by Dena Christy
Ryce escorted her forward and down the sweeping staircase. A waiter was passing with a tray filled with champagne, and she reached out and plucked two glass off the tray and handed one to Ryce. He looked at it curiously. He took a tentative sip, and his nose wrinkled.
“Don’t you like it?” she asked as they moved over to the side of the ballroom floor.
“I could do without the bubbles,” he said as he set the glass aside on one of the banquet tables. Collette sipped hers since she loved the way the bubbles tickled on the way down. She glanced around the ballroom, trying to see who was there that she knew that would be safe for them to talk to. Reggie’s cronies were out, since they would be the most inclined to talk business, and she was sure that Reggie bent his no business rule for them.
As her eyes swept the room, they were caught by Dawson, who stood across the room staring at her. She took a nervous sip of her champagne since the look he was giving her was very familiar. She’d been looked at like that before, but never so blatantly. Judging by the look in Dawson’s eyes, Reggie’s patronage wasn’t the only thing he wanted. She tore her eyes away, and watched him through her peripheral vision, and he set his drink aside and made his way across the ballroom floor toward them. He didn’t seem at all bothered by the dancers and he navigated through them smoothly.
“Get ready,” Collette said to Ryce in a quiet undertone.
“I see him,” he said, and there was a note in his voice that she couldn’t identify, and before she could ask him about it, Dawson stood in front of them. Ryce turned to look at him. “Can I help you?”
Collette stifled a gasp at the edge in his voice and she squeezed the flesh of his arm under her hand. It wouldn’t do to alienate Dawson before he made contact. To her surprise, Dawson didn’t seem offended, and in fact there was a respect in his eyes when he looked at Ryce.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, sir,” he said as he held himself up straight, and Collette could see the military bearing in every line of his body. “My name is Colonel Jace Dawson, and I have wanted to meet you for a long time.”
Dawson held his hand out, and Collette couldn’t believe that it was going to be this easy. Ryce grasped his hand and gave it a brief shake. He let it drop and pulled Collette closer to his side. She sensed the barely leashed tension in his body, and she wondered at it.
“So now you’ve met me,” Ryce said, his voice so cold that it caused Collette to shiver.
She peaked up at him, and she could see that his face was set in stone, and it held an expression that she’d never seen Reggie wear. She looked back at Dawson, and she could see his disappointment in the sag of his shoulders. Ryce had gotten what they came here for, so she supposed there was no point in encouraging Dawson to linger.
“I was hoping you could spare me a few moments to talk sir,” Dawson said, and although he covered most of it, Collette could detect a note of impatience in his voice.
“I am at a social function,” Ryce said as he drew himself up, and the imperiousness in his voice was an exact match for one Reggie used when someone had out stayed their welcome. “You approached me for an introduction and you have received one. I’m here to socialize and enjoy the company of my companion, so if you will excuse me I believe I would like to dance with her.”
Ryce cut off any reply that Dawson would make and Collette followed him as he made his way to the midst of the dancing couples. She could no longer see Dawson where they’d left him standing on the side lines, and she looked up at Ryce.
“What was that all about?” she asked.
“I got what I needed,” Ryce said as he pulled her to him and swirled her around the ballroom floor in time with the music. “I didn’t think I would be expected to engage in idle chit chat with the man who holds my friend hostage.”
Now it made perfect sense, Ryce’s barely leashed hostility toward Dawson. A small stab of disappointment lanced her, for she’d thought for a moment that he’d been jealous of the way Dawson had looked at her. But that was a silly notion. They’d only had one night together, and it was not like Ryce was devoted to her. She was sure that he liked her, and there was an attraction there, but as far as jealousy went, apparently he didn’t feel that. She shoved the notion aside and focused on enjoying the few hours they would have to remain here before they could make their escape.
Chapter Nine
Ryce ran his fingers inside the collar of the shirt he was wearing. The stupid thing was strangling him. The press of bodies and the sound of people socializing only made it worse. He needed to calm down, he and Collette wouldn’t be getting out of here for a while yet. He thought he’d been able to handle coming here and meeting Colonel Dawson. He was wrong.
His brief skim of Dawson’s mind had shown him what sort of man he was. Although he’d told himself not to do it, he couldn’t resist a gentle probe when he’d touched him. Just a brief glimpse to see if Cynric was still alive and well. What he’d seen had a hot coal of anger alighting in his gut, and it had taken all his restraint not to beat Dawson senseless for the torture that he’d seen committed against his friend. The best revenge for Cynric’s mistreatment would be to snatch him out from under Dawson’s nose. Ryce intended to do just that.
His self-control hadn’t been helped by what he’d also seen in Dawson’s eyes when he’d looked at Collette. The man’s attraction to her was evident, and it had been sitting at the edges of Dawson’s mind too. There’d been a thought that she was wasted on an old man like Reggie, and at least in that he and Dawson had something in common. Unlike what he felt for her, Dawson's thoughts had a more sinister edge to them. There was no respect for Collette anywhere in them. The jealousy coursing through had made it that much harder to be civil to the man, so he’d cut the meeting with him short so he wouldn’t risk giving himself away.
