Larissa's Game of Thrones (Larissa) novel Chapter 44

“It seems your time with the Judson family hasn’t been as easy as you claimed.”

Larissa looked down at the man’s methodical movements, her confusion melting into a smile. “Oh, it’s been very easy. See? I just solved one problem quite effortlessly.”

“Heh.” Haskell found himself liking her more and more.

“And you? Why were your legs broken here? Care to share? I’ve got some time to kill, and I’m in no hurry to get back to the Judsons.” Larissa moved behind Haskell’s wheelchair and began to push it for him.

Haskell’s gaze softened, his lashes fluttering, but the smile remained on his lips. “Of course, if you’d like to know.”

“I would. When you have a moment, you’ll have to tell me everything. It’ll help me get to know you better.”

Following his lead, Larissa turned her hand over so he could clean her palm after he’d finished with the back.

Watching his delicate work, she couldn’t help but ask teasingly, “Have you ever done this for Honora?”

Haskell’s hands didn’t falter. “No.”

As if fearing she wouldn’t believe him, his assistant, Crispin, quickly chimed in from a distance. “He really hasn’t, ma’am.”

Larissa’s teasing continued. “Even if your master had done this for Honora, you wouldn’t necessarily know about it.”

Crispin was at a loss for words. Back when Haskell was at the height of his power, he wouldn’t have needed to do such a thing for any woman. As for his behavior now, Crispin couldn’t tell if it was love at first sight, as he claimed, or simply gratitude for her promise to heal his legs.

Haskell, however, showed no signs of guilt, smiling candidly at her teasing. “You’re the first.”

“From now on, I’ll be your fiancé,” Haskell said. “Your business is my business.”

Larissa laughed. “You’re so smooth with your words. I’m starting to doubt that I’m really the first woman you’ve ever been this nice to.”

She walked over to Finley, who was still crawling toward the factory entrance, and blocked his path. She pulled another small porcelain bottle from her pocket and forced a pill down his throat.

“Cough, cough…”

Finley hacked violently, trying to spit the pill out, but it was too late. It was already down his throat, a sweet, medicinal taste spreading through his mouth.

“What did you give me?” Finley knew it couldn’t be anything good.