Grievous (Wanted Men #5) - Nancy Haviland Page 0,70
lit in his dark eyes when he saw what she wore, but he didn’t say anything.
She walked alongside him down the corridor. “Where is he? Why did he leave me? He didn’t even say goodbye. And, holy crap, but do I sound whiny. Please ignore me.” She itched to link arms with him as she would have done with Eric. “Uh, so you wanna tell me where we’re going?”
“What do you think?” he rumbled in his deep voice.
Her lip quirked. “I think you’re dying to share, but your throat must hurt or something so you’re not talking. Am I close? Is that why when you mumbled those few words, it sounded as if you’d just swallowed glass?”
He used the back of his wrist to give her shoulder a gentle shove. She almost went through the wall. “You are as cheeky as Tabia. I had forgotten how nice it was to have an annoying girl in the house.”
Her jaw dropped, and then she laughed. “Sorin! You don’t tell a girl she’s annoying. Who’s Tabia?”
“My older sister.”
“You have a sister? Lucky. Just the one?”
“I also have a younger brother. He lives in Beijing.”
“Nice. One of each. How wonderful for you.”
“Tabia and Lucian’s Miruna were close friends.”
Yasmeen’s stomach lurched. “Miruna? Who’s she?” If he said Lucian’s first love or first or second wife, she might just throw up on the window seat up ahead.
“Lucian’s older sister.”
She grabbed his python of an arm and skidded to a halt. “What? Lucian has a sister? Oh, my God. That’s amazing. So he’s not completely alone without Markus. Where is she?”
Sorin was shaking his head. “Miruna is also gone.”
Her hand went to her throat as another piece of her heart broke for her madman. “Nooo. Aw, Sorin, shut up. Don’t tell me that.”
His beard went crooked, his eyes dancing. “Not many people tell me to shut up.”
She waved her hand in the air as they started up the stairs, too distracted to appreciate she’d made him smile. “You know I didn’t mean it. Seriously, the last thing I’d do is shut down the one person who actually talks to me like I’m a person.”
He patted the top of her head like one would a child.
“How did she die?”
“In an accident. It is not so fresh anymore because she has been gone since he was a boy.” They reached the third level and began walking along the corridor that led to the ballroom. “But that does not make it any less of a loss.”
“Of course, it wouldn’t. What kind of accident? Or is that a secret?”
He tipped his head in a way that told her nothing. “It is not for me to say.”
Two siblings. Both gone. Poor Lucian, she thought as she skipped again to try to keep up with Sorin’s long strides. “Are we late?” She was beginning to get winded.
“No.”
“So, you’re making me run because you think I’m not getting enough exercise?”
“At this point, I do not believe you could get more exercise if you lived in a gym.”
She stumbled and just barely caught herself at the blunt reference to the sex she and Lucian had been having. It was the exact kind of thing Eric would have said. “Yeah, he is kinda energetic,” she returned. “Do you know a guy named Eric Halston? Maybe you’re related?”
“Mr. Halston is your friend, not mine.”
She stopped again. “You know Eric?”
He nudged her along. “I know all your friends, Ms. Michaels.”
“Because you’re Lucian’s spy.”
“Okay.”
She couldn’t believe it, but she grinned at that. “Where is he?”
“Eric? I do not know.”
It was her turn to attempt to shove his stone shoulder. “Lucian, silly.”
“In his office.”
“Oh. And where are you taking me?”
“Here.” He paused before two tall doors and opened one side to wave her in.
The moment a waft of air came from the room, her mouth gushed with water.
Popcorn.
She went in and inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar smell of a movie theater, which was what she was now standing in. There were three rows of black leather chairs already in the reclined position, six in each row. A large screen framed by a red curtain was at the front, with a popcorn machine and candy stand off to the side.
“Are you kidding me?” she whispered as she walked down and looked over an impressive array of candy and chocolate.
“Lucian thought you might be feeling homesick. He gave me another of his lists and hoped this might help. He also wanted you occupied while he works for a few hours. Take what