“We should be able to get out of here soon.” Collette looped her arm through his and drew him out of his thoughts. “I’m sure you're eager to get out of both the suit and Reggie’s body.”
“It will be a relief to get back to myself.” Dawson caught his eye. The colonel circled the fringes of the ballroom, his eyes never straying far from Collette. Ryce suppressed the urge to growl, and he gently eased her out of his line of sight. He made sure his back, while not as broad as it could be, blocked her from his view.
“What is it?” she asked as she looked up at him startled. He didn’t want to tell her that he was in the throes of jealousy, since she owed him nothing, and he had no right to expect anything from her. He had to think of another reason for his moodiness.
“I need some air, it feels claustrophobic in here.” He guided her toward the stairs at the back of the ballroom. It would take them to the upper level, where it wasn’t as crowded, and hopefully get her out from under Dawson’s hungry gaze.
“I think we’ve been seen enough for one night, and if it’s bothering you to be here we can leave.” She turned toward the entrance and a startled gasp escaped her as her body drew up straight and rigid. She immediately turned around and tugged him back in the direction that he’d intended to go.
“What is it?” A small fission of alarm ran through him as he looked down at her. She’d been calm and composed throughout the whole evening, and now something had rattled her. Her face had gone pale, and he could detect the rapid throb of her heart beat in the tiny vein in her throat.
“We have to get out of here now.” She steered him toward the stairs, towing him toward it. Her hand dug into the flesh of his bicep, and he could feel her nails through the fabric of his suit jacket.
“Collette, what’s going on,” he asked as he put up a small amount of resistance. If there was a threat he needed to know about it. He couldn’t protect her if he didn’t know what he was protecting her from.
“Reggie is here,” she said in a hard under tone as she peeked over her shoulder. Her face was bone white, and he could see the terror in her eyes. He picked up his pace as he put her in front of him so that she was blocked from
view. He doubted that Reggie would recognize himself from the back, but he would definitely recognize Collette.
“I thought you said he wouldn’t be coming to this? And how did he get in since we have the invitation?” This was a complication that they didn’t need. If they were caught, it would be apparent that something nefarious was going on. Dawson wasn’t stupid, and if he’d been able to learn anything about their species, he’d know that Ryce was an alien. If they weren’t careful, he’d end up in a cell alongside Cynric, and who knew what would happen to Collette.
The thought of the danger that she was in propelled him forward faster, and he raced up the stairs with her. He had to protect her no matter what, and his hand tightened where it rested on her waist.
“I didn’t think he’d come, he said he had another engagement, and as far as the invitation goes, I’m sure the guard thought he was returning to the ballroom since he already checked his invitation.”
How could they not have thought this was a possibility? Up the stairs they went as Ryce did his best to block Collette from view using a much smaller body than his own.
“Collette,” a female voice called from their right as they crested the top of the stairs. Collette turned her head and paused, and Ryce gnashed his teeth in frustration. The door to the garden was so close that it would only take several more rushed footsteps to get there. He propelled Collette forward when the voice called again.
Collette paused and turned to him. He could see people looking in their direction as the woman who called her waved frantically to get her attention.
“Why are you stopping,” he asked, his voice an urgent undertone. “We need to get out of here.”
“She won't stop, and we are drawing too much attention. You need to get out of here, so Reggie doesn’t see you. Got out into the garden and wait for me. I’ll see what she wants and get rid of her.”
“I’m not leaving without you,” he said as his feet felt like they were welded to the floor. There was no way he was going to leave her here, alone and vulnerable.
“You have to, I’ll be fine. He can’t see you.” She stepped away and turned to the woman who called out to her. “I’ll meet you outside, now go.”
Despite his instincts he did was she wanted and put his head down and walked in a straight line toward the glass doors that led to the garden.
Once he was out the door, he kept going until he was in the shadows of the trees that rimmed the perimeter of the hotel. He longed to turn back into his normal form, but knew he couldn’t. Collette was already at risk, and he wouldn’t put her in further danger by revealing himself to everyone here. All he could do was wait for her to come out, and unfortunately he had no idea how long that would be.
He cursed under his breath as he leaned against the tree, his eyes trained on the exit to the hotel.
Collette took a deep breath and forced her annoyance down as she turned to Alicia Mackie. She was a chippy like Collette and a notorious gossip. Under normal circumstances Collette didn’t mind speaking with her, since she was a wealth of information, but this was the worst time to stand there gossiping. She peeked over her shoulder to see where Reggie was, and he was in the middle of the ballroom floor and she could see his gaze sweeping the room. A small spurt of relief went through her when it became obvious that he hadn’t seen her, and perhaps she and Ryce would get away with this.
“Darling,” Alicia exclaimed when she came to stand in front of her. She kissed the air on each side of Collette’s cheeks, and Collette did her best to keep her eyes from rolling. They both knew that Alicia came from nothing, but the other chippy did her best to act like she’d come from grander circumstances.
“Hello Alicia,” Collette said as she masked her impatience. She would give Alicia a few minutes of her time and then pretend that she had somewhere important to be.
