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“No thanks.”
Her expression was almost enough to make me laugh. Dominic did, though he kept it quiet. “What?”
Nate shrugged, opening his car door and sliding into the driver’s seat. “I’m good. Just glad you’re okay.”
She grabbed the door, holding it open when Nate tried to shut it. “It’s not a suggestion.”
“I’m aware. I’m also aware that I need to keep my mouth shut about anything I witnessed. Don’t worry, I’m not going to rat you out.”
“That’s yet to be determined,” I mumbled.
Instead of getting offended, he shrugged. “Fair enough. I’ll have to prove it to you. I have no beef with you and no desire to get into whatever the fuck this all was. I’ll keep it to myself.”
He held her gaze and stared her down like she wasn’t the baddest thing he’d encountered. I didn’t like that one bit, but Mari nodded and released the door. Before we could do much else, he yanked it shut and peeled out, leaving two black marks on the road and the lingering smell of burned rubber behind.
“What the fuck was that?” Mari whispered.
I don’t know.
Dominic shoved a hand through his hair before nudging Mari with his shoulder. “Come on, mariposa. We’ll give you a ride home.”
While he set off for the SUV, Mari stayed rooted in place until Nate’s car disappeared in the distance. Like she had to watch him until the very last second. Finally, she tore her gaze away and turned to me. “Can we find him?”
I didn’t know, but I could already smell the hint of obsession in the air. Whoever Nate was, he’d caught her attention, and Mari wasn’t going to let him go without a fight.
Chapter Nine
Mari
In a city with spies everywhere and more cops under my thumb than all the other families combined, I couldn’t find my Good Samaritan. Not a last name, a place of employment—nothing. Even his car was a nonstarter. All I had was his first name—Nate. Or…the name he’d given me. Who knew if that was even real.
I had the world’s technology at my feet, thanks to my bank account, but this one man was a fucking ghost, and I couldn’t let it go.
What if he’s in danger because he was with me? Did they find out he shot some of the Aces too? What if he’s hurt? Will they leave him alone since he was just defending himself? The thoughts hadn’t stopped since I’d watched him drive away, and the result was little sleep and a lot of stress. I had so much power, but I still felt helpless. It was a mindfuck.
Greyson was in a mood too. He hated to lose, and the mystery stumped him as much as it did me. He’d called in spies and favors and requests for help and gotten nothing in return.
But for the first time in days, I had to put those thoughts away. Gilded’s opening night was a success. Everywhere I looked, people danced to the soft croon of the music, while trades and treaties were discussed over glasses of expensive scotch. The first step toward my dream of peace was a reality, and tonight, that was all that mattered.
The hand around my waist squeezed once, and I tuned back into the conversation, leaning into Dominic briefly. Despite Grey’s apprehension, Dominic had been the perfect date, and I was grateful for him.
“Mari tells me you’ve been a client since Mario was alive. You must’ve been young when you started your business.”
Troy Kincaid smiled into his glass, the low lights reflecting off the strands of silver in his thick black waves and a naturally bold streak of silver just to the left of his chin where his hair had gone inexplicably gray in his teens. He was older, handsome, and incredibly charming. Three things he used to his advantage whenever possible. He’d been one of my father’s favorite clients, and now, he was mine. “Let’s just say that while most teen boys were focused on chasing skirts, I was chasing money.”
Dominic grinned, tossing back the last of his own drink with a low chuckle. “It seems to have done well for you.”
Though once upon a time he’d been a forger who rivaled the masters themselves, now Troy’s money came from buying and selling counterfeit art. He believed the problem with outdoing the masters was he had no one left to compete with, so he’d found a new competition to thrive in. He was in designer labels from suit to socks, and I knew without a doubt that the car he’d driven was likely the latest model. He reeked of new money and didn’t care who thought it. He’d earned it fair and square.
It was a testament to Ash’s collection of menswear—and her ability to sew lightning-fast—that Dominic fit in with the guests like he was meant to be there, despite the late notice.
Troy only gave Dominic a sly smile as an answer before turning to me. “You should come to the penthouse for dinner sometime. It’s been ages since the walls have seen such a beautiful woman.”
“Are we pretending you aren’t a playboy, Mr. Kincaid? My apologies, I didn’t get the memo.” I laughed, light and airy, as if I didn’t have a care in the world. Who cared if it felt like everything was fracturing into pieces? I had to look like I had it all under control, or the vultures would hunt me down. Dominic’s grip tightened, and I knew he’d caught my lie. It felt good to know someone could see through the bullshit.
“You never were one to let my lies slide. Even as a girl, you called me on them.” Troy grinned as Dominic pressed his smile into my shoulder. “I’d like to discuss a new piece coming in soon. It’ll need extra security to make it through the city. You and Greyson can bring your new friend too.”
The idea of a night stuck between the two of them sounded torturous, especially with the inevitable squabbling, but I smiled anyway. “Of course. Have Alexa call tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll set up an appointment.”
