CHAPTERTHREE
I crossed my arms once more, and pure curiosity overrode my polite breeding. “Why are you staring at her like that if you’re not attracted to her?”
He placed his hands back on the railing and returned to watch Ms. Carvene as she began to ascend the marble, curved staircase up to the balcony. Instead of answering my question, he whispered his own, “Do you want to know a secret, Mina?”
His quiet voice made mine just as soft. “Tell me.”
Cassander was a peculiar man.
“Everyone believes I followed her in Port because God was destined to be with her, resulting in protection for her well-being. But that wasn’t why I did it. I tracked her down because I have this feeling about her, a vital and personal interest in that woman. I can’t see what it is yet, but…it’s just this feeling. It’sdarkright now, the air around her.” His brows furrowed on his strong forehead, deep in thought. “Ms. Carvene has the power to change my life. And I’m not sure I’ll like it.”
My blink was so slow, I wasn’t certain I hadn’t fallen asleep for a moment. “I don’t understand.”
Deniability was best in these situations. If he were planning to assassinate her, I didn’t want to be on Mr. King’s ‘monster’ side for speaking with this man.
I held up a quick hand when he opened his mouth, my interest in him now diminished from his own missing rationality. “It’s fine. You don’t need to explain further.”
He wasn’t just peculiar. He was possibly insane.
It was time for me to find a different person to talk with, my eyes roaming the other individuals on the balcony.
“Oh, my damn! Cassander!” Ms. Carvene stopped directly next to us. The top of her head didn’t even reach his shoulders. She had to peer far up to hold his gaze, her cascading red hair hanging over her back. “I can’t believe Godric told me to wear this shit tonight. I’m a soldier in the CA, not someone who wears frilly crap.”
My jaw was gaping. I didn’t care.
Ms. Carvene knew the crazy man. Her stalker.
She even seemed ‘friendly’ with him.
I shut my mouth and glanced back and forth between them. Cassander’s steel eyes no longer held the narrow focus they had before. Now they stared down at her with patience and amusement. He had flipped a switch, no longer the confused predator wondering who was prey—he or she—if his previous blather of a ‘secret’ was any indication of his real thoughts.
“You’re not working tonight, Ms. Carvene,” Cassander stated with kindness. “There’s no need for a soldier’s uniform.”
“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Poppy before you’re actually going to do it?”
“That answer is uncertain.” His lips trembled with hilarity as she fussed over the strap on her shoulder, her dress jiggling enough to show her feet. He instantly crouched and lifted the hem of her dress, a few inches from the floor, and peered at her shoes. The man began to laugh with unhindered delight. “If God wanted you to wear this dress, I doubt he wanted you to wear your combat boots.”
Her tiny right hand jerked the material from his fist in irritation, but she glanced all around, peering at each individual, before whispering quickly, “Don’t tell him.”
Cassander rose to his full intimidating height and rested back against the railing, a devious gleam entering his gaze. “You’ll owe me.”
Her nose crinkled. “Cassander, I can’t kick anyone’s ass if I’m wearing heels. My boots are practical.”
He lifted a lone brow, staying silent. Waiting.
She threw her hands into the air. “Fine. Fine.”
“That was fast.” He grinned in victory.
“I’m late. I was running behind at work.” Ms. Carvene huffed. She stood on the balls of her feet, making her a whole half-inch taller, as she attempted to look into the party room. “Is the big man in there?”
“He is.” Cassander cleared his throat—loudly. “But first, I’d like to introduce you to Ms. Mina Kramer. And, Mina, this is Ms. Carvene.”
Her brown eyes flew to his, hurt flashing over her delicate features. “You call her by her first name?”
My gaze darted between them. Their exact relationship was still unclear to me, but it was evident they had affection for one another, their bodies unconsciously too close to one another for decency’s sake. They weren’t at all aware their teasing and bickering could be construed as…flirting.
Cassander didn’t respond to her aggravation.
