Page 165 of The Masks and the Dancer (Their Obsession 2)

“You smell good,” I mutter.

“I smell even better,” Leon remarks, stepping up behind me and sandwiching me between them both, enveloping me in a warm hug.

Smiling into Konrad’s chest I say: “I could get used to this.”

“That’s the plan, Christy. That’s the plan,” Leon mutters.

* * *

“I’m completely stuffed!”Nala exclaims, sitting back in her chair and rubbing her belly. “How the other half live!”

“Other half?” Konrad chuckles. “Don’t pretend you weren’t stuffing your face with Cook’s food just like the rest of us. Renard always made sure you were fed exactly what we ate. We know this because we made sure of it.”

Nala’s face falls. “I miss him.”

“As do we all,” Jakub says softly, his hand resting on my thigh beneath the table. I fold my fingers over his.

“He would be so happy to see you all together like this,” Thirteen remarks, reaching over to squeeze Nala’s hand.

She smiles up at her, brushing away a stray tear that tracks down her cheek before looking over at me. “The second I met you, Iknewyou’d be the one to change it all. Even when you’d refused my sandwich that first morning you arrived here and glared at me like I was your enemy, I knew.”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Leon asks, glancing between us both. His eyes narrow, but there’s no malice, just amusement.

Nala pulls a face. “You were being arseholes leaving her down in the dungeon for so long.”

“You devious little bugger…” Leon barks out a laugh, Konrad following suit.

“It makes total sense now,” Konrad says, his chuckle fading away as he pierces a carrot baton with his fork, pointing it at me. “And there’s me thinking you were a survivalist when all the time this little meddler had been feeding you.”

“Christyisa survivor,” Jakub says, his tone serious, guilt-ridden. “She’s had to be.”

“You’re not angry?” Nala asks.

Jakub shifts in his seat and I feel the tension rolling off him. “I can’t deny that the old me would’ve been, but the person I am today is glad you meddled.”

“Someone had to.” She shrugs. “Besides, it wasn’t just me, Renard helped too. He was my lookout.”

That makes all three men smile.

“Well, thank you, Nala, for doing what was right when all we could do was wrong,” Jakub says.

“Don’t,” I say, shaking my head. “Not tonight. No guilt. No regret. Let’s keep this light, cheerful. Please?”

“I agree,” Konrad says. “We can go over what absolute pricks we’ve been another time. Today’s not the best day for it, agreed?”

Jakub nods. “Agreed.”

“Well, I know what will put a smile on Jakub’s face,” Leon interjects, his hand finding its way to my other thigh and lightly grazing my skin. “Dessert?”

“Ewww, gross,” Nala exclaims, dropping her napkin onto the table and standing abruptly. “I think that’s our cue to leave, don’t you, Thirteen?”

“I think now is the perfect time,” she says, glancing over at Jakub, a silent conversation passing between them. Everyone in the room excluding Nala knows what that look means. It’s just as well she’s so preoccupied with the ball that she misses it.

“I’m so looking forward to dressing up,” Nala babbles on. “This will be the first time attending the ball without being a member of staff. I can’t wait.”

Jakub coughs into his fist, a look of guilt passing over his features. “Go on, go and get ready,” he says, hiding his feelings expertly behind an indulgent smile.

Nala claps her hands together, squealing in excitement before grabbing Thirteen’s hand and dragging her toward the door. “We’re getting ready together. You should see my dress, it’s gorgeous! I must say, the black, gold and white colour scheme is genius,” she exclaims. “I’m wearing white… Because, you know, virginal.”

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