Long, crimson curtains hung from the ceiling to the floor between windows peering onto a private patio. A movement in the drapery’s shadows caught my notice. Tucked away beside one of the elegant fabric panels stood the man who had escorted Helen Locke into the building. He had pinned his gaze on Helen and Thorin, and he wore a look of malcontent. I eased my way closer to him, intending to introduce myself, but he sensed my approach and turned to face me. He shed his frown and put a cool smile in its place. “She’s temperamental, that one,” he said, motioning to Helen. “Fickle and unfaithful, but when she turns her attention on you, you feel like there isn’t anyone else in the world she’d rather be with.”
“I didn’t get that impression when she talked to me,” I said.
The man, older, silver sparkling at the temples of his black hair, nodded at me. “That’s because you are competition.”
“Do you think she’s making Thorin feel that way right now?” I glanced at the subject of my question. Thorin wore a bemused expression as Helen whispered into his ear.
My new acquaintance chuckled, flashing straight white teeth. His green eyes sparkled. “I suspect Aleksander Thorin has grown rather immune to the wiles of Helen Locke.”
“Hmm,” I replied and sipped my drink.
My companion held out his hand to me. “Nate McNary,” he said.
I took his hand, but instead of a shake, he lifted my knuckles to his lips and kissed them. “Um, Solina Mundy,” I said.
“Lovely to meet you, Miss Mundy.”
I refrained from groaning aloud. “Just Solina, please.”
Nate McNary nodded. “Solina. An apt name. I wonder if your father knew you would be the personification of the sun when he gave it to you.”
I paused at his comment, pinpricks of apprehension falling across my skin. “You’re a charmer, Mr. McNary. Is that why Helen keeps you around?”
His face split into a wide grin. “Beautiful and smart. That’s a killer combination. And, please, call me Nate.”
“I’m glad someone thinks so,” I said, thinking the men in my life were altogether underwhelmed by my mental acumen. So long as I continued to trust my own intelligence, what those men thought of me mattered little.
Nate leaned in closer and spoke into my ear. “Be careful, Solina. Helen has something in mind, and I am afraid she will do most anything to accomplish her goals.”
My breath caught. “What does she have in mind?”
Nate shook his head. “She hasn’t yet deigned to share the details with me. But you don’t want to cross swords with her. I’m giving you fair warning.”
“Swords? I’ve done nothing to her.”
Nate tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I shivered, held entranced by the green glow of his gaze. “You exist,” he said, barely loud enough for me to hear. “And for her, that is enough.”
A waiter announced dinner and called us to take our seats. I looked away from Nate to find Thorin approaching. A cold glare hardened his face, and a muscle worked in his jaw.
“Uh-oh,” Nate said. He nodded in Thorin’s direction. “Looks like a good time for me to take my leave.”
“Chicken.”
Nate chuckled. “Are you calling me names or placing your order for dinner? It was a pleasure to meet you, Solina.” Nate bowed his head and strode away.
I blinked, slow to recover from his quick dismissal, and then started after him, brimming with questions about Helen Locke and about what he meant when he said I existed and for her that was enough. Enough for what? Thorin reached me before I could catch Nate. His fingers latched onto my elbow, and he tugged me toward the dining room. “So much for silent and obscure,” Thorin said. “Is there a man in this room you haven’t talked to?”
“Lots of them,” I said, stumbling in my heels. “Maybe I should have worn a shorter skirt.”
“You shouldn’t have left my side.”
“You didn’t seem to mind when Helen Locke was rubbing herself all over you.” I regretted the words the moment I said them.
Thorin stopped, his interest clearly piqued. “Jealous?”
“No, just not a fan of double standards. Have you learned anything useful yet? I hope I didn’t wear these freaking toe breakers for nothing.”
Thorin led me to our table and pulled out a chair for me. I eased into it, swallowing a sigh of relief, and kicked off my shoes. Thorin leaned down and whispered into my ear. “Be patient, Sunshine. Secrets don’t give themselves up without a little effort.”
Like a good boy, the waiter arrived and served another glass of bourbon and soda. I tucked another five into his pocket, and he smiled and winked at me. I smiled back, wanting to ask him to have another one ready for me in a few minutes, but I thought better of it. The couple of Aleves I’d taken before my shower had worn off, and all the standing around had aggravated my sore spots. The alcohol dulled the pain, but I didn’t come to Juneau to be Thorin’s useless, inebriated arm candy.
Thorin took note of my drink and frowned. I turned away, ignoring him, and studied the others taking seats at our table. Last to arrive, Helen Locke dropped into a chair across from us, and Nate McNary took the seat next to hers. The night just keeps getting better and better.
Nate greeted me as he flipped his napkin into his lap. “Hello again, Solina. Have you been introduced to my lovely companion?” He motioned toward Helen. “Solina Mundy, Helen Locke.”
“Hmm, yes,” Helen said, boredom evident in her tone. She laid her world-weary act on a bit too thick. “Alek’s little hothouse flower. How quickly will she wither in the Alaskan winter?”
A million retorts rolled over my tongue, but Thorin’s hand settled onto my knee and squeezed. Not that I liked giving in to his directives, but unless I found a place of my own to stay, the thought of spending a night stuck on a boat in the company of a large, grumpy Scandinavian – née Viking – was sufficient incentive to keep my mouth shut.
Thorin didn’t relinquish his grip on my knee as he answered Helen. “Miss Mundy is a friend, Helen. Her brother worked for me for several years, quite successfully. She’s doing me a favor by accompanying me tonight.”
I wanted to cover my mouth and cough bullshit, but seeing as how this wasn’t a high school pissing match, I thought better of engaging in juvenility.
“Does she speak, Alek, or are you keeping her on a short leash?”
The others at our table looked away or squirmed in their seats, sensing Helen’s animosity. Nate, however, came to my defense. “I find Solina quite charming, and I think she returns the sentiment.” He winked, and I gave him a grateful smile.
A waiter arrived and poured wine around the table. I motioned him away from my glass. The SoCo was already buzzing through my system. Even though getting plastered appealed to me more than sitting through a night of boring company and dull conversation, it would have been self-defeating and pointless. If there was a hope of gleaning useful information from this event, then I had to keep my wits together.
