Kresley Cole - If You Deceive

"Aye, I need to see my brother."And make sure he's capable of the job at hand. "What's the fare tonight at the Hive?"

Quin muttered, "An illegal courtesans' ball."

Ethan gave a humorless laugh. He could practically feel sorry for the unsuspecting "young friend from out of town." The lass was about to get an eye-opening lesson in depravity.

Regrettably, Ethan had seen the love-struck look on his brother's face before.

Though Hugh was an assassin—one of the most skilled and prolific in the world—his mind went blank when he was near Jane Weyland. He had difficulty speaking. His brow would bead with sweat like a green lad's.

Just minutes ago, Ethan had found him in this state in an alleyway that crossed Haymarket Street. Hugh had been so engrossed as he watched Jane stroll up Haymarket with her entourage that he hadn't even heard Ethan approach.

Hugh was never taken unaware; tonight a runaway dray cart could have slipped up on him.

The situation with Hugh and Jane was incomprehensible to a man like Ethan, who'd never felt even a casual regard for a woman. As Ethan often reminded his brothers, he himself remained immune to untidy entanglements like that.

But for some reason, Hugh wasn't shamed that a woman could make him so weak. And obviously, ten years of being away from her had done nothing to make his feelings ebb.

After Ethan had joined him in the alley, the two of them had begun exchanging terse words—as was customary—only this time they argued in lowered voices.

Hugh had always been disgusted that Ethan hadwanted —and had offered—to kill Grey, who'd once been Hugh's friend; Ethan had always been disgusted that Hugh had fallen for Jane and opened himself up to such a glaring liability. Ethan's liability was his protectiveness of his brothers, but he'd been born into that one, and it couldn't be helped.

"I wager that right about now, you wish my offer to kill Grey had been accepted," Ethan told Hugh, his smugness conveyed even in hushed tones. "But no' to worry, little brother, it certainly has now. Weyland will do anything to protect his daughter." Ethan jerked his chin at Jane and her group as they passed the alley. He faced Hugh, then did a double take back to the group, only to stare.

The fourth woman in the group—a wee lass with shining blond hair—had caught his attention utterly.

The young friend from out of town…

She wore a deep blue gown and cape, tied at her pale neck like a choker, and a matching mask tilted up into points at the corners above her bright eyes. By the flickering glow of the gaslights, Ethan saw her dark pink lips curl intermittently into a mysterious grin, yet not when her friends were laughing. She seemed to be in her own little world.

Though she appeared lively and fresh, he sensed in her a world-weariness—the same that affected him so markedly.

He frowned to find that his heart had started to race—

Hugh had him shoved against a building wall, his forearm lodged against Ethan's neck, before he could tense.

What is this…?Ethan rolled his eyes. "Rest easy. I'm no' ogling your precious Jane."

Hugh finally released him but appeared disbelieving. "Then what held your attention?" he demanded. "Claudia? The one in the red mask?" When Ethan gave no answer, Hugh said, "Belinda? The tall brunette?"

Ethan shook his head slowly, never taking his eyes from the blonde.

The unusual notice clearly stunned Hugh. "I doona know her, but she must be one of Jane's friends," he said in a wary tone. "And she looks no' more than twenty. Too young for you."

Ethan's age was thirty-three, and he felt every year of it, but shewas young. So how could she possibly have that weariness about her? "If I'm as bad as you and Court and all of the clan believe," Ethan began, "then I'll find her that much more enticing for it, will I no'?" Ethan strove for a bored tone, but he suspected his bitterness came through. Truthfully, he wasn't as bad as they thought.

He was worse.

He had blood on his hands and a heart so cold that he was considered the evil brother of the three—and the other two were a gunman and a mercenary. Ethan was the sodding laird, and yet most in the clan feared him, wanting nothing to do with him—and that was before he'd been scarred.

Reminded of his appearance, he tried to turn away from the girl. If he approached her, a beauty like that would run in terror at the sight of his face.Drop back in the shadows where you belong. Forget you ever saw her….

But then a loud masquerade-goer neared them, sporting a domino in the latest style, with a drop of cloth in the front. Ethan's lips slid into a smirk that tugged the tight skin of his face.Perfect.

In the blink of an eye, Ethan's hand shot out to snare the mask. The much smaller man opened his mouth to object, but Ethan gave him a killing look, and the man dashed away.

"Doona toy with her, Ethan," Hugh said.

"Afraid I'll ruin your chances with Jane?" Ethan asked as he donned the mask. "Hate to remind you, brother, but they were ruined before you even met her. And you've got a book to prove it."

"Your fate is just as grim as mine," Hugh said, "yet you're going after a woman."

"Ah, but I'm in no danger of falling in love with her"—Ethan turned to stride into the masquerade, tossing over his shoulder—"so it's no' likely my dallying will get her killed."

With a grated sound of frustration, Hugh followed him to the warehouse entrance, where they tendered admission to a bald man in a pig mask. Inside, the drunken crowd was thick; there had to be over a thousand people crammed in.

Oh, aye, the girl was about to get a lesson. All around them, obscene murals hung on the walls, and half-clad whores were openly fondling men.

Ethan couldn't see the group immediately in the crush, so he and Hugh strode to the second-story landing for a better view. They spotted the women in front of a small raised stage, scrutinizing anexhibit —which consisted of two women and a man, unclothed and covered in clay, posing as Greek statues.

In such an atmosphere of dissolution, the young chit looked…bored.

When Jane viewed the naked man with an appraising eye, Hugh's fists clenched. The blonde appraised him, too, but Ethan had no urge to hit anything. Ethan had known he was immune….

The group moved on to a punch service tended by a half-clad courtesan, but the blonde turned back to the stage. With a sensual grin, she languidly blew the male model a kiss. Ethan frowned.I doona like that. Bloody hell.Why do I no' like that?

"I dinna think blondes were your type," Hugh said, beginning to sound alarmed.

Never looking away from the girl, Ethan said, "They're no'."

"Nor slim, short lasses."

"Tall and buxom for me," Ethan said absently. He watched her accept a glass of punch, delicately take a sniff of her drink, then partake heartily.

"Then what is it?"

"Doona know," Ethan answered in half truth. He knew why he was attracted to her—he could tell she was an extraordinary beauty, even with her mask—but he didn't understand thedegree of his attraction.

He'd bedded women as lovely as she, so why did he feel an inexplicable sense of urgency to join her—toget her? Ethan knew he could find her again. She was friends with the Weylands. So why did he want herat this moment?

"Are you actually going to approach her?" Hugh asked.

"Bloody hell I am."

"I thought I was no' to reveal myself to Jane if I could help it. She'll recognize you."

"No' with this mask," Ethan said, then asked, "Why are you behaving as if my interest is so bloody consequential?"

"It's consequential because you've never pursued a woman in your entire life."

Ethan had never had to before that night in Buxton—and he hadn't bothered to after.