“On how much trouble you plan on being,” he teased. This close, his eyes really were the strangest shade of brown. Pale but not gold, as though all the color had been washed out of them, leaving only the faintest hint of raw umberbehind. “Because Gabriel gave me free rein to handle you as I see fit.”
Outrage turned into a flash of heat, slipping through me like honey and landing right between my legs as I surged to my feet. “Handle me?” For a second, I had the insane urge to draw my blade and lunge, see just how fucking fast this bastard was. He’d already fought two vampires tonight.
Maybe I could take him.
“His words,” Nico said, one corner of his mouth kicking up as he rose, towering over me in all his bad guy scariness that somehow only made me tingle all over. “Well. Almost. The exact words were ‘Do what you have to do. Find out what she’s hiding. Use whatever tools you need to get her to cooperate.’”
I swallowed, my throat dry. “Tools,” I echoed.
“Mmm.” His gaze dropped to my mouth again, remained there longer, with searing intensity. “Threats. Torture. Flattery.” The smile sharpened as he drifted closer, close enough that if I wanted to, I could have kissed him. “Seduction.”
My brain stuttered.
My heart seemed to beat everywhere all at once, in my chest, the base of my throat, my temples.
“Seduction,” I repeated slowly, willing my cheeks not to flush, my pulse to stop racing like a rabbit’s. “How very… thorough of my future husband to send his best friend to seduce his future wife.”
22
EMBERLINE
“What can I say? Gabriel thinks ahead.” Nico’s eyes glittered, catching every flicker of panicked reaction I couldn’t afford him seeing right now. “I told him you’d rather stab me than kiss me, but he said that was my problem, not his.”
“And you agreed to this?” I asked, aiming for indignant scorn, which came out breathier than I wanted. I imagined standing under an ice-cold shower.
Eating ice cubes.
Living in Antarctica.
“I agreed to keep an eye on you.” His dark glower gave me goosebumps. “Honor demands it, and besides, this is a cushy gig. Hopefully, I get to sleep in tomorrow. What timedoyou get up? Will there be coffee?”
“You overestimate your charms,” I told him briskly, ignoring that playful, suggestive tone. “I’m not dangerous, Nico. I’ve been trained in political theater and trade agreements, not murder. I let my temper get the better of me, and now I’m to be married off to fix a problem I created. That’s the big secret.” I spread my hands, performing my role like a scene in a play. “There’s nothing worth seducing out of me except spreadsheets and trade routes.”
His gaze softened, just barely. “You are such a pretty little liar. I don’t believe that for a moment.” Curiosity burned in his pale eyes. “There are layers to you, Emberline DiRavello.And under those layers is a very complicated female, trapped in a situation she can’t escape. A situationnotof your own making because I know something else about you.”
“And what is that?”
“You’re too smart to get caught in a trap like this, married off for political gain. You didn’t see this coming, did you?”
I stiffened. “You’ve known me for two whole minutes. You don’t know what I believe or what I am, so stop pretending you do.”
“You are counting the minutes,” his grin showed off perfect white teeth. “That’s a start.”
“I like keeping track of boring, tedious things,” I snapped. “It helps me fall asleep at night.”
He belly laughed again, low and pleased. “Saints, you’re fun.”
“Saints, you’re annoying,” I shot back.
“My best friend tells me that all the time. It only means he loves me.”
“I’m a DiRavello.” I lifted my chin. “We’re many things, but we are certainly notfun.”
“Oh, make no mistake,principessa.” He crowded me until my back was against the fireplace, and all I could smell was drying vampire blood and his own, minty sweat. “You’re extremely entertaining. But you’re also dangerous. And very, very angry. They have therapy for that, you know.”
I froze.
“I’m glad you find me entertaining.” I shrugged. “Do put in a good word with my husband.” I braced my hand in the center of his chest and shoved, wishing I could just make him go away. “When you see him. Which could be as soon as tonight, if you were invited to the wedding.”
