Naia waved at Kenzi and a woman named Justine who were sitting at a booth in the employee lounge with two other employees whose names she’d yet to commit to memory, partaking of the breakfast buffet. Several others perched nearby nodded at her as she passed. The shock at her relationship with Cortez was diminishing, though a few people still gazed at her with keen curiosity, like she held a map to a secret treasure.

And she secretly felt like she did.

One day soon she’d memorize everyone’s names. There were a lot of employees to meet yet. Cortez was planning a party later in the week to announce their engagement, but it seemed most had already figured it out. The giant diamond on her finger probably had a lot to do with that.

After filling a plate with food, she joined Kenzi, who immediately demanded, “Let me see it.”

Naia stuck her left hand out, preening.

Kenzi sighed. “It’s gorgeous. Are those sapphires? Awww. For your stage name?”

She nodded. “He had it made days ago.” Already preparing his proposal. The sillyhead had only been vacillating because he feared she wasn’t ready for such a commitment.

This morning he gave her the best engagement gift ever: her mother’s necklace. He’d found it and had the chain fixed. While she was sleeping, he’d surprised her by trailing the pendent along her arm to tickle her awake, and then had kissed her soundly. Sweetest man ever.

“So jealous,” Kenzi chirped.

After finishing her meal, Naia headed down to hang out with Cole for a little bit. He had games, TV, and Internet access, but she could tell he was still going stir-crazy. She’d procured a deck of cards. He always loved beating her at Texas hold ‘em, rummy, poker, and, well, any game really, which he did nine times out of ten, but she didn’t mind. The boy needed a win.

She still wasn’t allowed to be alone with him even though five-inch steel bars separated them and, reportedly, he was gaining ground on his cravings. But when hunger hit, he was at its mercy, so Ryder joined her.

In the elevator, she inquired about the rescued woman.

“Poor girl had been up there for weeks,” Ryder said. “Was nearly catatonic when they found her, until they tried to give her blood to heal her wounds. Dane said she fought like a wild cat. Now she’s calm, but won’t speak, won’t eat, hasn’t left her room, and freaks if anything male comes too close.”

“She’s here?”

He nodded. “Boss set her up in one of the subterranean rooms. You know, with no high-up windows or balconies. She’s on suicide watch.”

“You think it would be okay if I visit her after this?”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Immediately Cole perked up when they arrived. They set up a poker table next to his cell. “What’s the game, sis?”

“Loser’s choice,” she mocked, setting the deck in the middle of the table where he could reach.

“Then shouldn’t it be your call?” he fired back.

Indignant, she scooped the deck back up, shuffled, then started to deal. “Rummy,” she announced, her competitive side emerging. It was, after all, the game she most often emerged victorious.

Ryder sat to her right, closest to the bars, in no danger if Cole decided to fang out.

As Naia dealt, she exaggerated the movement whenever she placed Cole’s cards so that he might see the ring. She’d been adamant that no one tell him before she did, but he didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the glistening spot on her hand. When she retracted her hand for the last time, he snatched up his cards and began to organize them.

Pursing her lips, she did the same, holding the cards in such a way that the back of her hand was pointed in his direction.

“Ha! You’re going down,” he said, focused solely on his cards.

Ryder’s lips quirked, but he said nothing as he flipped through his own set of cards.

To her detriment, this went on for the first quarter of the game as she discarded and picked up cards in an unnecessarily dramatic way. Cole remained oblivious, and she was seriously beginning to worry that his eyesight had been compromised. Either that or he was just incredibly obtuse.

Ryder, increasingly amused, was having trouble keeping his chuckles silent.

Finally Naia loudly cleared her throat for Cole’s attention and overtly fluttered her fingers in front of her face.

“Is there something wrong with your throat? Why are you doing that with your hand?”

She scowled. “Hello. Could you be any more dense?”

Blankly he stared at her.

“The ring, you dummy.”

He shook his head in confusion, gazing at the diamond for a moment. Then he swallowed, the color draining from his face. “What is that?”

“It’s a wedding ring. I’m getting married.”

He blinked, growing even paler.

“Well, technically I’m already married and engaged to be married again. We’re going to hold the official ceremony after you get out of here so you can be the best man. Or maybe you should be my bridesmaid,” she teased, suddenly nervous by his reaction. “I’ve always wanted to put you in a dress. It’s a shame you weren’t born a girl. A girl wouldn’t have sat here for half an hour oblivious to the giant diamond ring on my finger.”

“To who?”

“Pardon?”

“Married to who?”

“To whom,” she corrected, discarding a five of hearts and then picking up a fresh card from the deck.

“Naia.”

“Cortez, duh. Who else?”

He was silent for a moment. “I…I didn’t realize it was so serious. This is…I haven’t even had time to put him through all the tests.”

“He’d pass them all. Trust me.”

“How do I know he’ll be good to you?”

“He’s the best.”

“But how do I know that? How do I know if he’s good enough?”

She gave him a fond smile. “I love you too.”

“If he hurts you, I’m going to have to kick his ass—”

“You’re not going to have to—”

“—which is going to be difficult, considering he’s my sire and all, and I basically have to obey him.”

“Cole—”

“And here I am, stuck in here while some vulture swoops in on my sister, completely unchecked…”

Naia sighed and let him go on like this as she plotted her pending victory. With him distracted she might just win this hand. Alas, a couple discards later and he laid out his win, ending his tirade with, “Have you thought this through? I mean really thought it through?”

“I have.”

He snatched the deck and shuffled like he was murdering those cards with a flutter of angry, slapping sounds. He switched the game to poker, his favorite. “And you love him?”

“More than anything.” At his scalded look, she added, “Other than you, of course.” She glanced at her crappy hand. Not even a pair to stand on.

“Shit,” he sighed. “Then I guess…congratulations? Yeah. Congratulations.”

She laughed at his sullen expression. “It’s not the end of the world. I’m still your sister. That’ll never change, even if you have turned into a freak.”

He grinned. “Look at that, I’m just like you now.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. They all handed in a couple cards hoping for better replacements. Yay, she managed to get two pairs. “By the way, as a wedding present I asked him to run the Boyle twins out of town, but if you prefer, I can…” With a sound in the back of her throat she ran her forefinger across her neck.

Cole laughed. “Kill a bad guy and suddenly you think you’re an assassin.” He laid his hand down. “Three of a kind.”

Ryder dropped down a full house. “Sorry, son. Maybe next time.”

Naia folded her paltry hand in defeat.

Cole scooped up the cards to deal again. “At least have him break a few of their fingers for me.”

“I’ll relay the request.” She pretended to crack her knuckles. “Now both of you get ready to take a nice big bite of loser pie.”