Before meeting Hunter, Anna had occasionally used clothes to weed out the lechers from the good guys at industry functions.

“You want me to choose between her western bordello steampunk or her red sliced-to-the-navelKilling Evedress? My mamá would have heart failure. I might have heart failure.”

“I’m sorry I missed the western bordello. I gather there aren’t even any photos of it.”

“You’d have to ask Hunter.” And Bea managed a small, genuine smile.

“Good woman. You’re worried Jackson will go after Cas, aren’t you?”

She nodded.

“Cas is tougher than he looks,” Antonio said, drawing her toward the side of the room where friendlier colleagues welcomed her.

“But he’s not a barbarian.”

Antonio frowned, unaware of her meaning.

Bea had hurt Casildo, and she’d hurt him more before the night was out.










CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Rage and hurt batteredat Cas, but beneath it, he was fighting confusion. He didn’t know what had happened at the function, but it had scared Beatriz. No, terrified her, so time to suck up his rage until he understood why she’d turned her back on him.

Al’ama, it hurt. He couldn’t remember being this afraid.

Beatriz held his heart.

The key in the lock told him she’d arrived. He was ready. Calm, reasonable. She appeared in the doorway.

“What just happened, Beatriz?”

Okay, so I’m not calm or reasonable.

She turned her back on him. Ostensibly to shuck her coat, but it was another sting, another gut punch telling him something was wrong.

“And don’t lie to me.”