I gave him a bright smile, clasping my hands and hiding the paper.“Nothing. Let’s find Liam before he has a coronary over you not doing what you’re supposed to.”
I stepped past him before he could say anything, reaching up casually to tuck the folded piece of paper into the top of my glove.
Before Anton could ask any further questions, we reached Liam. He slipped smoothly away from Niamh, evading her as he reached me.
“Aileen, good. You saved me that dance you promised,” Liam said smoothly.“Come, dance with me.” It wasn’t really a request.
I took the hand he offered, somewhat reluctantly. My dancing skills were average at best.
I was very aware of Niamh glaring at us as we walked away.
A new song started up as he set one hand against my waist and took my hand in his other.
“This brings back memories of the last time we danced,” Liam said, his body brushing against mine as he turned us and set us to gliding across the dance floor.
“Hopefully, this evening has a better ending than that one,” I said. Last time we’d ended the night with a body on the ground.
Liam was a masterful dancer, making it seem like I halfway knew what I was doing. He led me through the steps, the slight pressure of his hands guiding me.
“What did the Fae slip you?” Liam whispered in my ear.
I leaned back, catching a glimpse of Liam’s face as he swept me across the floor. He looked like he was making idle chatter about the weather.
“What makes you think he slipped me anything?” I asked, stalling. I didn’t know what Cadell had given me, but from the way he and Niall were acting it must be important.
“Anton wasn’t in a position to see, but I was,” Liam said, never raising his voice or losing that slightly patronizing look on his face.“It was a skilled pass.”
I remained quiet, unsure what would be the best response. Liam was technically my employer. Yet my previous relationship with the two Fae complicated things, especially since I felt like I owed them a debt.
“I have to commend you on your lack of reaction. If I didn’t know you so well, I would never have spotted anything amiss,” he murmured, his expression loving.
To the ballroom’s occupants, it would seem like we were having a moment between lovers. An impression that didn’t seem to go over Niamh’s head, her expression turning vindictive as she glared at us.
If I didn’t know better, I would think Liam was doing it on purpose.
“How do you know the two of them?” he asked.
His question answered one thing. He didn’t know they were my downstairs neighbors, something I found surprising given how he seemed to know everything else in my life.
I sighed.“We should really leave this conversation until we’re not surrounded by potential enemies.”
My forced smile was loving, adulation shining from every pore.
“A secret,” Liam murmured.“You know how I feel about those.”
Yes. It seemed most vampires couldn’t resist a secret, going to excessive lengths to ferret them out. Secrets might as well have been the lifeblood of my new species. That, and actual blood.
“I will find out what you’re hiding,” he warned in a deep voice as if he relished the thought.
“Yes, but perhaps not here,” I told him.
“Challenge accepted.”
I fought against rolling my eyes.
The music ended and we both clapped politely before Liam escorted me off the dance floor to where Anton stood watching. He’d drifted to the opposite side of the room from Niamh and the other Fae, something that was no doubt on purpose.
“Anything interesting to report?” Liam asked Anton when we reached him. He kept one firm hand on my waist, keeping the side of my body pressed against the length of his.
