“Oh, I saw you dancing to my beats on Thursdaynight.”
“Must’ve mistaken me for someone else. I don’tdance.”
“Not well, but youdo.”
Lucas rolled his fingers into a fist and cracked his knuckles. “Why were you even looking at me,blondie?”
“It’s part of the job. I keep an eye on my crowd. I need to make sure you’re all hearing what you want tohear.”
“Then you’re reading me allwrong.”
Sarah crossed her arms in front of her. “Really? What is it you want tohear?”
He scraped his hand through his black hair. “Anything but that crap youplay.”
“You’re an ass, Mason,” she said. “A real ass.” They glared at each other for so long I started to pull her aside, but she stood herground.
“Sarah, darling! Come greet our guests.” Nora’s voice rang over thecourtyard.
Still glaring, my friend whipped around and strode over toward her mother anduncle.
“Is it completely impossible for you to be nice, Lucas?” Iasked.
His gaze, which had trailed after Sarah, snapped back toward me. “Are her lips and tits evenreal?”
“Oh my God, shut up,” Isaid.
“What? Am I not allowed to ask? They don’t lookreal.”
“Lucas—” Liamstarted.
“Don’t tell me you weren’t wondering the same thing…” Lucas turned to look at Sarahagain.
“I wasn’t wondering the same thing,” Liam said in a lowvoice.
Lucas shifted his attention back to his friend. “Right.” His eyes flashed to me then to a waiter carrying a platter of mini club sandwiches. He grabbed three and chucked them into his mouth. “See you kidslater.”
I didn’t ask where he was going, because I already knew. He was going to start the hunt for the piece of decayingwood.
After Lucas left, I asked Liam, “Shouldn’t yougo?”
“It would look suspicious if I left too, don’t you think?” Liam peered at something beyondme.
I turned and found the focus of his attention—Justin and his two cronies from the musicfestival.
“Do you have any idea why the thing we’re seeking is so important?” I askedsoftly.
Liam’s gaze tracked back to my face, then lower, to my collarbone dusted with glittery powder. “No.”
My heart scudded. “Not even aguess?”
He shook his head as he lifted his gaze back to mine. The intensity of his attention pressed my lungs hard against my ribcage. No one had ever looked at me so intently. Then again, no one had ever tried to see into my mind as desperately as Liam Kolane. I lowered my lids, hoping the delicate skin would hide my machinations just a little whilelonger.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Lucas returneda few minutes before the ceremony began—empty-handed and pissed. He shuffled past Frank and Eric and the latter’s wife to reach the seat Liam hadsaved.
Lucas exchanged quiet words with his friend, probably telling him where he’d looked. No doubt remained in my mind that they were performing this test as a tagteam.
