sabotaged."

Vincent typed in a return message as I read over his shoulder.

Take public transport if you're worried. Just get yourself to the hearing on time.

When the time of our hearing approached, the snooty houseman arrived at our door and led us into a hallway to await Magister Ricci. Abandoned next to a curio cabinet filled with antiquities, Vincent and I were drawn by the light of a yellow bulb to study the curious collection inside. Various relics had been precisely arranged on faded velvet fabric, and we spent a few minutes inspecting the pieces.