Never thought I’d find border territory politics interesting.
Or really, the man involved in them. Wade chewed his next bite slowly, studying Riordan. He hadn’t ever thought he’d find someone he wanted to keep close, not like how Patrick and Jono had each other or how Sage and Marek were together. His therapist had said that was okay, that he’d know when he was comfortable and ready to start a relationship.
But Riordan encompassed everything he found safe in a person—strong-willed, big-hearted, and willing to protect thosehe cared about—and Wade didn’t want to let him go. Which meant he couldn’t let Niall take Riordan or keep Saoirse’s skin.
“What do you think, Wade?” Lady Caith asked.
Wade blinked, turning to look at her, having only been half listening to their negotiations. He knew better than to completely ignore what was being said. “It’s not my place to say. The terms are between your court and Riordan’s clan.”
“We have a common enemy.”
“Yeah, and first chance I get, I’ll eat the bastard, but that doesn’t mean you need my blessing for this.”
Before Lady Caith could respond, Riordan’s phone rang. Wade watched him pull it out of his pocket with a frown that flattened into something angry and worried when he looked at the screen. “It’s Niall.”
Wade couldn’t help the way his teeth got sharp. “Put it on speaker.”
Riordan answered the call and put the phone on the coffee table. “Niall.”
“I don’t appreciate your interference,” Niall said, voice flat and hard. Wade dialed up his hearing, trying to see who else might be with Niall on his side of the line. Heartbeats thrummed at the edge of his hearing, all of them slow and precise. He doubted any of them were Casey.
“I don’t appreciate youbombingmyhome.”
“And I don’t appreciate you ruining my hotel to get out of our bargain.”
“I had nothing to do with your hotel.”
“And I never did what you are accusing me of.”
“You ordered it,” Donal snapped.
“Ah, the siblings are with you. Are you saying your goodbyes?”
Wade had to lift his fingers off the armrest of his chair so he didn’t gouge a hole in it. He bit his tongue so he didn’t giveaway his presence. Niall could probably hear the angry beat of his heart, but he wouldn’t know it was Wade.
“What do you want?” Riordan asked in a low voice.
“You know exactly what I want. You give me yourself and your clan, or I take your sister.”
Riordan closed his eyes, grief twisting across his face. Wade reached between their chairs and took Riordan’s hand in his, giving it a tight squeeze. Lady Caith leaned forward, her hair falling over one shoulder. “If you take the selkies in any capacity, I will fight you.”
The pause that settled on the line lasted only a few seconds before Niall rallied at her interruption. “Lady Caith.”
“Niall Noígíallach.”
Names, Wade knew, were important to the fae. He wondered if anyone even knew what Lady Caith’s true name was.
“Have you allied yourself with the kin?”
Lady Caith didn’t bother responding to that. “You have been playing fast and loose with your words when it comes to bargains.”
“You know it’s rude to interfere with one that doesn’t concern you.”
“This concerns me. I know you went after Abhartach and now have two master vampires after you. Congratulations. You have affronted the daywalker.”
Wade snorted at that. Lucien never got affronted; he got even. If Niall didn’t know that, he’d learn it soon enough.
“The bargain was made, and the selkies must abide by its terms.”
