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That had her fists clenching and renewed darkness brewing in her eyes. “Not even a clue until she pressed that Radiant Order into my hands and kissed me on the cheek. Something she hasn’t done in quite some time. And that last look she gave me before we separated so I could come pick up the three of you. I don’t think I’veeverseen her look so terrified.”
My lips pursed. “Your sister’s never been one to frighten easily.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “She gets that from the Dragon Lady.”
One of the milder nicknames for her grandmother. The Boston Beacon who ruled over every Shadow, Solar, and Radiant Shifter in all but name. Thanks in no small part due to the terrible magic she’d unleashed back when she claimed the High Seat in the Circle of Dawn and Dusk.
“Perhaps,” I allowed with a small smile. “Or maybe she gets it from her big sister.”
Those words inspired a softness I hadn’t experienced firsthand in far too long to cross her features. The previous tightness in her body loosened somewhat, and her lips smoothed into an expression far closer to a smile than a frown. It was a damned good start.
“What about Maddox?” she asked. “Surely he mentionedsomethingabout them suspecting that assassins were out for their blood.”
My turn to show frustration. “Not. A. Word. Which leads me to suspect one of two things.”
Her brow arched. “Oh? Do tell.”
“One: Our cousin and your sister suspected that the four of us were somehow involved in this plot.”
We exchanged equally disbelieving expressions. They wouldneverhave entrusted Rory and Sorsha to our care if that were the case.
“Or two: They couldn’t share their suspicions out loud or the actual traitors would immediatelyknow.”
Which meant that someone with access to the highest form of magic was the most likely culprit: so an unusually powerful Spellbinder—or another Radiant shifter. One who wanted to see Kayleigh dead so they could steal her position. Something that would only happen if theyalsokilled her Understudy. Andthatwould only happen overmydead body...
* * *
Ava
After twenty minutes of forced proximity with one of the men I was trying so hard to pretend I wouldn’t jump at the first opportunity, the limo dropped us off downtown and sped away with my beloved nieces and the two other men I most definitely didnotwant to jump.
And surely if I repeated that often enough, it would become true.
Moments later, Shea and I stepped into my high-rise sanctuary with a stunning view of the Mississippi River and Gateway Arch. Shea’s gaze mercifully roamed around my vibrantly decorated apartment rather than devouring me as I made the round of turning on lights. Kayleigh had offered one of the Pack’s tech gurus to wire the whole place for voice activation, but I’d passed. I had no problems using technology when I needed to—for both work and pleasure—but sometimes I liked to keep things old-school.
The man prowling my open-floor living and kitchen area nodded when I finally made myself stop fiddling with light switches and worked up the courage to face him again. “It suits you,” he said simply.
I tilted my head but sensed no criticism in his words. “Thanks, I suppose.” Amusement flashed across his face, but I merely gestured to the guest bathroom door. “You can change in there. Meet you back out here in—say—30 minutes.”
He arched a skeptical brow but was too wise to dispute my estimated timeline. Kayleigh hadn’t been exaggerating when she pointed out how quickly I could dress for even the most formal affair. Good thing, too, because I wasn’t really the “spend hours getting pampered at a day spa” type.
A confident smirk crossed my lips as I watched him wheel his single suitcase and garment bag into the bathroom. I’m sure the maddening wolf thought he’d beat me back to the living room easily enough. I was willing to bet he’d be wrong, especially when I heard him crank on the shower. And yeah, getting competitive over such a little thing was ridiculous, but what could I say? Shea and his brothers brought out that side in me.
Having showered that morning, I headed straight for the walk-in closet in my upstairs bedroom suite. While I was more a jeans and cute top or leggings and casual dress kind of girl, life as a Sheridan Radiant demanded keeping a steady supply of formal wear on hand. Part of me resented the hassle, but another part took revenge by doing exactly what Kayleigh had accused: buying gowns with “too little fabric to deserve the name.”
Grandmother and her cronies might wrinkle their noses when I strutted my way into black-tie affairs in such sexy little numbers, but there wasn’t much they could do about it. Especially not when I batted my lashes and pointed out the designer labels and astronomical prices paid for them. They could never claim I wasn’t taking my duty to the Sheridan name or Radiant title lightly—or cheaply.
One reason why I got along so well with my favorite aunt, Bridget. The only other Beacon in our family I could really stand to spend time with besides Kayleigh. Bridget tended to be more the wash-and-wear type like me rather than worshiping all things haute couture like Grandmother and Kayleigh.
I took things to a new extreme getting ready for that evening’s affair knowing that Shea Donnelly was getting ready in my very own bathroom. Not to mention that his equally sexy and frustrating brothers would be meeting us at the McMansion. Come hell or high water, I wanted to drivethemout of their minds with sexual frustration. Because they could look at my fine ass all they wanted, but they couldnottouch it again.
And maybe saying that 10 times fast would help mekeepthat vow this time…
Judging by the quicksilver glow heating Shea’s eyes when he sauntered into the living room five minutesafterme, my goal had been achieved. Well, the first part of it anyway. The night was still ridiculously young.
It actually backfired on me a little when his white-hot gaze seared me as it sauntered along the black kitten heels on my feet, the black satin skirt with sky-high slits baring each thigh, the athletic planes of my bare midriff that I earned sweating through hours of Zumba classes, and finally the matching black long-sleeved top that bared my shoulders and maximized every bit of my adequate but by no means ample cleavage.
Not that the Donnelly triplets hadevercomplained.
