Christian said in a low, beautiful tone that I swore I could feel slipping along my skin.
“They’re arguing,” Roxy said to Joy.
“Fine,” I said, poking him in the chest. “The next time someone tries to kill you, I’ll just let them, shall I? Then I can wait until you’re dead and Summon you to make your apologies. And trust me, you’re going to be apologizing for a very long time!”
Christian took a step closer to me, his jaw tight. “You are not at all the type of woman I like. You are aggressive and independent, and you seem to feel it is your right to insult me without cause.”
“They aren’t supposed to be arguing, are they?”
I snapped my fingers and waved away his comments. “As if I care what sort of woman you like. And you’re damn right I’m aggressive and independent, and if the insult fits, wear it.”
“I mean, that’s not right, is it? Them fighting like this? Isn’t it against the rules?”
“I don’t know,” Joy said, her eyes worried. “I thought it would have been impossible, but … maybe we’re mistaken.”
Christian glanced at Joy, snarled something I was sure was rude in what sounded like German, then stalked off. The police rolled in at that moment, pushing the chaos of the store up several levels. I had to describe what happened to three different policemen, skating carefully around the question of how I knew the woman had a gun and was intending to kill Christian when I was seated more than thirty feet away with my back to the signing table.
I couldn’t keep from looking for Christian, no matter how hard I tried to ignore him. Most of the time I foundhe was watching me, but once I saw him arguing quietly but vehemently with Joy. She gestured in my direction and said something to him that he didn’t like. He shook his head repeatedly, making gestures of denial with his hands. Finally he snapped something at her and turned on his heel, storming away from her. From the look of surprise on her face, I guessed he wasn’t normally that rude.
To her. Me, he all but accused of being a partner in crime with the gun-toting woman. Not to mention messing up some suspicious plan that involved carving himself up for who knew what reason. Maybe he was into some strange blood-sport sex cult. He certainly was sexy enough for five men; I wouldn’t put it past him at all to be the sort of domineering, assured, self-centered man who loved to have women fawning all over him. Men! If I weren’t so partial to them—zometimes, under certain circumstances—I’d give them up completely.
By the time the police were through interrogating everyone who witnessed what happened, I was exhausted. I could barely stand; my leg felt like someone had used it as a knife-throwing target, even after a nice policewoman got me a chair. I got to my feet and staggered a step before I got my leg under control. Christian’s head whipped around from where he was talking to the officer in charge; his eyes narrowed and became almost black. I bared my teeth at him in what I hoped passed for a reasonably polite smile, and limped toward the door. I felt his gaze burning me every step of the way.
“Allie! Wait a minute; I’m not as fast on my feet as I used to be.”
“You were never fast on your feet. Admit it, Joy, you’re an Amazon. A fat Amazon.”
“I’m pregnant, you annoying short person. I’m allowed to be fat.” Joy puffed her way up to me and held out acard. “Come for tea tomorrow. We have a lot to talk about.”
I looked over her shoulder to where Christian was still watching me with a narrow-eyed glare. “Thanks, but no, thanks. I don’t think your friend there likes me overly much.”
Joy tipped her head to one side while Roxy grinned.
“Christian won’t be there. He’s never up that early. It’ll be just us three. And possibly Raphael.”
“That’s her fiancé,” Roxy added helpfully.
I couldn’t help but glance at Joy’s very pregnant stomach.
Roxy shot her
“They’re arguing,” Roxy said to Joy.
“Fine,” I said, poking him in the chest. “The next time someone tries to kill you, I’ll just let them, shall I? Then I can wait until you’re dead and Summon you to make your apologies. And trust me, you’re going to be apologizing for a very long time!”
Christian took a step closer to me, his jaw tight. “You are not at all the type of woman I like. You are aggressive and independent, and you seem to feel it is your right to insult me without cause.”
“They aren’t supposed to be arguing, are they?”
I snapped my fingers and waved away his comments. “As if I care what sort of woman you like. And you’re damn right I’m aggressive and independent, and if the insult fits, wear it.”
“I mean, that’s not right, is it? Them fighting like this? Isn’t it against the rules?”
“I don’t know,” Joy said, her eyes worried. “I thought it would have been impossible, but … maybe we’re mistaken.”
Christian glanced at Joy, snarled something I was sure was rude in what sounded like German, then stalked off. The police rolled in at that moment, pushing the chaos of the store up several levels. I had to describe what happened to three different policemen, skating carefully around the question of how I knew the woman had a gun and was intending to kill Christian when I was seated more than thirty feet away with my back to the signing table.
I couldn’t keep from looking for Christian, no matter how hard I tried to ignore him. Most of the time I foundhe was watching me, but once I saw him arguing quietly but vehemently with Joy. She gestured in my direction and said something to him that he didn’t like. He shook his head repeatedly, making gestures of denial with his hands. Finally he snapped something at her and turned on his heel, storming away from her. From the look of surprise on her face, I guessed he wasn’t normally that rude.
To her. Me, he all but accused of being a partner in crime with the gun-toting woman. Not to mention messing up some suspicious plan that involved carving himself up for who knew what reason. Maybe he was into some strange blood-sport sex cult. He certainly was sexy enough for five men; I wouldn’t put it past him at all to be the sort of domineering, assured, self-centered man who loved to have women fawning all over him. Men! If I weren’t so partial to them—zometimes, under certain circumstances—I’d give them up completely.
By the time the police were through interrogating everyone who witnessed what happened, I was exhausted. I could barely stand; my leg felt like someone had used it as a knife-throwing target, even after a nice policewoman got me a chair. I got to my feet and staggered a step before I got my leg under control. Christian’s head whipped around from where he was talking to the officer in charge; his eyes narrowed and became almost black. I bared my teeth at him in what I hoped passed for a reasonably polite smile, and limped toward the door. I felt his gaze burning me every step of the way.
“Allie! Wait a minute; I’m not as fast on my feet as I used to be.”
“You were never fast on your feet. Admit it, Joy, you’re an Amazon. A fat Amazon.”
“I’m pregnant, you annoying short person. I’m allowed to be fat.” Joy puffed her way up to me and held out acard. “Come for tea tomorrow. We have a lot to talk about.”
I looked over her shoulder to where Christian was still watching me with a narrow-eyed glare. “Thanks, but no, thanks. I don’t think your friend there likes me overly much.”
Joy tipped her head to one side while Roxy grinned.
“Christian won’t be there. He’s never up that early. It’ll be just us three. And possibly Raphael.”
“That’s her fiancé,” Roxy added helpfully.
I couldn’t help but glance at Joy’s very pregnant stomach.
Roxy shot her
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