I jutted my jaw. Gordon had seen fit to have someone check up on us — only to call Mina, worried, a short time later? It didn’t make sense.
Something in Celeste’s smug expression finally made it click. Gordon didn’t have a reason to check on us, but Celeste did — at least in her warped, twisted world. I was one of dozens, maybe hundreds, of men who’d fallen for her, but I was also the first — and only — to break free of her spell. Not only that, but I’d warned Bene and Roux away from her too.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,the saying went, and that went double for a sex-craving succubus. Had she sent Szabo to check on us — and nearly gotten Mina killed?
A growl built in my throat, but Celeste just tut-tutted. “My, my. Isn’t someone all worked up about one lowly human?”
She’s neither human nor lowly,I wanted to snarl. But I kept my mouth shut for a change.
“And, oh, the poor girl. Szabo gave her a real scare, didn’t he?” Celeste snipped, watching Mina closely. “It must be so hard, her life. You know — inheriting her own château and all.”
Clearly, Celeste hadn’t snooped too closely. If she had, she would have known what a money pit that place was.
And how hard Mina is working to save it,my dragon added fiercely.
“Not only that, but she has to put up with Gordon paying her to keep a whole crew of strapping young men for company.” Celeste’s voice dripped with sarcasm, then turned cruel. “Has she fucked all four of her guests or just you?” My growl only made her chuckle. “Ah, I see. Only you.” Then she snorted under her breath. “Amateur.”
My blood boiled, and I berated myself for the hundredth time. How had I ever allowed myself to get involved with Celeste? But my guard had been down, and magic as strong as hers was hard to resist.
Still, it made me sick. As sick as her sudden interest in Mina.
“What is our little mouse up to now?” Celeste clucked as Dobrov led Mina and Henrik toward the library. Baumann’s private security guards hadn’t let the extra hands — like me — anywhere near the room, but I’d seen the crates carried in earlier.
Getting Mina and Henrik access had been the plan all along, but now, alarms clanged in my mind. Letting Mina out of sight, especially around Henrik, was bad enough. Letting her enter a locked room with Henrik and a shady art dealer was even worse. And now, Celeste had appeared. Was she here to report to Gordon, or was she pursuing another goal?
Mina glanced back at me, and our eyes met.
Stop. Forget it. Something is fishy here,I tried pleading.
Her lips quivered, but she set her shoulders and stubbornly disappeared down the hall.
“Now, now. Where might those two be going, I wonder?” Celeste chuckled mischievously.
I stepped sideways, blocking her view. “I’m trying to work here. Shouldn’t you be doing the same?”
She laughed, tiptoeing her fingers down my chest. Once upon a time, that had turned me on. Now my skin crawled.
“Poor Marius. What’s happened to you? You used to be so much more daring.”
No, I used to be much stupider. I kept that to myself, though.
Celeste eased away with a dramatic sigh. “I suppose you’re right. Back to work I go. See you later?”
I clenched my teeth. God, I hoped not.
When she sashayed away, I made a point of slowly scanning the rest of the room — any part that didn’t have her in it — though my mind spun the entire time. Celeste worked for Gordon, which put her on our side. Technically. But Celeste had only really ever played for one side — her own — and she was capable of anything. Especially jealousy.
Hell hath no fury…my dragon reminded me.
When Celeste wanted a man, she wanted him. Even men she’d chewed up and spat out remained on her radar. They were supposed to pine after her for the rest of their days, all lonely, pathetic, and miserable.
I hadn’t fallen quite that low, but I hadn’t been far either. Until Mina.
My eyes started sliding toward the library, until I caught myself and yanked them away. As a security guy, I shouldn’t show any interest in Mina — or Celeste, for that matter.
I forced a blank expression. But inside, I seethed — and fretted — as time dragged on.
At one point, a laugh rang out over the hubbub of the party. Looking over, I found Celeste hanging on Baumann’s arm.
