Page 60 of Then We Shatter

When I hear the restroom door open, I know it’s not Katarina. While I’ve been hiding out in one of the stalls, I tapped into the restaurant’s CCTV, skills I’ve learned from Mace. I have eyes on Katarina’s table and I’ve been willing her to drink more so she’ll make a trip to the bathroom. I should have known her pelvic floor muscles would be my downfall.

She knows I’m leaving for Boston tomorrow, but she hasn’t answered my messages and is refusing to see me, apparently preferring the company of Duke and a certain interior designer. Duke’s personal assistant is with them to even out the numbers, and Danyl is stationed at a nearby table. Andrey pulled the short straw and is on guard duty outside.

No one, not even Katarina, knows I’m here but she’s very aware I’m thinking of her. She startled in her seat a couple of times because, despite telling me we’re done, she’s wearing her egg vibrator.

I follow the tap of heels as the new arrival crosses the restroom. When she’s about to pass my stall, I swing the door open and grab Grace from behind, smothering her mouth with my hand before dragging her inside.

“It’s OK, honey, I’m not going to hurt you,” I say, leaning into an American accent.

Grace pays fuck all attention to what I’ve just said and her muffled scream vibrates across my palm as she fights against my hold. She’s shorter than Katarina and thankfully has zero defense skills. If I was dealing with my woman, I’d be headfirst in the toilet bowl by now. Knowing her, she’d flush Patrick away.

“I’m a friend of Katarina’s,” I insist, only to hiss as one of Grace’s sharp heels connects with my shin. Fuck that hurt. I try again, more specific this time. “I’m her hairdresser.”

Grace stills.

So, Katarina’s told her about me. It’s good to know she trusts Grace because I’m about to put my trust in her too. I take my hand from her mouth and rest it on her throat while keeping her back pressed to my chest. I don’t want her describing my appearance to Duke later.

Her pulse flutters in her neck as she gasps for air. “What do you want?”

I take a folded piece of paper from my pocket. “It’s a note. For Katarina. I need to see her. Please,” I say, not afraid to beg when it comes to my Russian princess.

Grace shakes her head. “Absolutely not. If you’re caught here, all hell’s going to break loose. She has bodyguards.”

“I promise, I won’t be any trouble as long as you keep to our plan.”

“We don’t have a plan.”

“Sure, we do,” I persist. “You’re going to help get Katarina in here. This could be our last chance to talk.” I hate that that’s true. “I’ll do anything to see her, Grace and this is the lesser of many evils. Trust me.”

There’s a warning in my tone that makes Grace consider the folded note in my hand. I think she’s still going to refuse, but then… “There’s just one small problem.”

“Which is?”

“I need to pee.”

In another life, before Katarina, I might have offered to pull down her panties. Grace is a pretty, little thing, but she’s not my woman. “You can’t go in here.”

Grace does a half-twist to give me a side eye. “I didn’t mean this stall but I do need to go. And I don’t want you listening.”

I consider my options for a moment. “Do you promise to pass on the note? Without letting anyone else know?”

“If you behave, yes.”

“Then fine, go next door and I’ll stick my fingers in my ears.”

Grace huffs as she leaves the stall and uses the one next door. I put my fingers in my ears because I can be a gentleman, and wait until I hear the toilet flush.

We don’t speak again and when Grace leaves the restroom, I use the CCTV to track her return to the table. She sits next to Katarina and I see the moment she passes the note. No one else shows any sign of spotting the exchange and a few seconds later, Katarina gets up and heads my way.

She barks an order to Danyl to stay the fuck out of the restroom before she enters, and her steps are slow and measured as she approaches my stall. I’ve ambushed plenty of enemies in restrooms over the years, and been attacked in one myself, but Katarina scares me in a way no man ever could. Sweat beads my brow. It could be the anger radiating through the closed door. She’s so close to getting her freedom and I’m putting all her plans in jeopardy.

My swallow is painful. My brothers would be pissing themselves laughing if they saw me quaking like this.

I get ready to protect my balls as I pull the stall door open. I’m expecting her to lunge at me like she did for running Rory off the road, but when I see her eyes glistening, I know I haven’t fucked up. I’m just fucked.

“Come here, Kitty.”

The words are barely out of my mouth when she launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck as I cup her face and slam my lips against hers.