Captive: Hopeless

Chapter 23 - Scandal

"Do you need another chaperone? Someone a little less contentious?" Claudia asked, smiling, and Kay realized that she must have overheard or been told.

Claudia spoke of Darcy with a certain fondness that Kay had not noticed before in their limited interactions.

It was odd that the werewolf was so accepting of her father's choices but even stranger that she was so welcoming of Kay and the consequences of her presence.

"I am fine," Kay answered, and Claudia nodded thoughtfully. It might seem like she was reprimanding them from a distance, but her eyes were full of laughter and concern. Even though she was worried about Kay's feelings, it didn't prevent her from finding Darcy's stunt amusing.

"Father says needling is acceptable as long as you don't use a spear." Claudia gave the message with a mysterious grin that made it clear there was more to the story, but she wasn't going to tell.

Darcy raised one perfectly plucked brow.

"Yes, oh beta, should I write the mayor's wife a formal apology?" Darcy jeered, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake.

Claudia's stern expression when she said, "What a great idea, I'll make sure you stick to it," left no room for a response.

"I'd say that was two to nothing."

Darcy briefly glared at Kay, then smirked at her own foolishness.

"Judging from your expression, Claudia once again out-schemed you," Adrian guessed, bringing them drinks.

"I keep forgetting she looks like her father and plots like her mother," Darcy mocked, and Adrian chuckled.

"Mingle, please, and keep it polite," Adrian said, but something caught her attention, and she seemed to forget she was speaking.

A red-headed woman approached them wearing a slutty, expensive, deep blue dress with very high heels, her manner reminding Kay of a jungle cat that spotted prey. A satisfied grin spread across her face as she noticed them watching her.

"So, Adrian, I see your daughter's continuing your little family legacy," from the way she glanced at Darcy and Kay, it was evident she did not speak of the family business.

Adrian imperceptibly stiffened, her expression icy. This was not her favorite person, nor the first time a conversation like this had happened. The lycan queen did not answer her, simply meeting her condescending gaze and keeping it until the woman glanced away.

"Is Marcus a strictly two-woman man, or does he plan to live up to the standards of his father-in-law?" she asked in a stage whisper, and several people glanced in their direction.

Kay almost thought Adrian would slap the human, which would not end well.

Darcy growled low in her throat, but only Kay and Adrian could hear.

"You got it wrong, Mel," where Claudia came from, she had no idea; too focused on the storm about to erupt and trying to think of a way to avert it.

"It's not Marcus; it's me. I am in love with both of them. Daddy decided it would be less scandalous if Marcus had the mistress and not his soon-to-be-wife... and no, I can't guarantee my heart won't stray again, but I am a girl of my word.

"There will be only the three of us, just like my daddy. I'm not good at multitasking, so, unfortunately, there will be none of the three-way orgies you envisioned. Plus, I am like totally territorial, and they know better than to rile me," Claudia said with utter sincerity, and the stunned woman stared at her for a moment as the malice in her gaze tripled. Her mind going a mile a minute as the juicy elixir of soon-to-be scandal sluiced through her veins.

"Don't tell anyone. Thomas might not enjoy learning that you have your eye on Mother and Darcy and fantasize about having them both at the same time. You should be more careful who you play truth or dare with—it's a dangerous game," Claudia's quiet words didn't carry.

Mel froze, and her expression turned glacial. The glow of satisfaction faded, replaced by anger that morphed into embarrassed hatred.

Claudia just made them a dangerous enemy.

"That is a lie," Mel hissed, and Claudia leaned ever so slightly forward like Darius did when he cemented a victory over a foe.

"A lie I have on tape," Claudia whispered.

Only then did Kay realize the strange glow her succubus had seen around Mel earlier was attraction and arousal.

Her glance wandered.

All around the room, she spotted similar auras. The succubus was attracted to those, and even being this close to Mel, it had fed off her energy. It was fascinating and gross, but the woman's growing animosity repelled it.

"Sorry, Mel, both Adrian and I prefer men. We're not interested in dabbling, and Darius is territorial. I would avoid him if I were you," Darcy recovered from her volatile anger in a heartbeat and shifted right back to standard operating Darcy.

"You will get what you deserve, all of you, and I'll be there," the woman hissed and stomped off with a decided lack of grace.

***

"Why bother with a spear when you can use a bamboo pole instead?" Darcy goaded, and Claudia shook her head, grimacing at the idiocy she committed in anger.

"Thank you for defending our honor, daughter mine. Perhaps next time, maybe not at your own expense," Adrian suggested, and Claudia blushed, refusing to look at them.

"Or mine," Kay bit out, not amused by the situation.

"What? Come on, Adrian! That was the perfect setup. She's going to kill herself trying to prove Claudia's like Darius. It will consume her and keep her the hell away from us," Darcy countered with a look of distaste. "She creeps me out."

"Problem here?" Darius asked, joining them, and they glanced at each other.

"No, not anymore," Claudia lied convincingly, taking her father's and leading him away.

He glanced back at his wife, and something in his expression said he did not believe the lie, and Adrian knew it, too.

Claudia, stir, not bulldoze. Newest Version ©2014-2023 All rights reserved. If you find this on any other platform but Wattpad under @CSDreamer, please report it. No part of this book may be copied or reposted without the author's permission.