Before He Was Mine (Before Series, Book 2)

The Beginning of Truth

All thoughts of his mother, the letter, and the king flew from Will's mind. He launched himself across the room at the man who had tried to take what was his.

And Will couldn't lie. He enjoyed the way Trevor's eyes grew wide as he closed in on him.

Will pulled his fist back, intending to punch Trevor square in his traitorous face, but then Emilia slid between them. Though forced to abruptly drop his arm, Will's momentum carried him forward until the three of them were within a hair's breadth away from each other.

"Get out of the way, Emilia," Will demanded, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders to move her aside.

"Wait!" she protested. Her feet planted themselves firmly on the ground between them. "He says he has answers, Will."

"And he can tell them to me after he gets what he deserves," Will growled, wrapping an arm around Emilia's waist and hoisting her to his side. After depositing her, Will turned to see an alarmed Trevor backing slowly toward the door. "Oh no, you don't," Will said, grabbing the man's cravat and pulling him close. "How convenient of you to come to us, Lord Trevor."

"If you would just listen, Trotten. I wanted to talk to you," Trevor began, his voice calm despite his position within Will's firm grasp.

"I'm not very interested in talking," Will snarled.

"Will!" Emilia exclaimed. "Good Lord, be reasonable." He could hear the exasperation in her voice and ignored it. He didn't understand how she could be so indifferent to Trevor's punishment. Didn't she want revenge for what he did to her?

Images of Emilia as she had sat, disheveled on the floor of the inn's guestroom, flashed through Will's mind. His anger grew to a new level.

Tugging on Trevor's cravat again, Will twisted it together and jerked so that the man was gasping for air.

"I am being reasonable," Will replied tightly. "I haven't killed him yet, have I?"

"What's going on?"

Will's focus shifted to see Theo enter the room behind Trevor. The duke's expression transformed from curious to startled as he surveyed the events before him.

"Oh, thank goodness," Emilia muttered, standing with her arms crossed next to Will. "Theo, could you please tell him to let Trevor go? He has something important to tell us about the blackmail and the letters."

Theo glanced from his sister to Will, raising one brow in response. He moved closer to where Will stood with Trevor. "Will," he said carefully, "why don't you let the man go so we can see what he has to say?"

Will glowered at him. This measured response wasn't what Will had expected from Theo.

If Kingfield could stand there calmly, perhaps Will was overreacting. He reluctantly released Lord Trevor, who then took the time to readjust his cravat while Will glared at him. When he had finished straightening himself, Trevor looked between the three of them slowly.

The moment his gaze landed on Theo, the duke drew his hand back and punched him straight in the nose. A loud crack echoed through the room, filled with the sound of Theo's fist smashing against flesh and bone.

There was a garbled cry as Trevor doubled over in pain, clutching his nose, which was now spurting blood across Will's carpet. Not that he cared about the condition of the rugs. He was too busy mentally applauding Theo. This was more what he had been expecting from his future brother-in-law.

"What the hell!" Trevor yelled, straightening to glare at Kingfield.

"If you ever so much as look at my sister again, I'll break the rest of your bones, too," Theo threatened coolly. His eyes were hard and unyielding as he spoke the words.