“Since I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go, Gracie’s kindly offered to give me a ride. I thought I’d give you your gift in person.”
“I didn’t offer,” I say for no one’s benefit but my own. Katarina will know Killian’s talking shit.
“Listen to me, Kitty,” Killian says when Katarina remains icily silent. “I’ve got my wig and a pair of sunglasses.” He tugs at the blond mullet for effect. “And with Gracie vouching for me, security won’t look at me twice. I promiseI won’t speak to anyone else. I just want to see you.” His voice lowers to a promise when he adds, “And I intend to see all of you. Tonight.”
“It’s too risky. You can’t…”
Her voice trails off and Killian smooths over her doubts. “I can. And I will.”
My pulse races. “You can’t and you won’t,” I tell him. “Not if I don’t agree. I’d rather stay out here all night than smuggle you into the party so you can sabotage all our plans. Duke needs to get his brother home.”
“I won’t be doing anything to jeopardize your plans,” Killian says earnestly. “You have my word.”
“Please. Don’t do this, Killian,” Katarina says. I can only hope she hasn’t wasted time fixing her makeup because her voice is wet with tears. “We’ve said our goodbyes. Let me go. Maybe one day, when it’s safe and your family doesn’t hate my family so much, we can pick up where we left off.”
“I won’t let you leave on a maybe,” he insists, his voice gravelly. There’s no sign of that roguish smile on his face.
Katarina clears her throat. “You have to. It’s all I can offer,” she says. “Goodbye, Shorty.”
“Kitty!” Killian growls, but Katarina cuts the call.
The band of tension around my chest relaxes a little, but I’m still sitting next to a member of the Irish mafia, waiting for him to hand over the boxes so he can get the fuck out of my car. Instead, he puts his cell phone back in his pocket, and when he withdraws his hand…
Oh fuck. I’m staring down the wrong end of a lethal looking handgun. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Sorry, Gracie. I am going to the party and you’re going to get me in there. And the quieter and calmer you are, the less chance there is of things kicking off before your boyfriend’s brother canbe returned.”
I peel my tongue from the roof of my suddenly dry mouth. “You’re not going to shoot me,” I say, if only to reassure myself because there’s no way I can agree to this. “You’re friends with the Griffins. And the Moncriefs. They wouldn’t want you to hurt me.”
“There are lots of things people don’t want me to do, but I do them anyway. Just ask Rory.”
Terror should be scrambling my brain, but I see things all too clear. “You caused his crash?”
“It was a necessary correction to keep Duke on the straight and narrow. Or so I thought,” he says. “You have no idea how much earache Katarina gave me for it.”
“She didn’t know what you were going to do?”
“Of course not.”
“But she took the blame.”
Killian’s eyes twinkle in the dim light. “I didn’t know that. Fuck me. I do love that woman.”
I can’t hide the shock. I guessed Katarina had feelings for her hairdresser, but a Bratva princess and the son of an Irish mafia boss? Love doesn’t seem plausible.
“Let me see her one last time, Gracie,” he rasps out. “Let me tell her how I feel.” When I still hesitate, he adds, “My soul is black enough. I really don’t want to kill you.”
The man next to me might be crazy in love, but he’s no less of a psychopath and I’d be a fool to think his threat wasn’t genuine.
Chapter 27
Duke
“I’m surprised how many people have shown up for Katarina’s birthday,” Calder says, eyeing the steady stream of guests entering the marquee.
We’re watching from the safety of the stone terrace that stretches across the rear of the mansion. The drawing room doors are open wide behind us, golden drapes fluttering in a chill breeze. Calder, Rory and I stand at the edge of the terrace near the steps that lead down to the lawn. Below us, there’s a red velvet rope cordon to deter inquisitive guests from bringing the party into the house.
Looking more or less healed after his crash, Rory swirls the whiskey in his glass. He’s been nursing the same drink for half an hour. We’ve agreed to stay sober tonight, and although my brothers are unaware I’m counting down nervously to eight o’clock and our reunion with Fitz, we all know what’s at stake tomorrow. My future with Grace is within touching distance and I won’t picture one without her.
