“You’re going to have to vet everyone who attends,” Hunter warns.
“All the attendees are people we know.”
Hunter’s mouth twists. “Of course they would be. It’s not like Katarina has any friends of her own.”
“She does have friends,” Grace says.
Hunter snaps his gaze towards her, sensing an opportunity to gather information he won’t get from me. “Oh? Like who?”
“Like me.”
It’s not the answer Hunter was expecting, and I’m quietly impressed Grace is standing up to him. I stroke my thumb across her shoulder blades. If she wants to take him on, I have her back.
“Once you get past her scary exterior, she’s as vulnerable as any other woman who’s been used and abused her entire life,” Grace explains. “And under different circumstances, she’s someone I would have liked to know better.” She directs the next comment to Maddie, who looks just asperplexed as Hunter. “She’s not as heartless as she wants everyone to think.”
Grace has a point. I know better than anyone that a tough exterior is the perfect camouflage.
It’s impossible to tell from Hunter’s closed expression if he’s been convinced by Grace’s argument, so she tries Maddie instead. “She’s damaged, but she’s not broken. And if she hits out, it’s because she’s expecting to be hit first.”
“You should come visit the women’s refuge we’ve just established,” Maddie replies. “Some of the stories I’ve heard are unimaginable. We make allowances where we can, but bad experiences don’t excuse bad behavior, Grace.”
“Which is why Katarina needs people around her who can point out when she’s behaved inappropriately,” Grace insists. She isn’t backing down.
“And that’s you?” Hunter asks.
“Katarina trusts me, and I think that’s something that doesn’t happen very often. She’s said she doesn’t want your family at the party.”
“And we’re respecting her wishes,” I add.
Hunter huffs out a sigh. “In case it needs pointing out, Katarina always works to her own agenda.”
“We know,” I say. Saturday proved that.
While Katarina is keeping to our plan to ensure Fitz’s return, it’s evident the lengthy engagement has been solely for her benefit. Her so-called hairdresser is important to her. Grace wasn’t able to provide much of a description other than he was maybe thirty years old with blond hair and brown eyes. An unusual combination. She also said his American accent had a twang that she couldn’t quite place. I have a theory about him, but it’s so far-fetched that I’m not sure even I believe it.
“Are the Bratva invited to the party?” asks Hunter.
“They’ll have a limited presence. Katarina’s bodyguards and maybe a couple more,” I say. The extras I’m expecting are the ones turning up with Fitz. “Another reason for you to stay away. It would only antagonize Vasili’s men.”
“They do seem to be getting twitchy,” Hunter agrees. “I heard there was some trouble on Saturday.”
I move my thumb back and forth over Grace’s shoulder blades, as much for my comfort now as it is hers. “It was just her over-zealous bodyguards. I’m surprised you heard about it.”
“And I’m surprised you didn’t tell us.”
“It was a non-event, Hunter.”
“It was an anomaly. And we don’t like those.”
I glare at him in response. I don’t like that the Griffins are pulling at loose threads. If we’re not careful, the entire fucking plan is going to unravel.
“The Bratva detected the presence of the Irish mafia,” Hunter continues, stating facts he shouldn’t know. The Russians use high-level encryption that, as far as I’m aware, Mace has never been able to break. “But from the information we have, there was no one nearby.”
“Have you asked the McConkeys?” This snippet of information is almost worth the unexpected visit.
“Killian says it wasn’t them.”
Killian McConkey is second in command to his father, who runs the Irish mafia from Las Vegas. He’s key to the friendship the Griffins have formed with his family. Killian goes even further back with Ash than Rory does.
