“And I know you can protect her.”
“Yes sir.”
“Protect her heart too, and we have no problems.”
“Understood.”
Acosta stood and clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, I don’t know the story of how you two met, but the tale of our first meeting is going to entertain my friends and guests for years to come.”
Acosta poured himself another measure of scotch and walked out of the room, leaving Tox sitting at the table feeling like a teen who’d been given a firm but affectionate father-son speech. He looked over his shoulder then grabbed his glass and downed the drink, and for reasons he couldn’t quite pinpoint, Tox smiled.
When the last man in Acosta’s entourage had left, Calliope closed the door and fell against it with a sigh.
“Something you forgot to mention?”
Calliope scrunched up her face. “Maybe?”
Tox stood in the hall facing her. He pulled himself to his full height and, on a deep inhale, popped the buttons on Steady’s dress shirt. Calliope grew wide-eyed and raced up the stairs. He rounded the newel and followed her up the stairs at a much more leisurely pace.