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She noted Cal’s attention elsewhere, following his stare to a woman in the far corner.

Thea elbowed Kipp and nodded to their friend. ‘What’s wrong with him?’

Kipp rolled his eyes. ‘Lovestruck, apparently.’

Cal sighed. ‘She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.’

‘Really?’ Kipp said with interest, craning his neck to get a better look. ‘Do you think so?’

‘Definitely.’

It was at that moment that the woman in question chose to cross the ballroom, making a beeline not for Cal, but for Kipp.

She draped her arms over his shoulders. ‘Kristopher —’

Kipp grimaced.

‘I’ve been waiting to hear from you,’ she said, her voice sultry.

Cal looked between them. ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’

Thea nudged him. ‘Focus,’ she warned. ‘There are bigger things at stake here.’

Kipp made a point of untangling himself from the woman, whispering reassurances to her before rejoining them with a sheepish look.

Cal shook his head. ‘Do you have a girl in every fucking port or something?’

Kipp scratched the back of his head. ‘Uh, not exactly.’

There was a pause before Cal stiffened at the sight of something – someone – across the room. ‘Did you see who else is here?’ he asked, thrusting his chin opposite them.

Thea’s gaze fell upon Seb once again. ‘I saw him, alright,’ she muttered, fists clenching at her sides.

‘Bet you wish you’d let my arrow fly now…’ Cal mused as Seb pinned them with a hateful glare.

‘A moment of weakness on my part,’ Thea said.

‘Should have shot him in the dick instead,’ Kipp offered. ‘I would have paid to see that.’

Cal laughed. ‘Too small a target, even for me.’

Seeming to sense that he was the topic of their conversation, Sebastos Barlowe sauntered over, his lip curled into its usual ugly sneer. ‘Should have known you three would be here —’

‘You mean doing our jobs?’ Kipp supplied, eyes narrowed.

Seb looked Thea up and down, gaze lingering on her curves. ‘I suppose being the whore of a traitorisa job —’

Cal surged forward, fists clenched and raised, but Thea thrust her arm out across his chest. ‘Not here,’ she said, her voice calm and steady.

Cal was trembling with rage, but he did as she asked.

It only seemed to make Seb smugger. ‘You always do what fortress sluts tell you, Whitlock?’

Thea heard Cal’s measured exhale as he fought to keep his rage under control.

Kipp stepped in, placing himself in front of Cal, even deigning to rest a patronising hand on Seb’s shoulder. ‘No friends of your own to play with, Seb?’ he said lightly. ‘Nothing better to do than sling moronic insults at your betters?’

Seb made a noise of disgust, jerking away from Kipp’s touch. ‘Get the fuck off me. Andbetters? You?’