Chapter Nine
Valmont pulled her close and placed her hand on his chest. He rested his free hand on her lower back, where his fingers brushed bare skin. Her heartbeat kicked up a notch. No two ways about it. Her knight was hot. Dark hair and blue eyes were a killer combination. He smelled like soap and sunshine.
“You could forget about Zavien.” His voice came close to her ear.
Was he joking? He’d never acted interested in her before. Maybe that’s because she’d been with Zavien. Raising her head, she met his gaze.
“Just a thought,” he said.
The song ended.
Zavien approached with a wary expression on his face. “Bryn, would you like to dance?”
“Bite me.”
“I believe that’s a no.” Valmont delivered this news in a cheery tone. “Shall we?” He moved her along to the music while she imagined Zavien’s hair going up in flames.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Valmont whispered in her ear.
“I wish my life were simpler.”
“Simple is boring.”
They swayed in silence until the song ended. Clint and Ivy joined them.
“Are you okay?” Ivy asked.
“I’m managing. Valmont is helping.”
“Why don’t we get something to drink?” Clint pointed across the room to the tables decorated with ice sculptures shaped like trees, which Nola and Zavien had designed, which made her want to shoot a fireball at them. But setting the room on fire might ruin the evening for the other students.
After grabbing glasses of punch, the foursome wound their way back outside to the terrace.
“It’s a perfect night for flying,” Bryn said.
“It is,” Valmont agreed.
“You don’t have wings,” Clint said.
Ivy elbowed him.
“What? I wasn’t being rude. I’m pretty sure he knows he’s not a dragon.”
“I fly planes.” Valmont grinned at Bryn. “You should come with me some time.”
“Bryn, can we talk?” a feminine voice asked.
It couldn’t be. Bryn turned around, praying she was wrong. No such luck. “What do you want, Nola?”
“Perhaps it’s best if we move away from the others? It’s personal.” She wandered farther down the terrace.
Bryn shoved her glass of punch at Valmont and joined Nola.
“This is awkward.” Nola’s cheeks flushed. “I noticed how upset you were when I showed up with Zavien. When I asked him what the problem was, he said you might have misunderstood his invitation.”
That lying, evil rat bastard.
Nola clasped her hands in front of her chest. “You thought he asked you to attend the dance as his date, didn’t you?”
At least she didn’t have to lie. “I did.”
“What you feel for him is a crush. It will pass.”
It certainly would. Right after she cremated the son of a bitch. “Did Zavien send you?”
“No, he thinks I’m circulating.” Nola placed her hand on Bryn’s shoulder. “Zavien has gone out of his way to make sure you’re taken care of. You shouldn’t mistake his kindness for anything but friendship.”
A small growl escaped her throat. “Maybe you should ask Zavien how kind he’s been to me.”
Nola shook her head. “You’re young. He’s a flirt. I can assure you any interest perceived was your imagination. I best get back. I wouldn’t want him to know I spoke with you.”
Oh, he was going to hear about this conversation. How dare he explain away her anger as a stupid crush? Flames roared up her throat and her breath came faster. Valmont appeared at her side, holding her drink.
“Thought you might need this. But if you’d rather torch Zavien, I’m okay with that.”
She reached for his free hand. “I will literally rip the head off the next person who says his name.”
“That would create a terrible mess.” He grinned. “But if that’s what you want, I’m in.”
The punishment for decapitating a student was probably more severe than detention, so she pushed the idea aside. “Better not.”
“Let’s move on to option two. Do you want to dance?”
“I was about to ask you the same question,” Jaxon said. Rhianna stood by his side.
“Why would you ask me to dance?” She pointed at Rhianna. “Are you punishing him for something?”
Rhianna grinned. “As painful as it may be for you, I’d appreciate it if you’d dance with Jaxon. I’m tired of people dropping hints about your matching book bags.”
“I don’t understand.”
“She wants us to dance together to show we’re not involved,” Jaxon said. “It’s her theory that people who carry on affairs in private don’t appear together in public.”
Hello, irony.
Valmont placed an arm around Bryn’s shoulders. “Introduce me to your friends.”
“Sorry. Rhianna and Jaxon, this is Valmont, my knight.”
