“You always were a quick study; I’ll give you that.” Diana wriggled, but Ian held her arm in a viselike grip.
“Everyone is watching,” he warned.
“Then I shouldn’t have worn this dress.”
“My love, you could wear rags and still gather every eye in this room.”
The low pitch to his voice and the underlying warmth in his eyes beneath his mask abated her anger.
Momentarily.
“You and Sunderland hatched this scheme some time ago, if you secured additional players,” she threw at him.
“It was the duke’s idea, and he was right to insist on it. We’re going to have to split up for the game. This is an added layer of security.”
“And you didn’t think to consult me in that discussion?” She huffed. “It makes me think you won’t ever truly trust me. Like we’ll never be on the same side.”
She had a horrible, nagging sensation that if they didn’t rectify it now, they’d continue trying to outplay each other forever.
“I’m always on your side, Diana,” he said softly. He relaxed his hold on her arm and drew her hand to his mouth to press a searing kiss against her gloved palm. “And you’re the person I trust more than anyone else in the world. Which is why I’ll risk your anger and frustration if it means keeping you safe.”
She locked her spine and raised herself to her full height. “Waiting until the last moment to tell me this is no different from the way my mother manipulated me.”
His mouth parted on a jagged breath.
The accusation was an extraordinary defensive maneuver.
And Ian’s sudden stillness told her he was at least partly impressed by it.
She held his stare until he finally muttered, “You’re right. It was a despicable move.”
He still expressed no regret about it. But she could not overlook the glances he kept sliding around the room to evaluate who was observing them.
Sunderland and her doppelgänger crossed the room. There was no time to argue and press her case to dissuade him. “I am only agreeing to this because you’ve backed me into a corner. But do not, for one second, believe it means I forgive you for it. We will have this out between us after the game. And you’ll never dream of pulling this kind of stunt again.”
“I welcome that challenge.” Ian pressed another fervent kiss on her gloved hand.
He nodded to the potted ferns beside the bar, but as he steered her toward Sunderland, a hush fell over the room.
Diana turned to the entrance. A gaggle of men stood at the top of the stairs. Titus descended the steps first, trailed closely by Costa. As they sauntered to the table at the center of the room, that would decide her fate, the sight of their arrogant smiles made her flesh crawl.
She’d barely recovered her repose when Jared strode down the stairs after them.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Don’treact,”IanwarnedDiana.
He’d already considered and dismissed the idea of placing his body between her and the other players; he didn’t want to remind his competitors of how easily they could get inside his head if they threatened her.
“Why is Jared here?” Her voice rose an octave. “Howdid he get here?”
“One of thefamigliemust have tracked him down and threatened him. They brought him here to rattle me.”
“But you won’t let them,” she insisted, her fists balled in her skirts.
Her belief in him—fresh on the heels of their argument—made him want to pry her hands open and kiss each one of her fingers and every inch of her exposed skin.
“Jared’s going to want a word with me. Please, Diana. I need you to go with the duke.”