“Nikolett—”
“Is there a Masters’ Admiralty situation that requires my assistance or attention?”
That wording was painfully deliberate. “No,” he gritted out.
“Then you must be looking for Victoire. I’m afraid I don’t know where she is. If I see her, I’ll let her know you’re looking for her.”
Nikolett smiled, showing all her teeth in an almost-feral expression, and turned, reaching out for Iacob.
He wasn’t sure why, until he realized she wasn’t wearing her cast, or even a walking boot.
He took a step, intending to scoop her into his arms, but stopped himself. He was going to do it right this time. He wouldn’t touch her without her permission or force her to talk to him.
He would, however, manipulate her. That was only fair.
“If you leave, you’ll never know why I’m here.”
Nikolett paused, back to him.
“You won’t find out why I flew all the way to Paris to see you.”
She turned to face him. “I can live with not knowing.”
Eric smiled. “Can you?”
Nikolett took a slow breath. “Unnamedchevalier, Remi, please excuse us.”
Eric snorted in amusement when she called one of the French knights “unnamedchevalier.”
Iacob murmured something to her in fast Hungarian or Romanian.
“No.” The word burst out of Nikolett, her eyes a little wide. “Out here is probably safer.”
Clearly Iacob had mentioned finding a more secure, indoor location for them to talk.
Nikolett wasn’t talking about safe from an external threat, safe from the Spaniard. She meant safe from the bad decision-making they were prone to when left alone together. Safe from doing something stupid like kissing him.
He took that as a good sign. If she was worried about being alone with him, it meant he and his stupidity hadn’t completely killed her feelings for him.
Elijah’s voice echoed in his head.Emotional connection and physical attraction are two different things.
Fine, maybe she didn’t have feelings for him besides anger, but she was still attracted to him, and he’d take what he could get.
Nikolett’s attention shifted from him to middle distance, and from the way she tipped her head, he was sure she was wearing an earpiece. A moment later, she murmured something and refocused on him.
“My security minister has a location we can use.” Nikolett smiled coldly. “Your Spartan Guard will be here in a moment to escort you. Iacob?”
The knight swept Nikolett into his arms. Eric lurched forward, hopeful she’d let him carry her, but they rushed into the hotel before he made it across the garden.
And when he reached the door, the handle refused to turn. Locked.
“Eric,” Regina said from behind him. “Come with me.”
He took a moment, leaning his head against the door she’d gone through and swallowed hard.
Then he pushed up, turned to Regina, and followed her out of the garden, leaving two very confused French knights behind.
They didn’t talk as they walked back around the corner and through the front door of the hotel.
