“Sorry.” I cleared my throat. “The Garin isn't going to try to frame you for anything. I've spoken with him, and I'm confident that he will conduct his investigation without bias.”
And Iwasconfident in that. No matter what Nikolay offered him, Konstantin Garin wouldn't compromise his morals to that extent. And I hoped the King wouldn't want him to. I couldn't imagine why he would.
“Will you attend me?” Ilya interrupted my musing.
“What?”
“My meeting with the Garin—will you attend it with me?” he clarified.
“I don't know if the Garin will allow it, but I will go with you, and we can ask.”
“Thank you.”
We headed back the way I'd been coming from, past the dining room where I'd just had breakfast and then downstairs, into another wing of the castle. The King had given Konstantin a room on the ground floor with a view of the garden with the gazing pool, for him to both work and sleep in. It was one of the larger guest rooms, reserved for important visitors.
The door was open, and when we stepped inside, we found the Garin not where I'd expected him to be—ensconced at the imposing desk near the right wall, but instead at the sitting area before the fireplace. He looked right at home there, with the grand mantle framing him—the master of the house relaxing after a day spent hunting. The low-burning fire illuminated an iron fireback featuring swans, and directly before the hearth, a tea service was laid out on the black enamel coffee table, with a three-tiered cake stand full of miniature scones, muffins, and tarts.
Konstantin looked up with a polite smile that froze when he saw me. “Lord Mikhail, what are you doing here?”
“I met Lord Ilya in the hallway, and he asked me to attend. Would you mind if I sat in?”
Konstantin shifted his stare to Ilya, who shrunk into himself in such a way that his chest became concave. “I suppose that will be all right.”
“Thank you, but first, may I have a private word?”
“Very well.” Konstantin stood and waved to the other side of the room. “Lord Ilya, please have a seat and help yourself to refreshments.”
“Thank you, Garin.” Ilya bowed and headed over to the sitting area.
Meanwhile, I preceded Konstantin to the ebony desk, stopped beside it, and turned to face him. He stepped up to me, his bulk blocking Ilya from view along with most of the room.
“Was this an excuse to see me?” Konstantin whispered, his expression going smug and yet somehow tender.
“No, I'm afraid I'm not that subtle.”
He chuckled, a deep, sexy sound that had me swallowing past the dryness in my throat. “Good, I don't like games.”
“Then you'll be especially upset with what I'm about to tell you.”
The Garin lost all humor, straightening into seriousness. “What have you learned?”
“I don't know what the King is up to, but I believe his proposal to you, his offer of me as a prize, was meant to gain control over you.”
“Yes, of course, it was.”
I blinked. “You don't care?”
“Even had he given you to me that night, I would not feel indebted enough to allow him to direct my investigation.”
“I see.” I straightened.
“Not that you aren't worth it.” He ducked his head to bring his face to the level of mine. “But you know that you aren't property, right? That offer was ridiculous. He can't give you to me. Only you can give yourself to me. That's why I accepted.”
“I don't follow.”
“I wanted a reason to kiss you. To touch you.” He grinned, and it was sharp and predatory. “I had to know if you wanted me back.”
“I thought I made that clear when I stared at you so beseechingly.”
