Page 147

“Thank you, but no, I’ll stay here.”

Iacob left, and Nikolett slid her phone from under her thigh.Leaving this room meant the possibility of running into Eric, which would devolve into yet another fight about him keeping her here when he had no right to force her to stay.Eric had used the time-honored argument of might makes right.He and the Spartan Guards could easily physically force them to stay if she and Iacob tried to leave.Rather than force that fight, or force Iacob to plan an escape, she’d agreed to bide her time until Eric calmed down and saw reason.

Once she was home, she’d put him on the government blacklist of every country in her territory so he couldn’t get to her.They’d stop him in the airport, at border crossings…

The other reason not to leave her room was Colum.The man who’d briefly been her husband in name only was blissfully married.They too were being forced to stay at Triskelion, but unlike her, they were enjoying their time and, based on what she’d heard when she passed their room, having lots of honeymoon sex.

There were plenty of reasons to stay in this room, and as she unlocked her phone, she was reminded of another one.

Good morning, how’s your leg?

The text message from Gus had been sent several hours ago, and she smiled as she reread it, finally replying.

Still broken.Where are you now?

I’m in Spain.I have a home base here, which means no hotel.

Hotels aren’t always fun.

She was smiling as she typed.

Unless you have a fun reason for being there.Or someone fun to do.

Nikolett laughed in surprise, but the typing bubble immediately appeared.

I mean something fun to do!How do I edit a text…

Nikolett hesitated before typing out her reply.

You weren’t wrong.Hotels are fun when you have something, or someone, fun.

Nikolett’s gut churned with a disquieting mix of flirty butterflies and sinking unhappiness.She looked at the ceiling, at the floor above where Eric’s apartment was.

Seeing him desperately breathing for Colum had nearly shattered her.Eric had suffered so much loss in his life, losing her, or Colum, might finally break him.

She wasn’t any less angry at him for trying to marry her off rather than deal with his feelings for her or his insane belief that being with him would be what led to her death.But seeing him kneeling beside a dying Colum, she understood, even if she didn’t agree with where he was coming from.

Her phone chirped.

When your cast comes off, maybe we could be fun, in a hotel, together.

Gus’s cute, awkward text made her smile, even as her heart ached, wishing it was Eric who was flirting with her over text.

Once she convinced Eric to let her leave, and got her cast off, she would meet with Gus.There was no future there, of course, but as long as she was up front about it, she had no problem using the handsome Scot to help herself fall out of love with Eric.

And once she no longer ached to feel Eric’s arms around her, Nikolett was going to take her fate, and her marriage, into her own hands.