10
THE WALTZ
DOMINIC
The palace looked different at night when it wasn't filled with wedding crowds.
I stood near the east entrance watching guests filter through security checkpoints Viktor and I had designed that afternoon, cataloguing faces, checking posture, identifying who moved like threats versus who just thought they did. Diplomatic reception. Smaller than the royal wedding but still packed with people who wielded power through chequebooks and connections rather than violence.
My job tonight was simple: make sure nobody died, nothing got stolen, and Sebastian didn't have to deal with any unpleasantness that would make tomorrow's headlines awkward.
Viktor handled close protection. I managed the perimeter and the exit strategies nobody wanted to think about until they needed them.
“East corridor is clear,” Viktor's voice came through my earpiece, accented and clipped. “West side has bottleneck at champagne station. Too many bodies.”
“I'll handle it.” I moved through the ballroom with practised efficiency, nodding at guests who tried to make eye contact, avoiding conversations that would slow me down.
I was halfway to the west champagne station when I saw him.
Cal walked through the main entrance wearing a suit that fit like sin and looked like money. Dark grey, nearly black. No tie. First button undone just enough to show the hollow of his throat. Hair pushed back from his face in a way that made him look older, more polished. Those mismatched eyes swept the room with casual interest that I recognised immediately as professional assessment.
He looked like he belonged here.
What the bloody hell was he doing here?
I crossed the ballroom in eight strides, intercepted him before he could disappear into the crowd. Kept my voice low. “What are you doing here?”
He turned those eyes on me. No surprise. No guilt. Just that particular expression that meant he'd planned this and was pleased I'd noticed. “Working.”
“This isn't your case.”
“Everything's potentially my case.” He scanned the room again, already dismissing me. “Guest list includes people worth observing. That's not coincidence.”
“You can't just walk into a palace event.”
“Clearly I can. I'm standing here.” His attention came back to me. “Relax. I didn't break in. I have credentials.”
“What credentials?”
“The kind that got me through your security without issue.” He straightened his cuffs. “Now if you're done hovering, I should mingle. Standing here arguing with security makes me look suspicious.”
He started to move past me. I caught his arm. “You don't wander alone here.”
He looked at my hand on his arm. Didn't try to pull away. Just met my eyes with something that might have been amusement. “Careful. People are watching.”
“Let them watch.”
“Either escort me properly or let go. This looks bad for both of us.” His voice stayed quiet but carried steel underneath. “Your choice.”
He was right. I hated that he was right.
I released his arm, stepped to his side. “Stay visible. And if I tell you to move, you move.”
“I'll take it under advisement.”
“That's not an answer.”
“It's the only one you're getting.” He adjusted his jacket. “Now, are you going to introduce me to your prince, or should I introduce myself?”
