She yanked herself out of his grip and stepped away. “I’m warning you. Leave now and you might be able to leave in one piece.”
He laughed. “You? Threaten me? That’s rich. I seem to remember you were easily overpowered.”
“Drugs do that to people,” she spat out.
He gripped the string of diamonds around her neck and grabbed her with his other hand and pulled her hard against his body. This time she couldn’t move away. “Let go!” She struggled, helpless in his cast-iron grip.
“No.” There was no humor now in his face, only a steely determination. “No, Taina. It doesn’t work like that. It’s no longer only about me. I’m working for people more powerful than you and your precious husband can imagine.”
A wave of icy dread seized her. “Who?”
His lips curled into a mirthless smile. “You really want to know?”
She nodded. “Tell me. This needs to finish. Now!”
She tried to knee him where it hurt but he deflected her attempt. “God, you turn me on when you’re like this.” Before she could react his hand was around her neck, gripping it as he pulled her face to his and kissed her.
Daidan looked across to where he’d last seen Taina, talking to Mark’s girlfriend in the shadows of the castle walls. The girl had returned to her seat but Taina hadn’t. She’d been gone for ten minutes and he was beginning to worry. As the last note of the soprano settled into the air, there was a brief lull of silence before enthusiastic applause burst forth. He rose, clapping along with the others as they began stretching their legs, walking around the courtyard, topping up their drinks, eating and admiring the ancient castle. After leaving one particularly persistent group of people, Daidan began to walk over to where he’d last seen Taina when a piece of jewelry caught his eye, revealed by a loose scarf as it flew away in the stiffening breeze. He stared, not believing what he was seeing. The Kielo necklace? Taina’s necklace? Here?
He felt as if he’d been struck. All he could see was the beauty of the necklace, its cold glittering diamonds sparkling in the stray beam of sunlight, taunting him with chilling clarity. Even before he could think it through, he knew. A cold blind fury overtook him as he glanced over at the empty seat beside the woman who was quickly replacing the scarf around her neck, hiding the necklace once more.
“Natalya, is it?”
“Yes.” The woman smiled nervously and extended her hand. “I met your wife earlier. She asked me to let you know she didn’t feel well and had returned to the house for a while.”
“Ah, right.” What was Taina up to? Before he found out he first wanted to reclaim what was hers. He looked at Natalya’s throat where the jewels were now hidden by the scarf that was now back in place. “Your necklace. May I see it?”
She tilted her head coquettishly to one side. “Sure.” She flicked her blond hair to one side and pulled away her scarf revealing a deep cleavage, which she seemed keener to display, and the necklace.
“It’s beautiful.” He narrowed his gaze. “Who made it?”
She shrugged and pouted her pretty lips. “I don’t know. I think Mark did tell me. Apparently it’s priceless. I’m not meant to show it to anyone until I’m back on the boat but your wife spotted it, too.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t resist showing it off. It’ll be back in the vault tomorrow.”
“Of course. Such things are much safer in a vault, where no one can see them, or claim them.” He paused. “May I see the clasp?”
“Sure.” She turned around and held up her hair.
In one swift movement, Daidan had undone the necklace.
She gasped and turned around as Daidan held it up to the light. “As I thought. It’s Finnish. Would you mind? My wife would be fascinated. It’s a family piece, you see.”
The woman’s face had gone white. “But… Mark wouldn’t like—”
“Don’t worry. I’ll clear it with Mark. Where is he?”
She shrugged nervously, fingering her now bare throat. “I haven’t seen him. He disappeared about ten minutes ago.”
Daidan immediately slipped the diamonds into his pocket and walked over to where he’d last seen Taina. Behind the castle walls were a maze of half-ruined rooms which were out of bounds to the public. He knew instinctively it would be there that he’d find them. Just as he knew that she was still trying to protect him from the knowledge that Mark had raped her. She was trying to deal with the situation alone. But there was no way he was going to let her.