It’s not every day the Silicon Valley princess survives a serial killer.
I’ve waited long enough. I place my drink on the bar and stride toward her with Justice at my side. I reach them and bow slightly, my gait slower than usual and my vocal cords chilled. “Alana.”
She smiles and appears delightfully nervous, as if she isn’t sure what I’m about to do. Her eyes sparkle behind the mask, and I believe she’s happy to see me. “Hello.”
I like that she doesn’t use my name. “I’ve been waiting for you. Would you like to dance?”
Mathias puffs up as if ready to object.
“I would love to.” She slips her hand in mine.
I turn and draw her to the middle of the dance floor, noting Justice and Scarlett next to us. Oh, he’s flanking me as he always does, but the woman’s enticing, so maybe he’ll have a good time for a few minutes.
We really have become brothers, probably thanks to Alana.
I shoot a pointed look at the orchestra and the conductor stiffens, turns, and immediately starts a waltz. I move easily into the dance, pressing Alana close.
“What in the world are you doing?” she whispers.
“Dancing with you while I can.”
The woman warms me. As we move, my legs loosen up.
“It took a while to get this necklace fastened.” She leans back to look up at me, feeling right in my arms, exactly where she should be. “Thank you for the flowers, and for this exquisite piece. I don’t even know what to say. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“It suits you,” I say.
“It’s made of lovely stones,” she murmurs. “It must have taken a long time to create.”
Six months, to be exact. I’ve been hunting her that long, at least. “I knew someday you’d wear it.”
She rolls her eyes but moves easily within my arms to the music. “There’s that ego again.” Then her nails dig into my neck. “Did you chip me?”
“I did.”
She stumbles but quickly regains her balance, and I hold her tighter. “Where?” she hisses.
Between two of her toes. “That’s irrelevant. How are you feeling?” I ask.
“Just fine. A through-and-through is no biggie.” Her smile does look a little off, but she’s dancing gracefully, so her motor skills haven’t diminished. “I am not happy about the chip, and we are having it removed, but thank you for rushing to my rescue.”
“I protect what’s mine.” I lean down and brush her mouth in a firm kiss, well aware of the many phones and cameras focused on us right now. Several people crowd the dance floor, taking advantage of the music. I steer her toward the middle so we stay out of view of as many of those cameras as possible.
“What are you doing?” she hisses quietly after I release her delectable mouth.
“Making a claim,” I say calmly.
She stumbles and I quickly right her. “I thought you were going to behave tonight.”
“I don’t know what that means,” I say honestly, tucking her closer. “Now be nice and dance with me, or I’ll make a claim nobody will forget.”
Her irritated groan coincides with a half laugh. “How frozen are you?”
“Better now that you’re here.” True statement.
She nods. “It’s my stones. I’ve been reading all of your books, the ones I borrowed, and certain crystals interact with each other in ways we’ve forgotten.” Pink filters across her high cheekbones. “Or you and I interact and our stones follow.”
Now that, I believe.
I clamp my hand against her waist and move us into a slower song. Finally giving in, she melts against me, and for the moment, everything’s right in my world. We dance three more sets before I see Kazstone rush inside, a backpack over his shoulders, his eyes wild. “What the fuck?”
She pauses. “It’s about damn time he got here.”
I pause. “What?”
For answer, she grabs my hand. “Come on, Thorn. Trust me.”
FORTY
Thorn
I allow her to lead me outside with Kaz and Justice flanking us. She looks over at her friends and motions for them to follow. I stumble but right myself as she hurries all of us into an outbuilding that houses potted plants.
“What the hell?” I mutter.
Kaz tugs off his backpack and draws out the two garnets to plop on a worn wooden table. The healthy garnet sits next to the diseased one, and now it looks like they’re both freezing over.
“Well, shit,” Justice says, shaking his head. “That didn’t go as planned.”
