Haley stared up at the doors of the Silvermane manor. This was not what she expected when Luna Daniella wanted her to do a favor.
She was expecting something harder—harsher? Delivering a letter was not what she would’ve guessed but here she was. The stupid thing even had a wax seal. She didn’t know if this was a rich person thing, but it felt like a waste of time when there were phones, and wireless connection.
For Luna Daniella that is, not for Haley, no, she was rather excited for this ‘favor’ that she hardly protested it when she found out just what she was doing.
It was the perfect excuse to return to the Silvermane manor to see what she could find now that a party wasn’t distracting her, or someone else. Maybe she’d get stopped at the door, but she was hungry for opportunities and was this not one?
Getting here was easy, ringing the doorbell was easy, but everything else that came after that was going to be hard.
“Hello, is Luna Selena here? I’d like to make sure she receives this letter. Luna Daniella sent me over to insure it gets to her,” she tittered, playing up the nerves just a little.
The maid who answered the door didn’t seem all that surprised to see someone acting as a runner for Luna Daniella and let her in easily enough.
The manor itself was different without all the decorations and party goers around. It was…colder, more imposing. Haley wasn’t really surprised by that.
“My mother’s out at the moment—but I’d be happy to take that off your hands.”
Son. Of. A. B*tch.
Remus Silvermane with that dastardly handsome face was walking down the staircase, a curious gleam in his eyes at the mere sight of her.
This was NOT in the plan. Alright, alright fine, Haley was a professional! She was an actor; she was a spy! She could improvise.
“Master Remus,” she glanced at the maid who let her in, tilting her head and giving a little smile. Look at her, eyes all inviting yet posture so proper. Wouldn’t do to flirt with company, hmm? Rumor had it that the three packs didn’t get along.
“Now now, I thought I said to call me, Remus, or should I call you Madam Heather?”
“At least go with Miss,” she pouted a bit, inwardly shoring up her defenses as he waved off the staff and he follow her to what looked to be a sitting room. It definitely wasn’t the wine room from last time.
“Though, I really would prefer you call me Heather if I get to call you Remus. Job first though. May I present you, a letter from Luna Daniella to a Miss Luna Selena. May I entrust it to you, Master Remus?” she purred, being just a bit more dramatic than necessary.
What could she say, it was the theater kid in her.
Remus chuckled as he took the letter, tucking it into his jacket pocket before turning his full attention back to her.
“I swear it, Lady Heather,” he retorted playfully, taking her hand and kissing the back of it—and despite how Haley had told herself not to swoon since she was on a mission, she was swooning. “You know, we got interrupted last time…”
“Do I look like I’m stopping you?” ‘Heather smirked, wrapping her arms around Remus’s neck
He needed no more prompting. In the next moment they were furiously making out, hands wandering and holy sh*t.
This was not what Haley expected when she returned to the Silvermane manor. She knew they’d been attracted to each other but d*mn!
Wait—she wanted to ask him some questions—see what she could learn but—but that might be a bit suspicious. ‘Heather’ was flirty and if they were just jumping straight in…ahhh, it was getting a bit hard to even remember what she wanted to ask!
Remus’s touch was surprisingly gentle, and she was definitely feeling at least some heavy attraction, but she had a mission. She had to get it together! So, she forced herself to pull away.
“F*ck—we have to do this again, or at least when work isn’t trying to call me away,” she gasped out, both for air, for distance, desperate for something. Haley wasn’t sure what it meant when most of it wasn’t an act, but she’d worry about such things later.
“I’ll hold you to it then,” he murmured, pressing another quick kiss to her lips. “Are you sure you can’t stay even a little longer?”
Haley swallowed, throat suddenly dry and saying no shouldn’t have hurt this much.
“And risk Luna Daniella’s wrath? At least let us sneak around a bit more for a real drama with a fall out like that,” she joked ironically, and Remus chuckled against her lips, stealing one last kiss.
“Come on,” he moved first, and she had to inwardly commend him on his own willpower. “I’ll walk you out.”
What a gentleman, and Haley was quick to agree.
“What do you think, third times the charm?” she asked, smirking. “Think our next meeting will be the lucky one? Or maybe the one where we get lucky?”
“Depends, I won’t deny you’re magnetic.” He complimented her and Haley couldn’t help but giggle, feeling a bit too pleased, though inwardly she was hoping she hadn’t made ‘Heather’ too magnetic. She was supposed to be able to fade into the background.
Gaining the attention of the youngest son of the Silvermane family wasn’t exactly fading into the background.
“However, the Packers don’t exactly like the Silvermanes and vice versa. I don’t think they like the Winstons very much either.”
Huh, so those weren’t rumors. Nice to know and something to tell Bret. For a moment, she debated turning on the recorder, fiddling with the necklace before deciding against it. No, she’d use it for something a little more covert. It could probably pick up more than she could hear and with the way she was focusing on Remus right now, she wasn’t going to miss a thing.
“Huh, guess it’s a bit different on the mainland. Didn’t think the rumors were true.”
“You’re from the mainland?”
“Yeah, visited Newday and just fell in love with the city. It’s a good change of pace—and the view’s nice too,” she grinned, very obviously dragging her eyes over his frame, getting a soft chuckle.
“If you aren’t worried about that, then I really am looking forward to our third meeting, Heather.”
She leaned in for another kiss, and Haley didn’t know if it was herself or Heather; if it was a role or a want or a need, but before she could act on it, she heard footsteps and pulled back.
“I’m not worried about me, but I like you just a bit~ too much to make that kind of trouble for you. I’d much prefer trouble of a different kind with you. Until next time, Remus.”
With that, Haley left the Silvermane manor behind her. F*ck, she was going to be screwed during their next meeting, possibly literally, and that was a big problem because her emotions were too out of control to know what the HELL she was thinking?!
It was a mistake to make her persona flirty. For a moment, Haley almost wanted to back out of the mission, but quickly, mentally hit herself.
No, she wasn’t giving up! This was either a setback or a great opportunity! A relationship with Remus would just give her more opportunity to spy on his family and that’s—that’s what she was there for, wasn’t it? Information to help the lower district, help her friends and family.
Ahhh, she really needed to get a grip. Haley got on the train, heading back to the lower district so she could report to Bret and go home to sleep the rest of the day away. She was far too tired.
She wished she knew what was going on in her heart but unfortunately her ex had made things a little bit complicated in understanding and accepting her feelings without second guessing herself that she might be making a mistake.
“Sleep first,” she muttered to herself. She needed all her strength if she was even going to begin trying to unravel the emotions inside of her.
God, f*ck her ex. She was going to blame him for all of this.