dangerous man.”
Her laughter tinkles against the tile, bouncing back to us. But then she scoffs. “You are soft, Kitty. Like most Americans. You think love is like a fairy tale, where Prince Charming rides in as a white knight and whisks you to a castle for a happily ever after. Life is not like that.”
I frown. “You don’t think so?”
It’s not that I disagree with her that life isn’t like that. I know from my own upbringing that she’s right, but I want to press her for more to see what the hell is going on here tonight. Because it feels like there’s more than Nikolai wanting to simply test Nathan and me. I get the feeling this test is almost entirely about Nathan and has very little to do with me at all.
Her eyes take on a haunted look as she shakes her head. “In my home country, little girls do not dream of a life like that. They hope for stability and safety, not luxury but a life of safe comfort. I’m one of the lucky ones, to get to come to America.”
She turns to the mirror, slicking a fresh coat of red along her lips. “Nik is scary, but it is a good scary. A girl is safe with him as long as she makes sure she is safe from him. And I am.”
She seems certain, but I can’t help but challenge her. “You think you’re safe from him. Do you know who he is? What he is?”
She looks at me like I’m stupid, then offers a patronizing pout. “Of course I know who Nikolai Romanov is. He is a prince in my country, well on his way to becoming a king. And by his side, I will be his queen. Can I tell you a secret?”
I bob my head, and she whispers. “I have that man wrapped around my little finger. But just as importantly, I am wrapped around his as well. It may not be your American fairy tale, but it is a Russian one. I know exactly what I’m getting into and have my eyes wide open. My question is, do you know what you’re getting into with Nathan?”
I feel like I do, but I’m interested to hear her take on the whole situation because I’m in deep waters and working hard to keep kicking. “What do you mean?”
Her nonchalance is maddening, as if my life isn’t depending on how tonight’s dinner goes down. “Nik does not tell me such things. It is not my place, but Nathan is a powerful man. Where Nik uses his power like a club, wildly swinging this way and that, Nathan is much defter. He’s dangerous, as you said. But in a sneaky, stab you in the back with his manipulations way. He is a knife fighter, engaged in a battle before you’re even aware one is coming, and each slash is so sharp and clean, you don’t feel them—until you bleed to death from the culmination of his every cut. Just . . . be careful, Kitty.”
I want to dismiss her dark imagery, focus on how open Nathan has been with me, even when he knew I’d lied about my name. I want to think about how he makes me feel alive and sparkly and like he could consume my body with just his kiss.
And I do think of those things. But there’s a tiny seed of doubt, an inkling that maybe I’m in over my head with this whole situation.
So I silently nod.
The walk back to the table lets the seed take root, but when I see Nathan’s smile and the way he stands and pulls my chair out for me, it squashes the question ever so slightly. And his arm around my shoulders gives me even more certainty that we’re going to be okay.
Tonight and maybe even longer if my ‘silly American fairy tale’ comes true.
Chapter 14
Nathan
My Jaguar slips along the road, easily cutting through the dark. And though my knuckles are near-white with how tightly I’m squeezing the steering wheel, I am totally in control. Of the car, at least. Everything else is debatable. I wish I’d been able to control the conversation as readily, been able to avoid Nikolai’s shit as easily tonight.
Several times, I’d wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up as he made lewd comments and pried for details he had no business knowing about Emma and me. More than once, I imagined smashing my fist against his face