I blinked, though. Staring. “Jesus, you two are fucking identical.”
Ember snorted but didn’t say anything, keeping her trap shut.
Grigori was dressed exactly like his dad, his hair slicked back and in a tie, too. I doubt they had planned it that way, but the only difference between them was a few more laugh lines around Daniil’s eyes when he smiled, and Grigori’s sporadic braids and hot pink streaks. Other than that, they could be damn near twins.
Grigori’s lips twitched, and I swear, he glanced Ember’s way before he started to turn toward Roman—oddly, ignoring Zoya on his other side. But he stalled in the movement, his gaze slamming back to Ember. He stared. At her throat…or…I glanced at her…the necklace. He was staring at the skull necklace. He cleared his throat, saying quietly, “I like your necklace.” Honestly, I think those were the first nice words I had heard him say to her. And it was like half the table heard it, too, and started leaning in toward them. N-O-S-Y G-R-O-U-P.
She touched it, glancing down like she could see it even though it hugged her neck like a choker. Her voice was soft and faltering. “Thank you.” Grigori stared at it a moment longer before turning his attention to Roman—away from her—just as Ember looked up, her mouth open to say more…but she closed it gently, seeing he was no longer paying attention and her gaze fell to the table. Her hands landed on her lap where it looked like she was gripping them in a vicious hold. And, I swear, she looked like she was about to cry for a heartbeat before she sucked in a breath, and her face turned cold.
Remote, no emotion showing.
Scary in itself how closed off she became within one heartbeat and the next.
I felt Daniil stiffen against me, and he muttered something under his breath in Russian, turning from Ember to glare at his oldest son. And while he did that, a little bit of the bitch fell off Ember in my mind, seeing her vulnerable and hurting. My gut started talking to me again—and I began to put everything I had heard together like I did a story.
They had been lovers. Brent and Cole came back from the dead. Their relationship had obviously ended by Brent and Cole’s return. Grigori said he had given her what she wanted…but…maybe she didn’t want it. What woman doesn’t want a man to fight for her when she cares for him? And what man wants to be dumped for someone else when he cares for the woman? Grigori was cold and furious toward her.
My gut instinct was telling me I knew why now.
And sadly, for them, Brent and Cole hadn’t missed that little exchange, finally catching on that Ember had been with Grigori before their return. Their eyes flashed as they stared, seeing what I had seen. They were now staring at Grigori, completely ignoring Carl and Anna’s attempts to distract them. Zane and Stash were sitting mutely, their expressions neutral as they looked at their best friends. Obviously, all four of those individuals knew what was going on.
A looked passed behind their eyes that had me silently sucking in a breath.
Daniil felt it, glancing down at me, and then followed my gaze. His entire frame turned rigid, and he reached behind his back—for a gun—just as Brent and Cole, with that same death-like expression in their eyes, started to stand.
I wasn’t sure what possessed me to do it, but I was a sucker just like anyone else when it comes to love. Ember’s heart didn’t belong to these two. Her heart belonged to someone else. Even if she was going about getting her love back in extremely weird ways—ways she didn’t even understand. I blurted, “Cole! Didn’t I see you in the Ocean Restaurant the other day?” Half the table went quiet. I sounded a little frantic. Myburnedstory was going to work for this situation.
Grigori got a decent view at what he had been missing behind his back before Brent and Cole froze, their deadly gazes turning toward me.
Understandable shock rocked Cole for a second, but he quickly covered it with believable confusion. “What are you talking about?” They were both standing, but they hadn’t moved yet.
I waved my hand, the simple motion making me feel ill. I swallowed. “I’m pretty sure you were in there. I was picking up some silverware from the hostess area in the corner, and I could have sworn I spotted you.”
Brent’s expression didn’t change as he glanced at Cole, his brows furrowing.
Perfectly. Played. Perfectly played, Mr. Terrance.
“Ah.” I waved my hand again. “Maybe it was someone else.” I glanced behind them, seeing the waitress coming out of the backroom. “Cole, you should probably sit down and not intimidate that poor waitress. She looks the timid sort.” Luckily, she really did.
Brent sat, staring at me. “You’re very observant.” Contradictory, since the argument was that I hadn’t actually seen Cole in the restaurant, but I could work with it. Cole, on the other hand, just picked up his glass and sipped, watching me.
“Yes. I am. And I have a perfect memory of events. It’s what makes me so good at what I do.” I paused and forced a tiny laugh. “What do you think, Cole? You’ve seen my work. It’s usually front page material, yes?” He didn’t need to know if I still had the photos and audio. He just needed to not kick Grigori’s ass for something that happened while they were dead to the world.
Cole sat and took a hefty gulp of his drink. The only indicator anything was amiss. “Yes, it normally is, Ms. Forter.” He said no more to me but turned, giving his order to the waitress. Ignoring everyone as if he hadn’t just been threatened to have his picture posted on the front page of a paper. Tonguing his best friend.
No one knew. Only me.
War heroes. Brent and Cole.
It would ruin them.
Ember’s eyebrows were together. “Did I just miss something?” She was utterly baffled at the possibility.
I snorted quietly.
Daniil kissed my forehead, a silent thank you for stopping the gunfight.
I whispered right back, “Only that you and Grigori’s past love life is no longer a secret.”