“I’m surprised to see you here, and was that Reggie I saw you with?”
“Of course he’s with me.” Collette pasted a smile on her face. “Why would you be surprised?”
“Well, I’d heard that you and Reggie were finished.”
Collette’s heart picked up its pace. She hadn’t counted on the rumor mill picking up her and Reggie’s break up this quickly. Had the real Reggie said something to someone, or was this Alicia’s way of fishing for information? Collette tried to assure herself that no one knew that she and Reggie were on the outs and made sure she kept her face a smooth mask.
“Well we’ve been having problems, but as you saw I am still with him.” Collette glanced around and tried to think of a way to end this conversation now before the real Reggie caught up with her and made a lie out of her statement.
“I’m relieved to hear that.” Alicia’s crimson colored mouth pulled into a smile just a phony as Collette’s. She’d been fishing for sure and hadn't like the answer she’d gotten. “I noticed that Colonel Dawson has been watching you for most of the evening and felt I should warn you. I guess I don’t need to worry since you aren’t a free agent.”
Alicia’s words caught Collette’s attention. Alicia knew everything about everyone, and perhaps she could share insight into Dawson that they hadn’t heard. Any information that they could glean about him might be helpful in their rescue of Cynric.
“Why would you be worried about Colonel Dawson?” She knew she was taking a risk by continuing to stand here and talk to Alicia, but her curiosity had been caught, and she knew that she wouldn't leave until Alicia had satisfied it.
“I wouldn’t like to see a sweet girl like you end up with someone like him. I knew a girl who was in a relationship with him, as a chippy, and he ruined her. I’d hate for something like that to happen to you.”
“Did he leave her high and dry,” Collette asked, uncertain of what Alicia meant by ruining her. The worst thing that could happen to a chippy would be if her protector left without a settlement while she looked for another protector, and in the society they ran in, it was a practice that was frowned upon. Not because the men who kept them had any concern for their well being, but because it made a man look like he couldn’t take care of his debts. Such a perception by the society they ran in would be like business suicide since one’s reputation was everything in this world.
“Much worse than that. She wouldn’t tell me too much about it, but I get the impression that he was both physically and mentally cruel to her, and the experience left her with scars. Physical scars that lowered her value. But since you are still under Reggie’s protection, I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” Alicia said and her face lit up as she looked at someone behind Collette. “And speaking of Reggie, I’ll leave you in his capable hands.”
Collette’s blood ran cold for a moment as the hair raised on the back of her neck. For a second she hoped that it was Ryce in his guise as Reggie that stood behind her, but as soon as she caught the scent of Reggie’s cologne she knew that it was Reggie himself that stood behind her.
“Alicia,” Reggie said as he came to stand beside her and encase her arm in an iron grip. Collette kept the grimace from showing on her face as his fingers bit into her soft flesh of her upper arm. She wouldn’t be surprised if there was a bruise left behind, but if that was the extent of the damage he did, she would count herself lucky. “Can I speak to you in private my dear?”
Reggie’s voice appeared to be calm and unruffled for Alicia’s benefit, but Collette knew him well enough to know that what he said was a demand and not a request.
Collette turned away from Alicia, and Reggie steered her toward the exit to the garden. All she could do was walk along beside him and hope that Ryce had hidden himself.
Once they were outside and a short distance away from the hotel Reggie let her go with a sound of disgust. His mouth was pulled back in a sneer, and in all her dealings with him, he had never looked at her like she was something that had crawled out from under a rock.
“I didn’t expect you to be here,” she said as she looked around. She couldn’t see Ry
ce anywhere, and a short stab of relief went through her. She was certain she could talk her way out of this as long as Reggie didn’t see his doppelgänger.
“That is evident.” Reggie jerked her around to face him. “I don’t know what game you are playing at, but it stops now.”
“I’m not sure I know what you mean.” She wasn’t being disingenuous, but she was not about to admit to anything unless she knew exactly what he was talking about.
“I’m talking about using my identity to set yourself up with someone else. I realize that you need to find a new protector, and I was willing to give you time to do that while you continued to enjoy yourself at my expense, but to go behind my back and use my suite at this hotel to do that is beyond what I will tolerate.”
“How did you know I was here?” She was thankful that he hadn’t gotten to the core of what she had done. As long as he remained unaware of Ryce’s presence, that was all that mattered. While Reggie had every right to be angry that she’d come here and used his suite, there wasn’t much he could do about it that could hurt her at this juncture. Reggie was not a physical man, preferring to let others do his dirty work. He thought himself too dignified to resort to what he saw as baser actions, so at least she was assured that he would not harm her physically.
“I received a message from the hotel letting me know that everything was in readiness for me this weekend. Imagine my surprise in receiving it since I wasn’t aware that I’d make plans to be here. I was shocked to see you here at the ball, considering how we left things. I thought you were going to take time to calm down and realize how lucky you are to have my protection. I hadn’t even considered that you were behind this deception, but as soon as I saw you I knew it was you who had reserved the suite. I’m very disappointed in you, Collette.”
