Page 106

“There’s a lot happening.”

“There is,” she agreed.“But that’s not why you sound like your heart is broken.”

Eric sank down on the couch.His heartwasfucking broken, and hearing the words made the ripping pain in his chest ten times worse.The issue with Colum had been helping him not think about Nikolett.Now, Juliette brought it up and the sinking, sick feeling of loss made him weak.

“Nothing is set in stone.Not yet.”

Except it was.His declaration as fleet admiral was all it took.

“You love Nikolett.”Juliette’s words were direct and implacable.“And are using your position to make sure you can never be together.”

“Given what an asshole I am, I don’t actually think she wants anything to do with me.”

“I saw her face when you placed her in a trinity.”

Eric hadn’t seen.He hadn’t been able to bring himself to look at her.

“She pulled it together fast, but you broke her.”

Fuck.Angry Nikolett he could handle.Heartbroken Nikki…

Eric flung a square pillow hard enough that it flew all the way across his apartment and smacked into the stone wall, exploding in a puff of white feathers.

“Did you have a fight before this?”Juliette asked.

“Yes.”

“About six months ago?”

“Yes,” he said slowly.How did she know?Was Juliette spying on him or?—

“You have a problem,” Juliette declared.“Well, the admiral of Hungary does, and I’m guessing that you don’t know about it.”

“What?Problem?”He snarled the words, the blinding white-hot rage he tried—and sometimes failed—to control rising hard and fast.

“Someone’s trying to kill Nikolett, and has been for the past six months.There have been at least seven assassination attempts,” Juliette finished.“And I’ve decided you need to know.”

The fucking Grand Master of the Trinity Masters was giving him information he should have gotten from his own people.Nikolett should have told him.Grigoris, Nyx, Vadisk,someoneshould have told him she was in danger.

He let anger take hold.It was easier to deal with than the sickening fear.

The things he’d done to Josephine’s killers would seem gentle compared to what he’d do to whoever hurt Nikolett.

“Thank you, Grand Master,” he ground out the words between his teeth.

“Eric, if you love her, don’t?—”

He didn’t remember ending the call, his feet thudding as he descended the narrow, dark spiraling stone staircase at a dangerous speed.Three Spartan Guards appeared on the landing of the second floor at the sound of his steps.One looked at his face, and suddenly they each had a weapon in their hand.

“Get the plane,” he snarled.“We’re going to Hungary.”

Xavier twisted slightly to look atthe alarm clock on the nightstand, his eyes widening when he realized it was nearly lunchtime.He wasn’t sure why he was surprised they’d slept the entire morning away.They were all still functioning on jet lag and too many sleepless nights, thanks to three attacks in the past week and a half.

His mind reeled over the idea that he’d known these two incredible people for such a short time.They’d crashed into his life and he knew without a doubt, nothing would ever be the same again.

“Good morning,” Annie said, stretching up to place a kiss on Xavier’s cheek.She crinkled her nose the same adorable way she always did, letting him know his beard tickled.For her, he would shave it, but then she stroked it affectionately.“I love men with beards.”

“Bonjour, mon cheri.”Xavier loosely cupped her jaw, pulling her back to him so that he could steal a much-less platonic kiss than the one she’d just given him.