Jaxon’s eyebrows went up a fraction of an inch. Rhianna pressed her lips together like she was trying not to talk.
“You’re dying to ask questions, aren’t you?” Bryn chuckled.
Rhianna’s cheeks colored. “It wouldn’t be polite.”
“If we’re switching partners, it’s my duty to entertain you,” Valmont said. “We can dance, and you can ask me anything you like.”
Rhianna grinned like a child with a new toy. “I have so many questions.”
Valmont led his new partner to the dance floor.
“I don’t like him,” Jaxon said.
Where had she heard that before? Valmont inspired jealousy wherever he went.
Jaxon placed his hand on Bryn’s elbow. “Ready?”
“Can I refuse?”
Rhianna’s laughter drifted across the room.
“Let’s get this over with before Rhianna starts mooning over your knight.”
Bryn bit her lip to keep from laughing. Couples stared as Jaxon placed his hand on her waist and began moving her around the dance floor.
“This might actually work,” she said.
“It’s ridiculous for people to think we’d be together,” he said. “I’ve no idea how they could be so delusional.”
She’d had just about enough rejection for one night. “It’s not like I have a third eye.”
“You lack basic social skills.”
“I do not.”
“I’ve seen you eat.”
Since she couldn’t argue the point, she stepped on his foot.
He glared at her.
“Sorry, that was an accident.” The smile on her face probably damaged her credibility. The smile vanished when Zavien and Nola came into her field of vision.
“Must you let every emotion show on your face?”
“Do you want me to step on your foot again?”
Jaxon sighed. “I’m about to give you sincere advice. Pay attention. Zavien is amusing himself with you. He will end up with Nola. The odds of the Directorate matching your lineage with anyone else’s are slim. Stick with your knight.”
It wasn’t that simple. She couldn’t just turn off her feelings for Zavien. Eyes hot with unshed tears, she took a deep breath and focused on not crying.
“Tell me the story of this Valmont guy,” Jaxon said.
“Zavien and I were arguing, and he followed me into Fonzoli’s where Valmont works. I told the jerk he couldn’t sit with me. Valmont was standing in the aisle. When Zavien tried to push by him, Valmont refused to let him pass. He could tell I was upset and he protected me from a perceived threat, which activated the dormant spell all the knights’ descendants in Dragon’s Bluff carry in their blood and… He became my knight.”
“Perhaps Zavien’s behavior then should have been a clue.”
She managed to step on his feet three more times before the song ended. Valmont showed up with a glowing Rhianna in tow. Jaxon took one look at his girlfriend and scowled at the knight.
“I see what you mean,” Valmont stage whispered.
Rhianna giggled.
Jaxon aimed his scowl at Bryn. “All the aggravation in my life leads back to you.”
“Then my secret plot is working.” She grabbed Valmont’s hand. “Can we go to Fonzoli’s? I’m starving.”
“I have a better idea. I’ll cook dinner for you.”
“I want a knight,” Rhianna said.
“No,” Jaxon said, like he was king of the world.
“I know how to get one,” Rhianna shot back.
Jaxon gave Valmont a look of loathing. “You don’t need a knight. We’ll have a chef.” He took his girlfriend’s hand and led her toward the buffet.
“That was fun.” Valmont tugged her toward the exit. “Come on. My car is out back.”
Bryn spotted Clint and pointed to Valmont and then pointed out the door. Clint gave a thumbs-up that he understood.
The drive to Dragon’s Bluff was exhilarating. Riding in Valmont’s cherry-red convertible with the top down and the wind rushing through her hair reminded her of flying. “This car is awesome.”
“I figured the car should match the owner.”
“Who can argue with that logic?” They sped past the main road into town. The winding side street he chose took them up into the bluffs.
“Where are we going?”
“Did you think I lived at Fonzoli’s?”
“No.” Maybe.
“My grandparents used to live in an apartment above the restaurant before they built their house next door. I lived there for a while with my cousin. The short commute to work was great, but I wanted to be on my own. I bought an old cabin, moved in, and I’ve been restoring it.”
The word “cabin” brought to mind creepy images of animal heads hanging on walls. “How rustic is it?” He had better mention the words “indoor plumbing.”
“Wait and see. You’re going to love it.”