It was a short elevator ride to the ballroom. When the doors opened, I heard the hubbub of the crowd. There were chattering voices, polite laughter, the clink of glasses.
The ballroom had been transformed. The walls were lined with hieroglyphs, and the front of the room had been made to look like the front of an ancient Egyptian temple, complete with columns and statues of sphinxes. Costumed performers wandered through the crowd, clad in Egyptian-style skirts and dresses. Some waved large, feathery fronds, belly dancers writhed, and I even spotted some snake charmers, with live snakes around their necks.
The servers working the crowd were also dressed like Egyptians. The men were either shirtless or in tight-fitting, sleeveless tops with black skirts and bronze collars, while the female servers wore liquid-bronze dresses. They all wore jackal-headed masks.
“Wow,” I murmured.
Georgie beamed. “The team worked so hard to make it great.”
“You succeeded.”
“We’ve got lots of local and visiting dignitaries attending. As well as celebrities, socialites, and even a Saudi prince.”
“I promise to try not to ruin it.”
She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Let’s get some drinks. After the party, everyone will head into the theater to watch the show.”
I scanned around for Bastian but didn’t see him. I did notice Chance Tyler working the crowd. The man had the whitest teeth I’d ever seen.
Soon, I was pretending to sip champagne. I wouldn’t risk dulling my senses.
“I need to check with the caterers.” Georgie kissed Nash’s cheek. “Look after Lark.” Then she pulled me in for a quick hug. “Good luck.”
This time, the hug felt more natural. I hugged her back, then watched her hurry away. “She looks so happy.”
Nash’s lips twitched as he watched his woman. “Yeah, but just a few weeks ago, she wasn’t. She was too thin, not sleeping, and trying to kill a dangerous man.”
“Luckily, she has another dangerous man who loves her.”
“I’ll shield her, kill for her, whatever it takes to keep her happy.”
“She’s lucky.”
“So are you.” He took a long slug of his drink. “One of the best men I know would do the same for you.”
Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.
Nash looked amused. “So, something does scare Lark Smith.” Then he jerked his head.
I turned my head and my chest locked.
Bastian looked mind-blowing edible in his tuxedo. No man should look this sexy.
The tux was lovingly tailored to every inch of his frame. My pulse jumped and I felt a little lightheaded.
He stalked toward me, the crowd parting. I noted women watching him, but his gaze was on me.
I realized that Nash had melted away into the crowd.
“I knew that dress would suit you.” Bastian slid an arm around me and pulled me against his chest. He leaned down and nibbled my lips. “I need to kill every man who’s watching you. Waiting to see your leg in that split.”
I touched his jaw. “And I’ll need to kill all the women in here weaving fantasies of taking that sexy tux off you.”
He gave a low laugh. “There’s only one woman who gets to do that.”
“How’s your shoulder?”
“What shoulder?”
