Because he would use it as ammunition against her for months.
She could see it in his eyes as they slowly narrowed, suspicion and curiosity forming in them. He wanted to find a weakness in her, something he could use against her, a fault he could point out to Mari as retribution for all the times she had brought up his failings in front of her ward.
That ward came up behind her, briefly wrapped her in a hug from behind and then released her and stepped around her.
She forced a tight smile as Mari looked at her. One that clearly failed to cover her worry because Mari’s beautiful face fell, concern replacing the smile that had been brightening her blue-green eyes.
“Something’s wrong. What is it?” Mari’s blonde eyebrows furrowed as she took a step towards Cass.
All of Cass’s strength drained from her as she looked into Mari’s eyes, as her soft words curled around her and sank deep into her, stripping away the stubborn part of her and pulling forth an urge to let it all rush out of her.
“Daimon left. He was injured. Perhaps a little angry with me. I only wanted to help him. I don’t know where he’s gone.” She looked at Cal. “I was hoping you might.”
Calistos pursed his lips, a thoughtful edge to his expression that didn’t mask the fact he was going to make her pay for the information he could give her.
“What’s the deal with you and Daimon?” he said, his blue eyes gaining a victorious glimmer, because he thought he had her on the ropes, that she would surrender something he could use against her in some way.
“There is no deal.” She tipped her chin up.
Cal folded his arms across his chest, his black T-shirt tightening over his honed muscles. “I’m not telling you where he might have gone until you fess up to things. You’re crushing on Daimon.”
Cass glared at him. “I am not.”
She was.
But she feared this was more than a crush.
She had feelings for Daimon.
And they ran deep.
“It is pretty obvious—” Mari cut off when Cass turned her glare on her.
“It’s complicated.” Cass didn’t want to say any more than that, not even when Calistos and Marinda both looked as if they were expecting her to do just that. She cursed herself when she couldn’t stop her nerves, her fears, from getting the better of her and ended up adding, “I’m not sure Daimon really likes me.”
Gods, she felt like an idiot schoolgirl with a crush as those words leaked from her.
Desperately hoping one of his friends would reveal his true feelings to her to allay her fears.
Cal shrugged. “He must… since he can’t touch you. It can’t be lust.”
“He can touch me,” she admitted, unable to hold that back too, and realised it was the crux of her fears.
Did Daimon only like her because he could touch her? Before she had revealed that she could use magic to negate his ice, he had been attracted to her, hadn’t he?
But he had changed after she had revealed that to him. She couldn’t deny that, and she had no way of knowing whether the knowledge that he could touch her had only unleashed him, freeing him and allowing him to act on the attraction he felt towards her.
“Shit,” Cal muttered and looked at Mari, and then back at her. “I mean… I’d say it explains a lot because you’re hardly girlfriend material, but—”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Cass snapped, her hackles rising as she glared at Cal, daring him to admit he had been insinuating that his brother only wanted her because he could touch her, and that Daimon would never consider her as a possible girlfriend.
Not that she wanted to be his girlfriend or anything like it for that matter.
Cal hiked his shoulders. “I’m just saying it as I see it. You, Cassandra, don’t strike me as the girlfriend, long-term commitment, type.”
“You are hardly in a position to judge me, or must I remind you of the numerous times I have seen you seducing your way through a bar, targeting a whole slew of women?” She gave him a black look, one that she knew conveyed every ounce of her anger because he stiffened.
Turned awkward.
“Yeah, well… shit, uh, changes. I’m just saying, is all,” he grumbled and rubbed the back of his neck. His blue eyes filled with worry. “But this thing with Daimon… don’t make him think it’s more than it is, yeah? I don’t want to see my brother get hurt.”
Cass threw her hands up, frustration getting the better of her. “That’s the second threat I’ve received tonight.”
Cal’s right eyebrow jacked up. “Second? Who else threatened you?”
She clamped her lips shut.
He looked as if he was going to push the subject, and then sighed. “Fine. Truth is, Daimon is probably in Hong Kong.”
“He’s not there.” She didn’t hide the worry that tinged her voice. “I already checked. There has to be somewhere else he might go.”
Aiko appeared at the other end of the kitchen, rubbing her black hair with a pink towel. “Where who might go?”
Her brown eyes were ringed with dark circles, fatigue lacing them. Or perhaps depression. Cass had no experience of that herself, but she could see that Esher’s continuing absence was weighing heavily on the young Japanese woman.
“Daimon.” Cass’s shoulders slumped as hope bled from her. “He was in a… mood. He left and I don’t know where he went, and I’m… worried about him.”
Cal gave her a look. Not one of his usual smirking glances that said he was going to enjoy pouncing on whatever she had just said or done to use it as payback. He looked worried, and perhaps a little relieved. Because she had just admitted without so many words that she cared about his brother?
“She checked Hong Kong.” Cal twisted and eased his backside against the counter, so he could see Aiko.
Aiko’s nose wrinkled slightly as she frowned, her eyes dropping to the floor as the
