Rahve knew the instant Cord and his playmate arrived. He turned and even with a room between them, he could smell sex. He snorted silently. So Cord had fucked her already tonight. That explained the limousine service. His eyes swept over the woman, cataloging the elegant dress, the voluptuous curves that were just a little too rounded for current fashion, and the sparkling hazel eyes that were still a little dazed from orgasm.

 

He went to join them.

 

"Nice of you to show up," he said to Cord.

 

"Screw you," Cord snapped, then laughed. "This," he turned to the woman at his side, "is Deluna Jordan. Baby, this is my partner-"

 

"Boss."

 

"Partner," he repeated, ignoring Rahve's correction, "Rahve Falcon."

 

"It's lovely to meet you, Mr. Falcon," Deluna said, offering her hand. He took it and brought her fingers to his lips, kissing the backs of them very softly. She stared in surprise.

 

"Rahve," he requested. "Cord's told me a lot about you. It's nice to put a face to the name. Welcome to my home, and thank you for coming to the party."

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cord hasn't told me a lot about you," she replied.

 

"I'm not surprised," Rahve answered. Falcon was genuinely amused. Cord watched him with thinly veiled suspicion. "Would you like a drink?"

 

"Thank you, that would be lovely."

 

Rahve was being summoned from the other side of the room and his dark eyes flickered with annoyance that was easily read. He excused himself and on his way to the agitated woman waving less than discreetly to him, he stopped and directed one of the waiters to bring her a glass of champagne.

 

"Be careful around him," Cord advised. "He's interested in you."

 

She stared at him, eyebrow raised. "You can tell that from hello, can you?"

 

"I've known Rahve a lot of years, baby," he said, tone ominous. "He enjoys dangerous games."

 

"And you don't?" There was ice in her voice, making the words caustic in tone.

 

Cord's blue and green gaze was hard when he met hers, and she shivered.

 

"You like my games," he stated. "Rahve plays by different rules."

 

She shrugged with false indifference and strolled into the crowd, fully aware of Cord's eyes watching every move she made. The night was going to be a long one. The thought had barely passed into her awareness when she felt someone staring at her, the look almost a tangible touch that brushed her spine and made her entire body tingle.

 

There are things Cord should have told you. Rahve's voice was inside her head somehow and she looked around, trying to locate him in the large crowd. Chills that had nothing to do with the actual temperature make her quiver. She closed her eyes, her equilibrium gone as the room faded to grey shadows. Her last thought was that she'd never fainted in her life, and this was not the time to start.