Page 111 of Marked By Moonlight

I put a hand on Mina’s leg in a sign of solidarity. Bene raised his to echo the movement, but I snarled into his mind.

Don’t even think about it, asshole.

He reached for the room service menu instead.

“I say we celebrate — or drown our sorrows — in dinner and a good bottle of wine.” He ran his finger down the list. “Now, which is the most expensive? After all, it’s on Gordon.”

Mina leaned in for a look. “Filet mignon for me.”

“Lobster for me,” Roux snickered.

“I’ll take the Argentinian steak,” I said.

Bene laughed. “With side orders of truffles for each of us.”

Throughout the wait for the food and then dinner, we managed to keep the mood lighthearted and conversation to a minimum. Happily, neither Gordon nor Celeste interrupted.

“Good, but nowhere near Madame Picard’s cooking,” Bene decided.

“God, I wish we were home now,” Mina breathed.

We.My heart tightened.

“Me too,” Bene echoed the sentiment.

Roux didn’t speak, but a faint sigh said he agreed.

I looked into my wineglass, wondering where destiny would take us. Sorely tempted to do a little more steering.

Then Roux’s phone pinged. When he read the message aloud, our fair moods dissipated.

“Gordon says the deal is going through. We’ll all convene at nine in the morning.” Then he frowned at the screen. “And he says, tell Mina he accepts her terms.”

“Terms? What terms?” Bene asked.

Mina ignored him, swallowed hard, then nodded to herself and told Roux, “Tell him I want to see it in writing, in the morning.”

My eyes went wide. That did not sound good.

“Um…” Roux hesitated.

She pointed to the phone firmly. “Tell him.” Then she softened, back to the Mina we knew. “Please. Thank you.”

As he typed, she stood, stretched, and yawned. “Well, it’s been a long day.” She headed toward her room.

My heart crumpled as I considered reality. No Belgravia hideaway for us tonight. I resigned myself to a lonely, pensive night on the couch.

But she stopped at the door to her bedroom and looked back at me.

“Will you come? Please?” she asked softly.

It was all I could do not to sprint in.

She blushed as the others observed. “We need to talk.”

Bene snorted. “Talk. Right.”

“What about…?” Roux jerked his thumb in the direction of Gordon in the next suite.