“That’s me.” She took me by the elbow. “Thanks for pitching in, but we’ve got to go reload our trays.”
His lips pinched, just a little, but he twisted his expression into a smile as her fingers dug into my skin.
“I’ll just finish with these, then.” He swirled into the crowd, steadying the tray on his palm. “Later, Ana.”
Chills skated down my arms at the promise in his tone. “Does that guy strike you as?—?”
“Shit, shit, shit,” Sloane chanted under her breath. “Do you see Liam?”
“I thought my ears were itching.” Liam waded through the shorties to reach us. “What’s up?”
“There’s a man circulating with Ana’s meatball tray.” She clutched me tighter. “He’s got the smell.”
“You’ll have to be more specific,” he said, clearly uncertain he wanted the answer. “What smell?”
“From the employee door at GSG on the day of the car bomb.”
“That’s what set me on edge,” I murmured, kicking myself for not picking up on it sooner. Those hugs had transferred perfume and other subtle body scents onto me. Hours in the kitchen had soaked rich fragrances into my clothing too. But that was no excuse for not noticing I was nose blind sooner. “Good work, Sloane.”
“Dammit.” Liam’s eyes flashed golden. “Why didn’t you stop him?”
“And risk him lashing out at the kids? Nah. I don’t think so.”
“She’s right.” I backed her call without hesitation. “He approached as the kids were crowding us to reach their parents.”
Had he been armed and the confrontation gone sideways, the party could have turned into a massacre.
“Toss the snacks and the drinks. All of it. Everything,” Liam ordered. “Sloane, don’t leave her side until I give you the all clear. If she needs to pee, you better be there holding the toilet paper.”
“That’s me every day,” she joked, mostly, “so no problem there.”
Sharks cut through water with less predatory grace than Liam pursued the stranger.
“We need to start dumping the food.” I linked hands with Sloane. “Then we’ll warn Rían.”
Without knowing for certain if the man was connected to the earlier poisoning, and with only a tenuous connection to the car bomb, we had to tread lightly until we could verify his identity and hear his side of the story. But that didn’t mean I would risk Rían or anyone else in Clan Walsh on a hope.
Four or five yards ahead, Rían stood in conversation with a small gathering.
Thank God, his hands were empty.
Though it earned me a few sharp looks, I hooked Rían’s arm and hauled him away from the others.
“We might have a problem.” I kept my voice low as I explained the situation. “Have you had anything to eat or drink tonight?”
“Only what you served me.”
“Good.” A tremor shook my knees with relief. “Keep it that way.”
Hand sliding through my hair, he held me still when I rocked back on my heels. “What about you?”
“I haven’t had time.” I planted my hands on his wide chest. “I have to get to the kitchen.”
“I’ll handle things out here.” He released me with reluctance. “Just be careful.”
“I know, I know.” Sloane held up her hands. “Watch her pee and wipe her butt.”
“What?” Rían shook his head. “Never mind.” He brought my hands to his mouth. “Be safe.”
