Byzantine Heartbreak by Tracy Cooper-Posey Read Free Book Online Page B

that made the charity event more suitable for Ryan and Nayara to attend. Cáel had been easier in his own mind when he had seen the long list of security precautions attached to the event.
    But still he worried. Nayara and Ryan were trusting his advice in this matter. That was no small thing.
    Ryan glanced around, taking in the camera crews, the fans, the guests making their way along the rope lines, talking to fans and camera crews and posing for pictures. “Right,” he murmured and reached for Nayara’s coat. “Time to show off, Nayara. Finally, I get to see what’s under this.”
    He helped Nayara remove the faux-fur coat and handed the coat in Brenden’s direction, but the coat hung in mid-air, until Brenden had the presence of mind to take it from Ryan’s hand.
    Ryan was staring at Nayara.
    Cáel looked. And ran his eyes over her, from top to bottom a few more times, in slow, lingering appreciation.
    His heart squeezed. His body tightened.
    The dress was velvet. A deep green colour that matched her eyes and made them glow. It was strapless and clung to every inch of her until it reached her hips, where wisps of chiffon began to appear and the dress trailed behind her. And there were beads and sequins all over it, so that with every breath and move, she shimmered.
    Cáel lacked the terminology to describe the dress more accurately, although he knew the female assistants in his office would demand details he wouldn’t be able to supply.
    “Beautiful,” he croaked.
    Nayara smiled. “Thank you.”
    Brenden tossed the coat into the carriage. “We’re holding up the line,” he said.
    Ryan took an audible breath. “Cáel, for the sake of symbolism, you should escort Nayara.”
    Cáel nodded. He tried to school his face, to hide his eagerness. Then better sense reasserted itself. “Both of you,” he said. “Together. With me.”
    Ryan’s brow lifted. “Alright,” he agreed. He smiled at Brenden. “You’re on your own, Brenden.”
    “As it should be,” Brenden growled. “If I’m going to be a target, I’d rather be a lone target and not take anyone else down with me.” He squared his shoulders. “Let’s get this over with.”
    Cáel patted the big man’s shoulder. “Security is the highest, Brenden. Relax.”
    “After the last ten days of the nets called for my head on a plate? I don’t think so. But you’re the boss tonight, boss.” He nodded toward the opera house. “Let’s go.”
    The carriage pulled away, leaving them alone at the end of the red carpet. Cáel lifted his arm, so that Nayara could slide her hand under it. Ryan stepped to her other side and did the same. She moved forward along the red carpet, the dress trailing out behind her. Cáel stayed abreast.
    “I’ve spent generations keeping my face out of the news,” Nayara murmured. “This feels very unnatural.”
    “You’ll get used to it. This is a whole new world,” Cáel assured her. “Look, there’s the first reporter now. Just smile and say hello. I can do the talking unless they ask you a direct question. Keep it sunny and superficial.”
    “Hey, they’re the vampires!” someone in the crowd called out.
    “We’ve been recognized,” Brenden muttered from behind them, sounding unhappy.
    The rope line holding the fans back was only fifteen feet away from the red carpet and even Cáel could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. But the fans had all passed security checks.
    “Vampires!”
    “Blood suckers!”
    “Keep it cool,” Cáel murmured. “We were expecting this after Brenden’s clip.”
    Ryan lurched forward. “Watch out!” he snapped. His hand shot forward and down, like a baseball player catching a ball. Something red crossed Cáel’s field of vision, too fast for him to see it properly.
    Ryan caught it and lifted it up. He snarled toward the fans. His teeth had descended.
    Brenden moved. Cáel felt it, because he moved so fast the air displacement left by his abrupt departure