Chapter 11
Graham eyed the man before him who wasn't paying any attention to the women around them. Graham had selected the best of the women he had in the brothel to try to get Zayne to take one yet the foreigner remained uninterested.
"I wonder what the women are like where you are from to have you so uninterested in my women. I want to see what you are used to so I can understand why you offend me by not sparing a single glance at these women. I mean," Graham said, turning his attention to a woman with her dress not leaving much to his imagination.
How beautiful could the women Zayne was used to be that he didn't like what was before him?
It made Graham want to send a few men out to see if he could buy a few of those women. His business would bloom even more than it already was if he had foreign women here. He could already see the men lining up to fill the rooms.
Zayne didn't know what Graham was on about now. If not for what was said about the brothel being a good place to buy information about this land, he would not put up with the talkative man.
"Your women are beautiful but it is the drinks that I come here for. You are the only one to have drinks that reach our land," said Zayne.
Graham laughed as he never heard of a man coming here just for drinks. Even the men around Zayne only drank and did not indulge themselves in women. "You can find good drinks elsewhere. This is a brother, Mr. Hamilton. You don't need to worry about the women as they are here to do what you want."
"I can order them to do whatever is that you like. Your secret is safe with us. If it is that the reason you show them no interest is because you like men, I am told that I have a few good-looking male servants I can send your way," Graham offered.
He had never thought to sell the men he bought but for a good price, he would. Graham wanted to be a brothel owner who could cater to everyone's needs.
Zayne smiled despite being annoyed that Graham concluded he wanted a man. "I must politely decline your offer. I have never set my sights on men and I never will."
"Then, someone young-"
'Excuse me," Zayne spoke over Graham before the fool could say something foolish. He stood up from his seat as he couldn't take hearing another word from Graham.
Zayne had a simple task to do by order of his king and with that, he was to behave while he was here so the truce that the two kingdoms had would not fall before it could officially happen.
Graham didn't see the need for Zayne to get up and leave when he was only trying to be a good host by figuring out what Zayne likes. "Does he not know how to use it?" He joked.
Zayne closed the door of the room he was given for the night. The men he came with could keep Graham distracted while he searched for more news about the king.
Zayne walked in the opposite direction from where the king's men had gathered. He could keep his hands to himself but he couldn't say the same for the soldiers.
"Where did she go?"
Zayne's attention went to one of the women walking around without looking where she was going and moved so she could not bump into him.
Silvia was surprised to see the foreigner standing before her. He was the one she had been trying to get to come to her room as she heard tales that he came with a lot of treasure from his home.
Silvia found Jonathan bleeding in Rose's room so she was on the lookout for Rose before she could go to Graham but she could not miss this opportunity to be with the man before her. "My apologies for almost hitting you. Can I make it up to you by-"
"You cannot," Zayne replied, walking around Silvia.
Silvia followed Zayne as she was not done with him yet. He wasn't aware yet of how popular she was here in the brothel. No one could satisfy him like she could. "I don't think you heard me well."
"I heard you just fine unless you want to say that I am deaf? I do not need your time so leave my side. Find some lost fool to entertain," Zayne said, turning the corner they reached to part ways with the woman.
Silvia stood alone in disbelief that he rejected her offer. It could only be that he did not get a good look at her.
Zayne was fortunate to find a more quiet spot in the brothel. He was growing bored of coming here as the people just annoyed him. Just when he thought the night had no chance of getting better, he spotted the little lady he had seen earlier, sneaking around with a lantern.
'She's quite a spy,' Zayne thought.
Whatever she was up to, it couldn't be good, but it wasn't of his concern so he was going to enjoy the show.
He noticed a servant coming out of a room with a bottle and realised that it was a storage room Rose planned to sneak inside. She went inside like a little mouse going unnoticed by almost everyone.
Zayne couldn't help himself from seeing what she planned to do and went close to the room to then open the door. "My oh my. Well, aren't you a naughty little thing?"
He caught her pouring out alcohol he knew wasn't to be wasted.
Rose titled the bottle just before the last of the alcohol could be poured out. Why was he here? This room was off-limits from the customers.
Zayne looked at the mess on the floor and all the crates then at the lantern. "Want to set this place on fire?" He asked, closing the door behind him.
"How did you get in? The door was locked," Rose said, thinking she had made a grave mistake of not locking the door. Rose backed away from Zayne as she thought she would be pulled as Jonathan had done. Why else would this man want to be alone with her?
"It was locked but the handle was easy to break. Don't you have a fire to start? Do not let me disturb you. Go on," Zayne encouraged her. Finally, something interesting was happening in the brothel.
Rose couldn't move as she felt he was toying with her. As soon as she tried to pour more of the alcohol was he going to hold her hand and do something? Her plan had fallen short before she could set the storage room on fire.
Zayne didn't understand her silence. "Are you thinking of asking me for help?"
"Why would you want to help me burn down this storage?"
Zayne took out his gun which he had hidden since weapons were not allowed inside and pointed it at bottles that were placed outside the crates. "Because your boss pissed me off and you need to be quick."
Rose covered her ears as the sound of the gun was loud along with the bottles breaking. The music outside was loud but there was still a chance that someone heard them. She didn't know what Graham had done to anger him but whatever it was, she was thankful enough alcohol covered the room for her to get this over with.
Rose picked up the lantern and walked to the window whilst keeping her gaze on Zayne since she did not trust him yet. "You must leave now before the fire spreads. W-What are you doing?" Her guards were up as he came toward her like she knew he would.
Zayne approached Rose and opened the window behind her more so he could get out. "Cleaning the window," he sarcastically replied. What else could he be doing when she was about to set this place on fire?
Zayne couldn't leave through the door since he could be spotted and should it be said that he started a fire reach the king's ears, it would reach his king's ears in no time. He didn't want to be bothered by either king so he was joining Rose in sneaking out.
Zayne exited the room first and waited for the end of the show.
Left alone, Rose threw the lantern behind her and quickly joined to go through the window. She almost stumbled and feared that she might end up being burned by the fire she created but was lifted out of the window.
"Do not touch me," Rose said, pushing Zayne away after he placed her down. She covered her chest with her hands. She had to thank him for his help but Graham and Jonathan came to mind when he touched her. "I-"
"My apologies."
"What?" Rose replied, stunned by the two words that left his mouth. Since when did they apologise?
"It means I am sorry. Do we not speak the same language and how long do you intend to stand next to the crime you committed?" Zayne asked, watching as the fire behind Rose started to spread fast.