𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐲𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧 ~ 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

𝐈 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮, 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬

We all stood outside, crowded under a covered dock since it was raining.

"I still can't believe that you're related to Denmark Tanny!" John B said excitedly, turning to Pope.

He then looked at the rest of us. "Are we in the presence of a royal?!"

"A king?!" JJ chimed in. "We shall crown you!"

He put on a horrible British accent and continued. "All hail the lord of Tannyhill!"

We all began bowing down to Pope, laughs escaping our lips.

"Everybody relax," Pope said. "Can we relax, please?"

"Relocate the cat's ass?" Sarah suggested, ignoring him.

JJ pointed at her. "I'm with that!"

"How soon can we move in?" Kiara asked.

"Once the cops get to Rafe and Ward, so within the next day or two?" I estimated.

"Hell yeah, cause I don't have a place to stay," JJ said.

"Me neither," Kie chuckled.

"Bunk beds?!" They said at the same time.

"Cheers to that!" JJ laughed, hitting his drink against Kie's.

"I just keep thinking about that letter, the one that Limbrey sent," Pope told us. "It had the wheat symbol on it. That must mean it has something to do with the Royal Merchant,"

"Maybe they're, like, connected somehow?" I said.

JJ shrugged." Either way, something seems fishy,"

"If we find that cross, we can split it like we were gonna split the gold," Pope reminded.

"And live happily ever after?" A woman's voice asked.

I turned to see a blonde woman with crutches coming toward us, a man holding up an umbrella for her.

"Is that Limbrey?" I whispered.

Pope nodded. "Yeah. The guy with her is Renfield. Her half brother, I'm pretty sure,"

He approached the woman. "You assaulted my father,"

Renfield promptly pushed him back.

"I didn't assault anybody," Limbrey said innocently.

"He can identify the psycho from a mile away," Kiara spoke up.

Limbrey glanced at Renfield. "Why would my employee assault your father? That's absurd,"

Despite her frail stature, she was extremely menacing. Admittedly, it freaked me out a bit.

"Listen, we can keep on negotiating, but the fact is that I want the key and I won't stop until I have it," Limbrey told Pope. "I don't have a choice, which means you don't either,"

Renfield pushed Pope backward until he hit the wall, pinning him there.

"Get your hands off him!" I shot, yanking his arms off my boyfriend.

Renfield went to reach for Pope again, but I was able to step in between them before he could.

Bracing myself, I shot my knee into Renfields stomach as hard as I could. He doubled over in pain, groaning.

"Never touch him," I spat.

Limbrey chuckled. "Oh, Aspyn, you're just like your father,"

My stomach twisted. "How do you know me?"

"Your father and I worked together," She replied. "You're just like him,"

I glared at her. "I'm nothing like my dad,"