He stares at me for a long minutethen nods. “Have you heard anything, from anyone who might be able to give us some clues?”
“No, nothing.” I wring my hands together. “And Mom hasn’t said a word. I’d really hoped you could come up with some lead we can follow.”
“Just keep your eyes and ears peeled for anything.” His smile is thin and brittle and I don’t know why, but something in his voice makes my pulse hitch. “You know these things take time.”
“What things?” says a voice behind us and we both jump.
My body is shooting off sparks as I set my gaze onto Declan.
Leon starts to angle himself in front of me, and as he turns, I catch a glimpse of a silver-handled gun in his jacket.
Declan wears his easy smile that never reaches his eyes, and I think he might be way deadlier than even I’ve seen. Because beneath that façade of charm is cold and steel.
I push in front of Leon. And before I even know what I’m going to say, the door opens wider, and another Murphy appears, blue eyes, hard like granite. “Problem, Dec?”
“Not sure, Cal.”
The older Murphy nods his chin at us. “And you are?”
“This is my friend, Leon. He wanted to congratulate me on the performance.” I shove the words out in a heap.
The brothers look Leon up and down. But while Declan sends poisoned arrows his way, Cal sets his gaze on me, and I almost stumble back with the unspoken warning.
“Leon who?” Cal asks, eyes on me still.
“Garcia,” I say. “We met at a ballet event awhile back.”
“You’re Callahan Murphy,” Leon says.
“I am.” Then Callahan turns to Declan. “We need to get you to the party.” He slants Leon a look. With the sweep of Callahan’s arm, it clearly an order for Leon to leave, pure, viscous, simple.
With his mouth twisted into a grimace, Leon slides his eyes at me but I don’t react. He heads out the door with the older brother, the leader of the Murphy family, if that was anything to go by.
“Your brother’s scary,” I say.
But now the charm’s gone, and I can see the sharp teeth of Declan. “So am I. When I choose to be. Don’t make me choose to be scary, Molly. Okay?”
I shiver and nod, but it seems he’s not done, because he steps right up and brushes his lips to mine. Soft for a man who’s giving off cold tundra and murder vibes. They linger a moment.
“And this Leon?” he murmurs. “I don’t like him.”
I follow him into the fundraiser party when we arrive. No one would ever splash the word “money” around in the small get together, but that’s what tonight is about. Behind the scenes, checks are handed over to keep the ballet company afloat.
It’s a weird experience tonight, the well-heeled and the Murphy family.
And Leon.
He’s still here. And because I’m so attuned to Declan, I can’t help but notice the silent staring competition between them, and it’s not until Topher approaches that I realize why.
Is Leon jealous? Declan doesn’t like him, but for him, this is all about his plans, his job of spying on me for Mom.
“Two suitors, Mar.” Topher grins, slinging an arm over my shoulders. “Glad I bowed out when I did because they look like they fight nasty.” Then his gaze moves from Declan then back to me. “Also heard a rumor about you officially being named the principalof the company.”
My cheeks burn. “I don’t think so. Harper’s so much better.”
“It’s also about hard work. And Mommy’s pockets.”
I glare at him, but there’s no bite to his words. He’s someone whose parents were famous dancers, so his place here was always assured. Topher could go anywhere if he chose to.
