Cause & Effect | Ominis Gaunt Love Story

Chapter 32: A Deadly Revelation

The door creaked open and Stella's heart dropped.

'Stay right there, little one.' Eden's voice was firm as there wasn't a door between the bathroom and the bedroom, 'Stella's taking a bath.'

"Is that right?" Ominis' voice was heavy with dry humor and she saw a book fly from the bookshelf to the other entryway, "Didn't realize by getting water, she'd be drinking out of a tub. That's unhygienic."

"My muscles are sore, training's done for the day." Stella called out, covering her womanly bits with her hands just in case. Though she was quite certain that Eden would strike if he took another step inside the room. "And I think Tobbs is almost done with breakfast."

Without seeing him, she had an inkling that he rolled his eyes, "Then hurry up, Princess. I'm taking a shower in 20 minutes whether you're still in there or not."

"You wouldn't."

"Care to find out?"

An exasperated noise left her as she climbed into the tub. "No."

She heard him chuckle quietly and then closed the door with an audible click. It would have been nice to soak for a while. Instead, she was scrubbing at her skin with an irritated expression because she had 19 minutes and 25 seconds remaining.

And she was trying not to imagine what he looked like naked.

Chapter 32: A Deadly Revelation

He smugly ate the sliced avocado knowing she was secretly plotting his damnation. Poor Tobbs. He must have been sad, thinking that his Master didn't like something he'd made only for it to be a ruse. At least it appears after dinner at some point, he'd come clean to the House Elf about the food.

"You still haven't written me that list." Stella pointed out wryly, "I want to know every food you don't like."

Ominis raised an eyebrow, "So you can base the meals off what I don't like?"

In another time, she would have made a snarky remark and said yes. Instead, her voice softened, "Trying to avoid that, actually."

He didn't say anything, giving away that her answer surprised him. Even though he was still an enigma to her, he typically always had something smart or flirty to quip. When he was silent, that's when she knew her words had affected him in some manner.

Lucan, always the oblivious one, despite being at the top of his class was enjoying his breakfast out of a dog bowl. Someone had even taken the time to scratch 'the stupid looking one' into the bowl in small, elegant print. "Out of all the cases, which one did you choose to investigate in person?"

"We'll start with the Weller case and then move onto Samson by lunch." Ominis replied easily.

"Weller? That one's quite simple." Lucan argued, "It was clearly the client who murdered her."

"Clearly." Ominis agreed with an approving nod, "However, that case is based out of Whitechapel and it'll be a good excuse as to why we're there incase any of Singer's cowards decide to pester me about it."

Lucan pondered this for a moment, "I've heard rumors that Hobhouse took up snitch duty. He's in charge of the patrols for the rest of the month."

"He volunteered, didn't he?"