Savage Hearts (Queens & Monsters #3)(104)

He tilts his head and considers me. After a moment, he says, “You okay?”

He packs so much into those two words, it’s amazing. My heartbeat ticks up a notch.

I know he’s the one who gave Mal information about Declan when all this started, but I also remember Sloane saying the Russian Bratva and the Bratva in the US aren’t that friendly.

What I don’t know is if Kage and Mal are still talking.

On the off chance they are, I’m not missing the opportunity to send a message.

“If you mean physically, yes. If you mean mentally, spiritually, emotionally…I’m dying.”

He inclines his head. “Yeah. Heard you caught feelings while you were away.”

“It’s much worse than that.”

He looks at me more closely.

“Do you think we could talk after dinner? Somewhere not so…” I glance at the Sicilians. “Loud?”

“You got something you want to pass along?”

I nod, starting to tremble.

“Declan won’t like it.” He glances at Nat. His tone becomes wry. “I’m already in enough trouble as it is.”

Nat squeezes his thigh. “It’s okay, honey. This is different.”

He sends her a look that’s equal parts hot and sour.

“I don’t want to get anyone into trouble. I won’t say anything to Declan, but I doubt he’d mind anyway, considering he tried to get a message to Mal for me, too.”

Kage narrows his eyes. “He tried to send a message from you to the man who wants to kill him?”

“Mal isn’t going to kill Declan.”

“Since when?”

“Since I asked him not to.”

He’s silent with astonishment for a second, then he shakes his head and chuckles. “Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Never mind. It’s just something Malek said to me once. Sure, we’ll talk after dinner.”

“Thank you.”

Then, somehow, I’m conversing with the Sicilians. They’re so eager to know if I’m single, I’m worried they want to sell me on the black market. It becomes apparent after a few minutes, however, that what they’re really after is an alliance with Declan.

One of the men has a son he’d very much like to see married to someone in Declan’s family. The other has a daughter around my age, who he casually mentions is still a virgin and comes from excellent stock.

He says it as if he’s a farmer discussing his breeding mares.

I guess the whole arranged-marriage thing is still alive and well in the Mafia.

Dinner is served, followed by dancing. From what I can tell, Kage is the only Bratva in the room. Everyone else seems to be either Irish or Italian, though I do hear a few accents I can’t place.

When I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see who it is, I freeze.

Spider stands behind my chair, gazing down at me.

“Care to dance?”

I hesitate, but he’s relaxed and smiling, so I smile back and nod. “Sure.”

He pulls out my chair for me then leads me onto the dance floor and takes me into his arms.

Because of course the fucking music changed from pop to a ballad, didn’t it?

It’s like Fate hates me.

We sway in silence, listening to the music and not looking at each other, until he says, “You look beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you. And you’re very handsome in that tux.”

He glances down at me. A muscle flexes in his jaw. “I remember you called me that the day we met. Handsome.”

“And I remember how red your face turned.”

“It was the first time I’ve ever blushed.”

He spins me around. I see Declan and Sloane at the sweetheart table, watching us, but then Spider spins me again, and they’re gone.

“I owe you an apology for the way I acted a few weeks ago. I was an idiot.”

He sounds sincere. I’m relieved but don’t want to make a big deal about it, so I keep my voice light. “It’s over. Let’s forget it.”

“I can’t. I’ve tried.” His arm tightens around my waist. His voice drops, turning husky. “I can’t forget anything that happened between us.”

My relief vanishes. Butterflies explode into panic in my stomach.

We dance for the rest of the song in silence. As soon as it ends, I break away, murmur a thank you, and head to the ladies room to hide.

I lock myself into a stall, lean against the door, and close my eyes while I try to come up with a solution to the Spider situation. Short of a kick to the balls, he doesn’t seem like he’s going to be deterred.

Just get through tonight. Then talk to Declan and Sloane, and let them take care of it. Spider will listen to them.

Except he might not, considering he followed you to another country against Declan’s wishes.

Heaving a sigh, I use the toilet then go to the sink to wash my hands.

When I turn off the water and reach for a paper towel, I happen to glance into the mirror above the sinks.

I freeze.

A man is directly behind me.

He’s huge.

Frighteningly tall and broad, he stands with his legs spread open and his massive hands hanging by his sides. He’s all in black, including a heavy wool overcoat with the collar turned up against his tattooed neck.