Savage Hearts (Queens & Monsters #3)(19)

“But—”

“You brought your laptop so you could work from here. Right?”

I’m starting to get panicky. I do not want to stay here alone in this castle with only echoes for company.

I’m a city girl. My apartment at home is smaller than nine hundred square feet. This much open space creeps me out.

“Yeah, but I thought I’d be staying only a few days. How long will you guys be gone?”

Declan says, “I don’t know.” He points a finger at the floor, as if about to make a final, irrevocable declaration. “But until this situation is settled, you’re staying right here.”

Then they turn around and walk out, slamming the door behind them.

The bastards!

I look around the room in dread. “Oh, my god! I’m a captive!”

I leap to my feet and run to the door. Then I trip, because I still have the stupid heels on. Cursing, I kick them off, throw Spider’s coat on top of them, and run out the door and down the hallway in my bare feet.

I catch up to Declan and Slone in the sitting room, where it looks like a gangster convention.

Dozens of burly men in black suits mill around, muttering to each other in what I suppose is Gaelic and throwing dark glances at the windows. Spider’s there, too.

I say, “You guys, wait! This might be important!”

I can tell by her exasperated expression that Sloane thinks I’m about to argue with her again, but I’ve got something else on my mind. This Diego situation has rearranged a few things in my head.

I’m not sure if everyone else should hear what I have to say, though, so I wait until I’m standing right in front of them and keep my voice low.

“There was this guy, when I went to the ladies room at the restaurant. He thought I was a sex worker.”

Sloane snaps, “We don’t have time for this right now!”

She thinks I’m talking about our bet. “No, listen. He was in the restroom when I came out of the stall. He was really big, and sort of, I don’t know. Weird. You know, like dangerous weird.”

Declan does the exact same bristling thing that Spider did at the restaurant. He literally gets bigger, badder, and a thousand times more intense. His blue eyes flash with cold fire.

“What happened?” he growls, stepping closer. “What did he look like? What did he say? Did he hurt you?”

I’m a little put out that he waited until the last question to ask if I’m hurt, but whatever.

“I’m fine. He didn’t lay a finger on me, he just freaked me out. He said that I didn’t have to sell myself, and it wasn’t too late for me, and he could tell I still had hope left…”

I trail off, trying to remember more about the big beast.

Mostly what I remember is how gentle he was when he brushed his knuckles across my cheek, and how soft his voice was when he said my eyes were pretty.

And how gorgeous he was.

My god, that face. That mouth. Those pale, piercing green eyes. Paired against his brute masculinity, the fineness of his features was even more stunning.

He makes Declan look like Justin Bieber.

Infuriated, Sloane turns to Declan. “There was no guy. This is about a bet we made before we left for the restaurant.”

“No, Sloane, it’s not.”

She folds her arms over her chest. “Okay, so where did this weird, dangerous guy go after he propositioned you?”

I’m starting to get exasperated. My voice rises. “He didn’t proposition me. You’re not listening—”

“Spider!”

At the sound of Sloane’s sharp call, he snaps to attention and runs over. “Aye?”

Sloane gestures at me. “My sister claims a man accosted her in the ladies room at the restaurant. Would you like to tell us what you saw?”

He looks at me, frowning. “A man? In the ladies room?”

“You were with her, correct?”

He looks confused, and now I’m getting desperate.

“Aye. I was with her the entire time, standing right outside the door.”

“Did you see a man enter or leave?”

“No. No one went in or out except her.”

“When she came out, did she say anything about a man being inside?”

Spider glances at me. His expression is apologetic. “No.”

Sloane turns back to me, nostrils flared and lips flattened. “Jesus, Riley. For a singing bird box? If you needed money so badly, all you had to do was ask.”

“This isn’t about the bet, Sloane!”

“Game’s over. Spider, take her back to her room.”

Everyone in the room is now staring at me.

Me, in my stupid slutty dress, with my stupid bleached hair and my white-hot mortification at being called a liar.

By my own sister, the asshole who wanted me to come here in the first place.

Without waiting for Spider to humiliate me further by grabbing my wrist and dragging me away, I turn and walk out, keeping my head held high despite the rock in my throat and the water welling in my eyes.

So help me god, this is the last time I’ll ever speak to her again.





10





Mal





When I return to my perch in the belfry, Declan’s house is dark.