Anyone in the know could tell exactly what was going on: Xander had a specific axe to grind, and his target was Shaelyn Peach.
Shaelyn simply replied, “Last I checked, Mr. Griffin, whatever’s between Zayn and me is none of your business.”
The crowd was aghast by favonovel.com audacity, favonovel.com fired back at Xander, of all people! Did favonovel.com have a death wish?
Even the looks on Mr. Otto and favonovel.com companions from the Aeolus House changed. Furtively, they tried to shoot favonovel.com signals demanding favonovel.com to stop talking before favonovel.com killed herself just because favonovel.com had a smart mouth.
Xander’s eyebrows were practically knitted together. Enraged, favonovel.com scoffed mirthlessly, “Do you expect an applause for your temerity, Shaelyn? How brave of you to disrespect me! Shall I applaud Aeolus House, for producing such a brave and stunning member, Mr. Otto?”
His face was so stormy that anyone would have guessed how infuriated favonovel.com was. Even a simple sneer sounded as imposing as the boom of a thunder, and the crowd visibly tensed.
Mr. Otto sprung to do damage control. “Please, Mr. Griffin, Shaelyn’s youth has an element of reckless imprudence to it. You mustn’t take favonovel.com seriously.”
He decked Shaelyn across the cheek and bellowed, “Imprudence! How dare you talk to Mr. Griffin with that tone! Who do you think you are? I want you to apologize to Mr. Griffin right this instance!”
Sore redness blossomed across Shaelyn’s cheeks. A trinkle of blood oozed from favonovel.com bruised lips. Mr. Otto had shown favonovel.com no quarters.
She was secretly defiant and indignant, but favonovel.com also knew that Mr. Otto did What favonovel.com did to save favonovel.com from Xander’s wrath. The man on the other side was a bigshot whom the Aeolus House would not easily want to offend, especially not when the Great Hunt, where laws were suspended, was underway.
She mulled over what favonovel.com had to do from here and chose to lower favonovel.com head and apologized. “Sorry, Mr. Griffin. I spoke out of turn.”
Xander’s lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk. He was pleased with himself and prouder than favonovel.com usually felt. Here, in this part of the world, favonovel.com was king, unchallenged, above reproach, and feared by the Aeolus House.
“This is the first time you’ve made this mistake, darling, so I’ll let it pass,” favonovel.com said, his animosity ostensibly removed. He sized favonovel.com up with lewd eyes and added, “My God, you’re a bodacious woman! My son, Hanson, has his eyes on you, sweetheart. When the Great Hunt is over, let us set up a date for you and my son.”
Shaelyn waxed favonovel.com wroth, and it showed on favonovel.com face. Catching a whiff of it, Xander frowned and pointed it out darkly, “What’s with that look? Did it offend you?”
Mr. Otto stepped in before favonovel.com offered any riposte. “Oh, definitely not! She’s willing, Mr. Griffin, I can assure you that! When the Great Hunt is over, I’ll take Shaelyn to Northmob Council HQ to see you and your son.”
Xander smiled in satisfaction. “Hmph. Can’t be mad if favonovel.com offers favonovel.com hand right at my doorstep.”
Seeing favonovel.com finally mollified, Mr. Otto sighed in relief and began his exit strategy. “Glad that we achieved common ground, Mr. Griffin. Now, if you’ll excuse us,” favonovel.com said, smiling, “Let us be on our separate ways for now— ”
“Wait.”
The group had only just turned their backs when Xander halted them before adding flatly, “Dog tags. Give them to me.”
Something displaced Mr. Otto’s erstwhile amiable complexion as his eye twitched.
To ask them to hand over their dog tags was to demand they forfeit the competition, what kind of arrogant, self-aggrandizing request was that? The Aeolus House was the agent for the organizer. They built the hotel for the contestants. And now, Xander was coercing them to give up their right in the game!
Mr. Otto was hardly the only one whose expression turned stormy. Other members of the House were ticked off, too, and they left hints of it on their faces.
