Page 97 of A Story of Love

“Really?”

“She’s a fearless little thing but she knows when not to throw effort at something that’s impossible.”

“Hmm.” Fast wasn’t so sure of that. Part of him believed that Lorelei was enjoying her little adventure and not in any hurry to end it too quickly. Not to mention that she was probably always on the lookout for opportunities to snoop about and find more information about his private activities while she was his guest. At any other time, it would have been amusing to allow her to sniff about. But given the sensitive matter that was currently underway… Well, he’d need to be careful not to give her anything she could massage into a newspaper story.

Not that David Parker was in any condition to print anything she wrote, even if she did go back to work for the worm.

His mouth flexed into a cruel smile at the thought of the man who’d put Lorelei’s life at risk. Fast glanced at his knuckles. They were still a bit swollen, but the cuts that had opened when he’d beaten Parker to a pulp had mostly healed over the past week.

As Bixby helped Fast into his coat he wondered if he should tell Lorelei just how crooked Parker was—especially where she was concerned.

But no, now wasn’t the time. She’d find out soon enough and he knew she’d feel betrayed by what the man had done to her. Besides, he couldn’t tell her yet. Not until he was sure that his interference had yielded the results he hoped.

“—if that is agreeable to you, my lord?”

Fast realized that he’d missed the first part of what Gregg had just said. “I beg your pardon?”

The other man smirked. “It seems like you are distracted this evening, my lord?’

Fast snorted at Gregg’s sly look and turned to the mirror. “What were you saying?”

“I was asking if I might use your invitation to the Duchess of Chorley’s ball tomorrow night.”

Fast’s fingers froze on his neckcloth, which had become slightly askew when he’d put on his coat, and he turned away from the looking glass and met Gregg’s gaze directly. “You want to attend a ton ball?” Fast narrowed his eyes at the other man.

He was about to ask why on earth he wanted such a thing, when Gregg’s sharp features hardened and he said, “Aye, that’s right. You owe me,” he added in a voice edged with hostility.

“Are you serious, Gregg? This is the first of your favors?”

Gregg’s jaw tightened. “You’re getting off cheaply, my lord.”

“Yes—I’d say I am,” Fast said, laughing to hide his surprise more than from any humor he felt at the situation.

Piers Amory Gregg—although Fast doubted that was even his real name—had saved Fast’s life many, many years ago. In return, Fast had promised the man three favors—anything Gregg wanted, whenever he wanted. And this was the first favor: an invitation to a ball?

Although he and Gregg had traveled the world together for over a decade and a half, he sometimes felt that he scarcely knew more about him now than he’d done all those years ago. Gregg had never offered to tell him the truth about his past and Fast—who’d had plenty of secrets of his own to protect—had never pried.

“An invitation to a ball that I have no plan to attend is of no importance to me, Gregg. You may have it without calling on a favor. Although you may have some difficulty using it as my name is on it.” He shrugged. “But the invitation is in my study on the desk.”

“Actually, it’s right here.” Gregg patted the front of his coat.

Fast snorted. “Pretty damned sure of yourself, eh?”

“I was pretty damned sure about how little you care for attending ton balls.”

Fast could have told him that he had even less interest than usual given that the only woman he wanted to see was currently in the same building as him.

A woman who has been stewing for more than a week…

Fast snorted at the thought and turned back to the mirror, giving his cuffs a tweak. He heaved a sigh and said, “Well, I suppose I can put off the grilling no longer.”

He was startled by the excitement that built in his chest as he strode toward the Queen’s Chambers.

He paused and jerked a nod at Rufus, who was standing guard beside the door. “If you hear me screaming for mercy, you’d better intervene. Otherwise, see that the door stays locked, and nobody enters.”

Rufus grinned. “Aye, my lord.”

Fast steeled himself, entered the room, and then frowned when the woman was nowhere to be seen. “Lorelei?”