“It’s not nothing,” I argue.
His jaw tightens more. “Everything’s fine.” He squeezes my hand back. “I need to make a phone call. Stay here with my father and brother. Don’t wander off.” He kisses my temple then once again leaves me with his family.
“I missed him.” Alina snaps her fingers, drawing my attention to her sudden presence. She’s eyeing Nikolai’s back as he leaves the ballroom, but she doesn’t look all that broken up about not having been able to speak to him.
“Hi, Alina.” I take a sip of wine. Without Nikolai here, she isn’t forcing the plastic smile onto her lips.
She looks me over with a raised brow. “That dress does look really good on you.” It’s not a compliment though, at least not the way she says it. I get the feeling she’d rather see it lit on fire while I’m wearing it.
Her eyes wander upward, and she catches a glimpse of the necklace.
“Where did you get that?” Her tone fills with venom.
I touch the linked diamonds around my neck. “This? Nikolai gave it to me. I know it’s too much, but he wouldn’t listen.” And now, I really wish I had pushed the issue and kept it off.
Her nostrils flare a little and her lips pinch together like she’s been sucking on a lemon for the past half hour.
“Alina, is your brother here?” Arman steps up behind her, his hand settling on her hip. She leans back into him and pushes on the smile I’m familiar with from her. This woman doesn’t like me. Maybe if she knew the truth of my relationship with Nikolai, she’d put her claws away.
“Arman. I thought I heard your voice earlier, but I didn’t see you.” Her voice hits a higher pitch. “No, he couldn’t make it. He’s working.” She glances back at me. “Did you see what Nikolai gave Charlotte?”
Arman’s dark gaze roams over me, then settles on the necklace. Unlike Alina, his reaction is better masked.
“It looks good on you,” he says politely to me. His voice is perfectly shielded from any touch of emotion. Does he hate that I’m wearing it or does he not care? And what is the deal with the necklace?
I touch it again. “Can I ask, is it familiar to you in some way?” I glance at Alina. “Is it not new?” What if this is the little marker Nikolai puts on all his captive women? A small sign to others around me that I’m his and to stay away?
Arman drops his hand from Alina’s hip. “It was our mother’s.”
“What?” I whisper my shock. Why the fucking hell did he give me his mother’s necklace to wear tonight?
“She passed away a long time ago,” Arman says when he sees my panic. “It’s his to give, Charlotte. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
My face must be as red as Alina’s lipstick.
“Have you and Nikolai been together long?” Alina asks, her eyes narrowed on the necklace still.
“I…” Words pile up in my brain. How do I answer her without making myself sound like I’ve sold myself to him? Even though, well, I sold myself to him.
“Long enough,” Arman answers for me and grabs hold of Alina’s arm, spinning her around to his side. He slips his arm around her waist. “Let’s get some dessert.” He leads her away from me, but it’s too late. Suddenly, the diamonds weigh too much, they’re choking my throat.
“What are you doing?” Nikolai’s dark voice sends a shudder down my spine when he returns to find me fumbling with the clasp behind my neck. He brushes my hands away.
“I… you shouldn’t have given this to me to wear,” I say to him as quietly as I can. His family is all around us, and I’m not sure who is friend and who is not of the remaining guests.
His eyelids narrow. “It’s just a necklace, Charlotte.”
My chest aches. Which sends my mind into a whirlwind of confusion. I mean, that was the right answer. Right? It’s just a necklace. No hidden meaning. No intent is behind it. Just a damn necklace.
I drop my hands and smooth out the skirt of my dress. “Did you make your calls?”
“I did.”
“Do you need to find Ivan’s daughter so you can wish her a happy birthday?”
“No. I don’t,” he says, his voice clipped.
“Did you bring a gift? We should have brought a gift,” I ask, unable to fully meet his dark eyes.