Surrogate for My Brother-in-law - Chapter 89: Chapter 89

Leo
Leo stared at Tessa. Why was she there? How had she gotten there?
And what was this nonsense about him not listening? He always listened to her! Didn't he?
Well, he hadn't listened when he locked her in the basement cells and threatened her with banishment. And he hadn't paid enough attention to what was going on between her and Eva. And he hadn't listened to his wolf when it tried so hard to tell him she was his fated mate.
So maybe she had a point. But to go so far as to side with the Rogues against him? What about her mother? What about Ethan's siblings? Surely she cared about them!
“Tessa?” Leo asked. He wasn't sure what to say to her.
Tessa shrank back.
Leo stepped away and let his shoulders slump. He didn’t know what he’d done. Tessa had accepted his courtship. He thought they understood each other. Obviously he was mistaken.
Rory smirked.
“The trial will commence soon,” he said. “I’d rather not chain you down like an animal. But I’m not sure you can be trusted to behave.”
“I’m not stupid enough to think I can fight my way through your entire army,” Leo said, crossing his arms.
“I suppose you’re not,” Rory said. “I’ll have to put you back in the cell, though.”
“You mean the supply closet?” Leo asked.
“Well, we don’t all have a basement full of dungeon cells ready to stash inconvenient brothers and maids,” Rory said with a shrug.
Leo winced.
“What happens after the trial?” Tessa asked, voice shaking.
“Nothing you have to worry about,” Rory said. “It’ll all be over before you know it.”
“O-okay,” Tessa whispered.
“Why don’t you go put the baby down for her nap?” Rory suggested. “We’ll call for you soon.”
Tessa nodded and turned to go.
“Wait,” Leo called. “Can I just… say goodbye? To Sable? Please, she’s still my daughter.”
“I…” Tessa hesitated, glanced at Rory, who shrugged. “I guess you can.”
She didn’t hand the baby to him, of course. He wouldn’t expect her to. But she did hold her out and let him unwrap the blanket so he could see Sable’s little face.
Leo bent down and kissed his daughter’s forehead. She scrunched up her little nose and he couldn’t help but smile.
“I love you,” he whispered. He was really talking to both of them, but Rory didn’t need to know that.
Tessa rearranged the blanket, and her hand brushed his. Something crinkled. He clenched his fist as she scampered away.
When Tessa left, Leo turned back to Rory.
“So,” he said, “why are you even bothering with a trial? It sounds to me like the verdict has already been decided.”
Rory shrugged. “Well, I know you’re guilty. But it’s only fair you get to tell your side of things. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to convince a jury full of banished, unwanted wolves that you’re just a misunderstood hero who wants what’s best for everyone.”
“I never claimed to be a hero,” Leo protested. “I was only protecting my pack.”
“Hm, yeah, don’t tell me that. Tell them,” Rory shrugged. “Now come on. I’ll make sure someone brings you something to eat. I won’t have it said I mistreat prisoners.”
“Thanks, I guess,” Leo muttered.
He stepped into the “cell” without fighting, and sat down against the far wall. He opened his hand, and looked at the scrap of paper Tessa had slipped him.
If he’d been hoping for a love note, he was disappointed. Instead, there was only a single line from a mystery novel scrawled in Tessa’s messy handwriting.
Now why had she done that? He remembered the novel, it was one he’d recommended to her when they spent time in the library. She did mention she enjoyed it.
It had to be a message, but what did it mean? She must have realized anything she wrote could be taken from her, or from him. So she wrote something that would make sense only to Leo.
Now all he had to do was make sense of it.
Was the message just a fond memory? She’d enjoyed a book he recommended. Maybe she was saying she didn’t have any hard feelings for him. But then why agree to “testify” against him?
Well, she had to get in there somehow to get Sable. And if it took selling him out, well, it hurt but he got it. But then why jeopardize her position by sending him a note?
It had to mean something important.
He read the line, and thought over the story. In the book, the detective and the femme fatale had to work together to solve a murder. In the process, they’d uncovered a conspiracy against their government, some human concept about a “senate” whatever that was.
The line was from the second to the last @###@Chapter, where the detective sent the femme fatale off to set explosives around the enemy base while he gathered the last, crucial piece of evidence. It was the @###@Chapter where they decided to trust each other.
Oh, of course. Tessa was asking him to trust her. She was telling him there was a plan.
He hoped that was all she was telling him, and not that she planned to plant explosives around the factory.
No, she was probably telling him to wait and trust her. Where would she even get a bomb, let alone several of them?
The door creaked open, and Leo dropped the message. It would look like just another bit of random trash on the ground, hopefully.
Zane stepped into the closet, and tossed a brown paper bag at him. Leo opened it to see several sandwiches, an apple, and a bottle of juice.
“Thanks,” Leo said.
Zane shrugged. “Rory’s orders. I’d’ve let you starve.”
“Your brotherly affection knows no bounds,” Leo said.
Zane shook his head. “Brothers? You wouldn’t even make me your beta.”
“And you’re doing better with the Rogues?” Leo asked.
“At least they respect me.”
“Do they? Or are they just using you?” Leo asked.
“You’d know all about using people,” Zane sneered. “Eat up, you’ll need your strength.”
With that he left, slamming the door behind him.
Leo ate his lunch, after debating for a few minutes whether it might be drugged. The truth was, they didn’t need to hide it if they wanted him drugged. They could just force him down and inject him with anything they wanted. And Zane was right. He did need his strength.
He had to be ready for whatever Tessa’s plan was.
He stretched and did a few push ups, partly to ensure he was limber and ready to fight. Partly he did it to keep himself from going stir crazy. He didn’t mind small spaces or long waits, usually.
But knowing Tessa was out there, alone among the enemy and doing who-knows-what to secure his and Sable’s safety, was about to drive him out of his skin. He wanted to move, to fight. He didn’t want to wait.
But he trusted his mate. So he would do what she asked, and stay put.
He just wished he at least knew what the plan was. That wouldn’t make waiting any easier, but it would mean he could be prepared.
He dozed lightly at one point, long enough to be startled when the door cracked open.
He bounced to his feet, ready to face whatever came through.