The Dire Choice (Otherworld Series #7)

Chapter 19- Shaw/ Ben.

---The Present---

Bradshaw reached the Lancaster Mansion at 11:00 Am. He was shown right to the foyer by a impeccably dressed butler.

Who even has a butler now-a-days?

The Lancasters were all for showing their money, apparently. Even their mansion, styled with vines that climbed to the windows, pale and beautiful, with acres and acres of colour-co-ordinated flowers, ranging from lilies to chrysanthemums and roses of all colours. Shaw's mother would have been jealous.

She had been a naturally jealous person. Jealous of the youth of other females of the court, jealous of the jewellery, despite being....high up in the food chain of the Demon Royalty, jealous of Lady Ghormonina, who had been their father's latest acquisition. How materialistic she had been, in the end when the fires conquered the courts, she hadn't been able to save her jewelry, her dresses and her beautiful garden, not even her own life, that had been way more precious that the things she had ran in to save.

Thinking about his mother caused him to broadcast a brooding expression that Benjamin was instantly curious of as soon as he spotted him.

The males shook hands, grudgingly. There were now dark circles under Benjamin's eyes, too, it did not make him look any less delectable, however. Shaw was pretty sure he himself looked worse, apparently, neither of them had slept after their last altercation.

"This way. " Ben led him to a posh sitting room, decked out with a few couches and a low coffee table that held a plate of delicious looking cakes and a decent cup of Joe.

Shaw's stomach growled, he blushed hoping that the sound had not been too loud. Benjamin sent him a amused look.

"You can help yourself to some cakes and coffee, our housekeeper is yet to arrive."

Shaw blushed deeper, but did not comment as he poured himself some coffee and helped himself to a piece of cake.

It had been long since he had eaten, he barely ate now-a-days, he was too stressed, too wrapped up in the nightmares that plagued him each night, the call to return home was strong, the urge to see his people stronger.

Benjamin Lancaster silently observes the detective, the little background check on the guy that he had requested a while ago had come up empty as a white slate. No social security number, no parents name, not even an address.

Bradshaw McAllister did not exist in government records.

But after the last time they had met, Benjamin knew better than to question the guy. He was stupid, inviting the guy into his house, not knowing who.....or what he was, but the guilt of leaving Beth behind alone was too much. He shouldn't have gone, he shouldn't have left her behind. He could have insisted to taken her with him, but he hadn't wanted anything from his past to haunt him in his new home, his new life, far away from their father.

He had been so stupid, leaving Beth behind. There was a hole in his chest, a guilt ridden depth that never let him sleep, knowing what Beth must have gone through with their father.

He had mourned her for a while, thinking her dead, because no amount of private investigators had been able to find a trace of her. But then, one night, he had woken up from a nightmare, a nightmare in which a red eyed man stood above his Beth, she was older, a young woman now, her head shaved, her face and body scarred, but he knew it was Beth, because she had opened her eyes and they were those same old, mismatched pretty peepers that had haunted him his whole life after she had gone missing and he had known, that he would never rest without finding out what had happened to her, without finding atleast a body, even bones to bury.

Bradshaw McAllister sat before him, his eyes vacant, the man's eyes only showed hints of life when he spoke of his work, Ben knew that this man only lived for his work, no matter what he was under his skin.

He shivered, the guy unnerved him, but at the same time, there was something that attracted him to the Dectective. Ben hadn't ever been attracted to males before, he was purely heterosexual, these feeling scared him, but at the same time, it felt good, forbidden, something new, to break the loop of his continuous life.

He had everything he ever wanted and needed afterall, atleast everything money could buy. But money wasn't everything, he had learned that the first time his father's belt had connected to his back.

They watched each other awkwardly, silently. To another person looking in from the outside, they would appear stupid and weird, but nothing about the exchange was weird, they communicated through their eyes, it was like nothing before.

Eat more. Benjamin's blue eyes said.

You won't think I'm a glutton? Those shrewd unnatural eyes said back.

You look like you need it. He replied.

How unprofessional.

Benjamin chuckled. When his cellphone rang, he met those eyes again.

I'll give you some privacy. That plate better be empty by the time I come back.

He left to take the call and surprised by the internal exchange but hungry as hell, Shaw walloped all the cakes, finishing two cups of rich coffee. Feeling like a leecher.

He was very glad that when the door opened, it wasn't Benjamin returning from the call, but a slender woman dressed in a plain blue sundress and white slippers, looking to be around her early forties.

"Oh." She said, startled. "Mr. Lancaster hadn't mentioned guests."

Shaw stood up. "I'm actually here to meet his housekeeper about...some business."

Her face instantly darkens, she looks at him with brown warm eyes that had suddenly hardened.

"You...are the dectective?"

"And you are the housekeeper." He stated.

He stepped ahead and extended his hand. "I'm I'm Detective Bradshaw McAllister."

She shook his hand. "Fabiola Renita Munroe." She introduced. "You can call me Munroe."