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“Not with me driving. Believe me. You’ll change your mind once you get the wind under your chin.”
“You ride?”
“I might have a small collection of motorcycles in Germany.” His lips curve and he leans in and whispers, “And we can drive fast and wild.”
“You do that just fine without a motorcycle.”
He wiggles an eyebrow and then says, “Seriously. It’s a great way to explore the city. I’ll talk you into it.”
Exploring the city with Kace is an appealing idea that tempts, but caution beckons. “You think we can even do that? I mean, aren’t we under lock and key?”
“I’ll make it happen.”
And again, I believe him. He will. Everything good that’s happening is because Kace made it happen. For me. Because he loves me and every decision he’s making is ultimately selfless and for me. I will not forget that. I lace my fingers with his, push to my toes and kiss him before whispering, “I know you will. You’re my hero.”
He goes still, so very still, and while his expression does not change, there’s a spike of dark energy to him that I don’t understand. I’m about to ask, but Savage halts his roaring motorcycle just behind us and kills the engine. He yanks off his helmet. “Nothing like an engine buzzing between your thighs.”
I snort laughter and Sasha rolls her eyes. “He’s still so very Savage.” She heads up the stairs and motions us forward. “Let’s go get cozy, everyone.”
Kace catches my hand and folds it over his elbow, fitting my hip to his, as if he needs me extra close all of a sudden, and he doesn’t look at me. Something is off with him and I’m not sure what or why. I called him a hero. Why is that a problem? Sasha and Marabella disappear inside the doorway and for now, I set the question aside as we follow them. Adrian and Savage are behind us as we step into a stunning open foyer larger than three giant living rooms, stone beneath our feet, a towering ceiling above our heads. A massive winding stairwell with thick banisters is in the center. To our right and left sit eight-foot high arched wooden doors. Kayden and Ella appear from the right beneath the stairwell, both having discarded their jackets.
“We have three towers,” Kayden says as they join us, stepping directly in front of me and Kace. “Each door lifts with a code except the center tower that is simply up the stairs. That’s also where we own a collectibles store, much like the one I hear you have in New York, Aria. For us, it’s more of a place to meet clients outside the main castle than it is an active store, though you’d probably enjoy a look around.”
I’m intrigued. Kace is not. “Then the castle’s open to the public?” Kace asks, sounding concerned.
“Only that one door,” Kayden assures him, “which is why the door between the store and the castle stays shut. You’ll stay in our tower where I know you’re protected.” He hands us each a card with several numbers written on them. “Those are the codes you’ll need to navigate the castle. Memorize them. Destroy the card. Don’t share them.”
“No one stays in Kayden and Ella’s tower,” Sasha says. “You’re getting VIP treatment.”
Kace meets Kayden’s stare. “We can stay elsewhere.”
“Not necessary,” Ella chimes in. “I want Aria close. I know what it’s like to live a life that is not really your own, which is a story I can share later. For now,” her eyes meet mine, “just know that I think I can help.”
“I’d like that,” I say, “very much, but what about Kace’s need to practice? Will he disturb you?”
Kace laughs one of his deep masculine laughs, all hints of his stormy turn of moments before evaporating with it. “Slave driver, are you?”
“Yes,” I say primly. “You have a show coming up. You aren’t losing your skills because my brother decided to invite the world to chase us.”
“Some would say I can’t lose them,” he challenges.
“And my father would say, ‘Cazzatte.’”
He laughs again. “Your father was a smart man.”
Ella laughs now, too. “I think I’d have liked your father, Aria. As for practice, I have a dance studio at the top of the tower. It’s a perfect spot. Maybe I can even dance when you play. I was an aspiring ballerina, right before I became a CIA agent.”
I blanch. “CIA agent?”
“That’s an interesting combination,” Kace comments.
“Yep,” Ella says. “I can plié in my pink slippers while shooting a bad guy. It’s a rare talent.”
“No truer words have been spoken,” Kayden assures us, giving Ella a wink before he gets back to business. “Adrian and Savage will be in the opposite tower with Marabella. Adriel, my right-hand man who lives in that tower is away for a few weeks so you’ll have plenty of room.”
“Only a few days for me before I leave for France,” Savage says, wrapping his arm around Marabella. “But I can do a lot of eating in that time.”
Marabella grins and I have this crazy sense of being in the middle of a secret society that is also just one big family. “I’m going to feed you all,” she announces. “In fact, I have fresh chocolate croissants about to go in the oven now.”
“My stomach just growled,” Adrian says. “Bring ‘em on, Marbella, goddess of my belly.”
Marabella laughs and Kayden motions to Savage and Adrian. “Let’s chat.” He eyes Ella. “Can you—”
“I can,” she says with a smile, and when he kisses her, I feel the spark between them, the closeness, and for the first time in my life, I feel no envy. I have what they have with Kace. I glance up at him and he arches a brow. I just smile. He reaches up and strokes my cheek, heat in his eyes, and an intimate promise in the curve of his perfect mouth.
Ella then motions toward the tower to our left. “Let’s get you settled.”
A few minutes later, we’re standing in an amazing room with stone floors, a fireplace, and a canopy bed, our coats on a chair in the corner. Ella indicates a switch on the wall. “This controls the fireplace.” She flips it and the fireplace lights up. “Use it as liberally as you want. The castle gets cold. I’ll give you a few minutes to settle in. I’ll be in the kitchen just off the living room making coffee for those croissants. Kayden and I thought it would be nice if we chatted a bit, just the four of us.”
She disappears and shuts the door behind her. I immediately turn to Kace. “Why did you get upset?”
“I’m not sure what you’re referencing.”
“You do. I called you a hero and you went cold on me.”
He closes the space between us, his hand settling on my shoulders, his touch possessive, powerful. “I’m never cold with you.”
“Okay. Topic set aside for now, but you’re on notice. We’ll be discussing this when I can be more demanding.”
“Naked?”
“If that’s what it takes. Yes. Naked.” I curl my fingers on his chest. “I see you, Kace August. Even when you don’t want me to see you.”
“I never don’t want you to see me.”
“Wrong answer,” I say. “We both know that’s not true, but for now, I’ll let you off the hook. But only because we have to go meet with Kayden and Ella and I need to check my messages.”
“And I need you to prepare yourself for the fact that he might not have called.”
My heart pinches at the idea. No, it pinches at the idea that he might not ever call again. “I know. I do. I just need to know if he has or not.”
His forehead comes down on mine. “Baby—”
I pull back to study him. “What do you know that I don’t know?”
