When it was time for the members of the wedding party to dance, Neal took my hand and led me onto the floor. Clarice and Jack looked sweet and I watched them over Neal’s shoulder.

The song ended, melding into another tune. I recognized the opening strains of “Someone to Watch Over Me” when I heard him.

“Mind if I cut in?”

Neal’s face lost its friendliness as he looked at Blane. “That’s up to the lady,” he said stiffly.

“It’s okay,” I said with more confidence than I felt.

Neal reluctantly released me and I turned to face Blane. He took me in his arms and spun me away from Neal.

I’d imagined Blane and me dancing at our wedding, but it hadn’t been quite like this. I felt as though I were made of glass, moments away from shattering completely.

“This is unnecessarily cruel, don’t you think?” I asked stiffly.

“What are you talking about?”

I looked up at him, into his gray eyes, and the look on my face must have clued him in, because his hold on me gentled and his face softened.

“You don’t think this is killing me, too?” he asked, pulling me closer.

“Then why?”

“Because I’ve been thinking,” he said. “Replaying everything in my head, because it just doesn’t make any sense.”

I said nothing.

“What you said doesn’t line up with what I know about you,” he continued. “You never gave a damn about being a governor’s wife. You’d never sell me out to the press, and you’d sooner take the fall for Kade than turn him in to the cops. The only thing you’ve ever really cared about… is the relationship between Kade and me.”

My gaze dropped from his and I stared at his tie. Perfectly knotted, as always.

“Look at me, Kat,” he ordered, and I had to obey. “You played us. Both of us. Because you knew how I’d react to Kade being hurt, threatened. Those things you said, they were all lies. You lied to both of us.”

My heart sank. I should have known Blane would see through it. His job made him an expert at reading people, divining their motivations, and finding the facts underneath their lies. I knew I wouldn’t be able to fool Blane any longer. I was surprised I ever had.

“That’s not true—” I said weakly, but Blane jerked me closer, squeezing the air from my chest.

“Isn’t it?” he snapped. “Tell me the truth, goddammit.”

I couldn’t take any more. “I told you once that I wasn’t going to come between you two,” I blurted. “So I did what I had to do. Now you and Kade can put the pieces back together and move on. I was only making things worse. You know that.”

“Who the hell do you think you are to just decide to walk away?” he retorted. “Do we mean nothing to you?”

“You and Kade mean everything to me!” I protested. “I made the only choice I could. Please, Blane, just let it go. Let me go.”

“You love me… but you’re in love with Kade, too.” It wasn’t a question.

A wave of pure sadness enveloped me. “Does it matter?”

“Yes, it fucking matters!”

The stubborn set of Blane’s jaw made my stomach clench in knots. He couldn’t tell Kade. It would just hurt him and leave the two of them in a worse situation than before. Kade had never cared what happened between him and Blane if it meant he and I could be together. But I did. And even if Kade didn’t realize it sometimes, he needed Blane more than he needed me.

“You can’t tell Kade,” I implored. “Promise me—”

“Can’t tell me what?”

My eyes slipped closed in dismay at the sound of Kade’s voice behind me.

Whatever communication they had must have been silent, because the next thing I knew, Blane let me go, spinning me around into Kade’s arms.

Kade’s piercing blue eyes seemed to devour me as we turned slowly on the dance floor. He was heartbreakingly lovely and I drank him in, my fingers itching to push back the lock of inky black hair that had fallen over his brow.

I wondered if Blane had shared his suspicions with Kade about the things I’d said, but that question was answered by the next words out of his mouth.

“So what is Blane not supposed to tell me? That you were just fucking him, too?” He put his lips by my ear and hissed, “So tell me, which brother’s better in bed?”

Kade always knew just where to aim his barbs and I sucked in a breath as they hit their mark with painful accuracy. I had to keep going, no matter what Kade said to me.

“So it seems your sights tonight are set on the guy who’s trying to get you drunk,” Kade continued, his lips twisting in a sneer. “You should know he’s a teacher. I hear they make shitty salaries.”

“No one wants to go home alone from a wedding,” I said, forcing a sweet smile.

A nerve pulsed in his cheek at that. “I can put in a good word for you, if you want.” He leaned forward to hiss in my ear. “Mention that you’re a damn good lay.”

The ice that had consumed me when Blane and I broke up now threatened to encase me again, only this time it was to protect myself from Kade.

I looked up at him. “Why, thank you,” I said with forced politeness. “And that wasn’t even my best work.”

Kade suddenly pulled me through the doorway into an empty hallway. He pushed me against the wall, imprisoning me there with his hold on my arms. “Tell me you didn’t mean what you said the other night,” he rasped. “Tell me we have something between us, that you feel something for me, something besides fucking gratitude.”

The fury and agony in his eyes was nearly my undoing. But I couldn’t let him have hope—there was no future for us. So I said the only thing I could think of that would guarantee his hatred.

“You’re nothing but a criminal,” I said. “A murderer and thief. Did you think I could forget that?”

Kade looked as though I’d hit him, his face etched with pain.

I pulled away, knowing I wouldn’t be able to hold on to my composure for much longer, nor could I bring myself to hurt Kade any more than I already had. He reached for me, but I evaded his grasp, hurrying down the hall and up the stairs.

The ladies’ room was on the third floor and I nearly collapsed with relief when I got there, tears already pouring down my face. The lounge area was blessedly empty. I sat in a chair and stared at the floor, not bothering to wipe my face.

I couldn’t believe what I’d said to Kade, my conscience screaming at me to go find him, apologize, tell him I didn’t mean a word of it. But then where would we be? Right back where we’d started, with me driving a wedge between Blane and Kade.

After a few minutes, I calmed down. I heard the hubbub of people and realized Clarice and Jack had left for their honeymoon. I’d missed their departure, but I doubted she’d noticed, not with all the people there.

I got up with a sigh, went to the sink, and washed the streaked makeup off my face. No sense worrying about it. I could go home now.

The door opened as I was touching up my hair and Charlotte walked in. I stiffened, immediately on my guard.

“Nice wedding,” she said.

“Yes,” I agreed. I didn’t offer anything else. I had nothing to say to her.

“Too bad yours was canceled,” she said, coming up beside me and setting her purse on the counter. “It must have been hard to see Blane here.”

Now she was just being a bitch. I smiled at her in the mirror. “Sweet of you to care.”

“Oh, I don’t,” she said. “I was just making an observation.” She smiled back and disappeared into a stall.

I spun around, determined to vent some of my frustration on her. My arm brushed her bag and sent it toppling to the floor, the contents spilling out.

“Shit,” I muttered, crouching down to pick up her things. I righted her bag and dropped a lipstick in when something caught my eye. It was a stun gun, like the one I’d used on James a few months ago in that hotel room. I couldn’t blame Charlotte for keeping something for protection handy on her. I should do the same.