Madeline was too busy to think of anything except the party. She checked in on the chefs, the bartenders, and the entertainers. The burning in her stomach was growing, but she didn’t have the time or desire to eat. The place was packed with guests mingling, talking, and laughing. Many had gathered around the water dancers, enjoying the show.
Then the gladiators arrived.
Instantly, the room felt more crowded. Most of the gladiators towered over everyone else in the room. Some of them had showered and changed, but some of them hadn’t. Galen had told her many of the fans enjoyed seeing the gladiators sweat-slicked and blood-splattered. As Madeline scanned the room, she could see that several of the guests loved it.
Raiden, Thorin, and Kace instantly moved toward their women, ignoring anyone trying to gain their attention. Madeline watched for a second, as Thorin swept a smiling Regan off her feet. She looked tiny compared to her alien gladiator. Raiden tugged Harper to his side and she rested her head against his chest. Kace leaned over Rory, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips.
Something inside Madeline clenched hard. She didn’t want that, so why did it make her feel so damn jealous?
Against her will, her gaze swept the entrance, seeking a tawny-haired gladiator.
There was no sign of Lore. Turning, Madeline busied herself checking the food service, and ensuring the hors d’oeuvres were making it out among the guests.
“I just got our guests of honor settled.”
Galen stepped up beside her. A dark look was on his face, and he nodded his head toward the side of the room where round couches had been set up.
Her gaze zeroed in on the couple lounging on a blue couch and the burning in her stomach increased. There was only one word to describe the pair…scary.
The man was rough-looking, with a heavy jaw, dark eyes, and scars crossing his face. Although he was seated, she knew he’d tower over almost everyone in the room—gladiators included. The woman beside him was tall and slender. She had her long, leather-encased legs crossed, and was stroking the back of a near-naked male sitting at her feet. As the woman sipped a drink, Madeline got a good view of the woman’s sharp face. Her cheekbones looked like blades, and her almond-shaped eyes were a glittering gold. She smiled and Madeline hissed in a breath. The woman had a mouthful of pointed, sharp teeth.
“Cerria loves men,” Galen said. “Word is Vashto indulges her and likes to watch.”
“I don’t really care what they like, I only care what they know.”
Galen gave a single nod. “Just be careful.”
In the next instant, Lore entered, looking around the room with a smile. He’d showered, and was dressed in a black shirt and black leather pants. He looked delicious, and still an awful lot like a pirate.
Instantly, three curvaceous arena flutterers converged on him, and Madeline felt her throat tighten.
“Madeline?”
As one of the kitchen staff grabbed her attention, Madeline forced her gaze away from Lore and his admirers. She followed the woman into the kitchen to deal with a problem over some live bug dish that was being served. Madeline averted her gaze from the slimy, black, slug-like creatures, her stomach turning over. Apparently, these things were a delicacy. With the problem finally solved, she headed back into the party.
Drinks were flowing. People were laughing. Vashto and Cerria were watching the water dancers with interest. Everything was running smoothly.
Madeline felt someone come up behind her, warm breath puffing on the back of her neck.
“Where have you been hiding?” Lore drawled.
She spun to face him. This close to him, she smelled the scent of his freshly washed skin. “Taking care of some things.”
“Organizing things and working too hard.” His gaze moved to the giant aquarium filled with the dancers. “You’ve done an amazing job, Madeline.”
“It’s all to get our special guests to open up.” She eyed the couple. Cerria was sitting in the lap of a naked male, laughing uproariously. “If we get something that we can use to find Blaine, it’ll all be worth it.” She turned back to see him looking at her dress.
He fingered the tiny strap that tied up behind her neck. “I knew this Bollian silk would look fabulous on you.”
She arched a brow. “Perhaps you should have bought a whole dress, not half of one.”
That charming grin. “You have lovely shoulders and legs. I enjoy looking at them.”
She huffed out a breath. The man was incorrigible.
He touched her hair, sifting some of the strands through his fingers. The look on his face made her heart clench.
“You’re incredibly beautiful, Madeline. With or without the silk.”