Page 84 of Savannah Royals
“Thank you.” He sighs, stepping deeper into the room. He leans on the wall and closes his eyes. “It’s nothing anyway. Harry made that very clear before he departed. We won’t see each other again.”
“I–I’m really sorry,” I stammer. “I didn’t meanto—”
“It’s not your fault, Kat,” he mumbles. “Harry and I were reckless. We’re usually faultlessly careful—as military men, asgentlemen, we have to be—but it’s New Year’s, and we’re both a bit corked. We were asking for trouble. But as I told you, it won’t happen again. It’s best we all just forget it. Move on.”
“What you do in your own room of your own house isn’t anybody’s business but your own,” I insist.
He smiles sadly at me. “It’s not my house yet, Kat. It may never be.”
“Well, that would be an absolute travesty. One I would never forgive your parents for.”
Ethan looks at me then,reallylooks. His gaze sweeps me from head to toe, assessing, burning a trail across my skin. He pushes himself off the wall and comes closer, a slight frown on his face as his hand reaches for my head. My instinct is to pull away, but I freeze.
“You reallyaren’tlike the others, are you?” he murmurs. His fingers come to rest on my ear. He tweaks gently at Matthew’s gifted earrings. “Orareyou? These are real diamonds. Where the hell did you get these, Catacomb girl?”
My cheeks bleed pink again. “They’re from your brother.”
“FromMatthew?” He drops his hand, incredulous. “Just how serious are you about my brother, Kat?”
“Um.” I lick my lips.
“What I mean is, he’s not just a meal ticket?”
“No!” Everything in me clenches against the accusation. I look at him with hard eyes, ready to rip his throat out for even suggesting it.
Ethan watches me, meeting my fire head-on. After a moment, he blinks in surprise and steps back. “Oh. Wow.”
“Wow, what?” My stomach turns over, wondering which part of me has been found out—the side playing Matthew or the one falling in love with him. I don’t know which I’m more afraid of.
Ethan has moved all the way back to my door. His fingers close blindly around the knob, and suddenly, teasing cocksure Ethan is back. A devilish smile blooms. “A secret for a secret, right? I won’t tell if you won’t, Katarina.”
“Tell what?” My brows are sharp.
“Exactly.” He winks. “I shouldn’t be here. This has the makings of a terrible scandal. Goodnight, Katarina. See you around. And…take care of Matthew, okay?”
The barest hint of softening flashes in his eyes before he departs. Vulnerability. There and gone in an instant.
I’m not entirely sure how a moment that was supposed to be about Ethan’s hidden love turned into one about my own, but darned if that man didn’t manage it.
A secret for a secret, I muse. What a dangerous little game.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Afewdaysafterreturning from Jekyll Island, I go to the bayou loft to meet the Royals. We’re conducting another night of surveillance at the Magpies’ riverfront hideout.
“How was your trip?” Paul asks.
Tony and Abe pull their shoes on by the door, listening.
“It was good.” I offer nothing more.
A little tentatively, Paul leans in to hug me. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I sink into him, and his muscles relax.
He doesn’t ask anything more—nothing about the Jekyll Island Club or Matthew or his family. And I don’t volunteer a word. My relationship with Matthew is no longer up for discussion.
Under the cover of darkness, we hover at the docks near the Magpie clipper ship all night, inspecting the people coming and going.
