Page 143 of The Hunter's Empire

My breath catches for the smallest moment. He says it so casually, as though he has not completely derailed my thoughts.

I look away first. "You enjoy making this difficult for me."

"I enjoy watching you overthink."

"I am not overthinking."

"You've adjusted your dress twice in the last minute."

"I was fixing it."

"And checked your reflection in the glass."

"...I was making sure I looked presentable."

"You do." His voice softens just enough to steal the edge from the teasing. "Relax, Elf. No one is paying nearly as much attention as you think."

He offers me his arm. "Ready?"

I glance at the closed doors and square my shoulders. "Let's just get this over with."

Together, we step back into the reception hall. The wedding feast is already in full swing. Guests fill the elegantly decorated tables while waiters move effortlessly through the room carrying trays of food and champagne. Conversations overlap with soft music,creating a lively hum that almost manages to drown out the frantic beating of my heart.

We return to our seats as though nothing has happened. For exactly five seconds. Because the moment Theo gets a proper look at me, his conversation comes to an abrupt stop. His eyes narrow ever so slightly before a slow, knowing grin spreads across his face.

Well. I'm doomed.

Theo studies me for another moment, swirling the wine in his glass before taking a slow sip. "You disappeared for a while."

I reach for my own glass, grateful for the excuse to avoid his eyes. The cool stem settles between my fingers, but it does nothing to calm the lingering warmth beneath my skin. "I needed some air."

"I noticed." His tone remains casual, almost absentminded, but I know Theo well enough to recognize when he's fishing for information. "I think Nico disappeared around the same time."

I force myself to shrug. "There were hundreds of people here. I'm sure plenty of guests stepped outside."

"Sure, babe!"

The corner of his mouth twitches, though he lets the silence linger instead of pressing the point. Across the table, conversation carries on as if nothing unusual has happened. Glasses clink. Someone laughs at a story I don't quite catch.

Theo eventually sets his glass down. "You're acting strange."

"I've had a long day."

"I suppose everyone has." He leaves it there, though the knowing look he sends me makes it clear he isn't entirely convinced.

The conversation gradually drifts away from us and settles into lighter, far less dangerous topics. Stories from Keith's childhood are exchanged across the table, someone argues over the best whisky in Scotland, and Aurelia laughs as one of her relatives recounts an embarrassing memory from university.

Outwardly, I do my best to participate. In reality, I am painfully aware of the man sitting beside me.

Every now and then, our elbows brush beneath the table. Every accidental touch sends my thoughts spiraling right back to my suite, making it increasingly difficult to focus on whatever story Theo is enthusiastically telling.

Nico, meanwhile, seems completely unaffected. Or perhaps he simply enjoys watching me suffer. I have not yet decided which possibility irritates me more.

A waiter sets down another course before us, and I reach for the serving dishes just as Nico speaks. "Elf."

I don't even think before responding. "Hm?"

He nods toward the salt cellar sitting near my plate. "Would you pass me the salt?"