Page 80 of Marked By Moonlight
“Franz,” I grumbled.
Celeste unnecessarily oversaw them unbox and set up the painting.
“Perfect,” she stood back to declare minutes later, as if all that hard work had been her doing.
“Yes, your work here is done.” Henrik held the door open for her.
She put her hands on her hips. “You’re not suggesting…”
“That you leave? That the client refuses to deal with anyone but Mina? Yes,” Henrik snipped. “Or no. Not suggesting. Stating.”
I cringed. Like Celeste needed another reason to hate me.
The vampire motioned to the door. “You may leave now. We’ll be sure to inform Gordon what a fine job you’ve done.”
“Or will it be me informing Gordon about you?” Celeste hissed, stalking to the door. On the threshold, she paused and stuck up her hand. “Key?”
No one budged.
“Toyoursuite, I mean,” she said irritably.
The men all looked at one another or at the floor.
Celeste gaped. “Where do you expect me to wait throughout this process?”
Marius’s stormy expression answered her not at all politely.
“Unbelievable. This ismysuite!” she raged.
“And Gordon’s orders,” Henrik told her, his expression stony.
In Mallorca, he hadn’t shown much remorse for falling under her spell, but apparently his conscience — such as it was — had him reconsidering.
I found myself warming a little toward him. As in about one degree above freezing. Still, it was something.
With a last, lethal look at me —me!— Celeste whirled and stomped down the hallway. Henrik slammed the door, and everyone exhaled…slightly.
“Where do you think she’ll go?” Bene asked.
Roux ran a hand through his hair. “Wherever it is, she won’t be far enough.”
Marius jutted his jaw in silent agreement.
We all stood mute for a full minute. Then I rearranged the flowers back to the way they’d been, just to spite Celeste. Taking several deep breaths, I turned to the painting, reminding myself to focus on the positives. I got to spend another few hours in the company of a true masterpiece, and I wasn’t about to poison that time with bitterness.
Bene tapped Henrik on the shoulder. “Come on, man. Off we go to lobby duty.”
Henrik followed with a sour look, but he didn’t argue the point. They’d been assigned that post in order to meet each buyer and escort them to this suite. Now, I realized that also allowed them to ensure Celeste didn’t interfere.
I glanced at Roux, who’d assigned everyone their roles. Had he had that much foresight?
Of course I did,his hard look told me.
I shook my head. Boy, was Marius right. I was in way over my head here.
He held up a white sheet and, at my nod, covered the painting.
Ten minutes later, a knock sounded, and Roux opened the door to Bene and Anastasia.
