"Aphrodite's_Flame_049" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kenner _Julie_-_[Protector_04]_-_Aphrodite's_Flame_(V1.0)_[lit](multi-file html))

Chapter Forty-six

“She’s bad news,” Jason said under his voice, then raised his wineglass along with everyone else at the table.
“No,” Mordi whispered, taking a sip from his own glass. “Her father maybe, but not Izzy. I can’t believe it. I won’t believe it.” They all were at the rehearsal dinner, but so far, Mordi had hardly been in a festive mood. He missed Izzy. Even more, he knew now that he trusted her. Completely. There was no way she was in cahoots with his father, and he’d been a fool to let her walk away. He intended to remedy that bit of stupidity as soon as possible.
“Don’t let a pretty face cloud your judgment,” Jason was saying.
“I’m not. But I do love her.” He’d yet to say the words out loud, and they felt good. “I love her and I don’t believe that she’d betray either me or the Council. Becoming a Protector was important to her. She worked hard to be worthy.”
“I’ve asked around,” Jason said. “She’s not exactly in the fold.”
Mordi nodded. “I know. She told me. She’s a Halfling. Zephron’s her uncle. Of course she’d have a hard time because of that. But that hardly makes her a traitor.”
“Mordi—”
He lifted a hand, cutting his half brother off. “We’re here for Deena and Hoop. Let’s just drop it, okay?”
Jason agreed, but he didn’t look happy. And for the next hour, Mordi tried his damnedest to look like he was having a good time. Deena and Hoop laughed as their friends told stories about their various escapades over the years. And all the couples—Zoë and Taylor, Jason and Lane, Hale and Tracy, Nicholas and Maggie—looked cozy and content.
Mordi wasn’t content. He wanted Izzy beside him.
The waiter brought out the dessert, and Mordi stood up, his mind made up. He had to tell her how he felt. He had to tell her now.
“Are you leaving?” Deena asked, appearing behind him.
“Council business. I’m sorry.” He moved to give her a quick kiss on the cheek; then he headed out, shooting Jason an I-know-what-I’m-doing look on the way. He reached the front of the restaurant, opened the door, and just about collided with Isole.
“What the ... ?” He stopped short, getting a better look at her. Her shirt was ripped, her face scratched, and her hair was a wild mass of loose curls. She looked like hell, but a fire lit her eyes.
He pulled her into his arms. “Are you okay?”
“I need your help.” She drew a breath. “And we may need your brother and his friends, too.”

Chapter Forty-six

“She’s bad news,” Jason said under his voice, then raised his wineglass along with everyone else at the table.
“No,” Mordi whispered, taking a sip from his own glass. “Her father maybe, but not Izzy. I can’t believe it. I won’t believe it.” They all were at the rehearsal dinner, but so far, Mordi had hardly been in a festive mood. He missed Izzy. Even more, he knew now that he trusted her. Completely. There was no way she was in cahoots with his father, and he’d been a fool to let her walk away. He intended to remedy that bit of stupidity as soon as possible.
“Don’t let a pretty face cloud your judgment,” Jason was saying.
“I’m not. But I do love her.” He’d yet to say the words out loud, and they felt good. “I love her and I don’t believe that she’d betray either me or the Council. Becoming a Protector was important to her. She worked hard to be worthy.”
“I’ve asked around,” Jason said. “She’s not exactly in the fold.”
Mordi nodded. “I know. She told me. She’s a Halfling. Zephron’s her uncle. Of course she’d have a hard time because of that. But that hardly makes her a traitor.”
“Mordi—”
He lifted a hand, cutting his half brother off. “We’re here for Deena and Hoop. Let’s just drop it, okay?”
Jason agreed, but he didn’t look happy. And for the next hour, Mordi tried his damnedest to look like he was having a good time. Deena and Hoop laughed as their friends told stories about their various escapades over the years. And all the couples—Zoë and Taylor, Jason and Lane, Hale and Tracy, Nicholas and Maggie—looked cozy and content.
Mordi wasn’t content. He wanted Izzy beside him.
The waiter brought out the dessert, and Mordi stood up, his mind made up. He had to tell her how he felt. He had to tell her now.
“Are you leaving?” Deena asked, appearing behind him.
“Council business. I’m sorry.” He moved to give her a quick kiss on the cheek; then he headed out, shooting Jason an I-know-what-I’m-doing look on the way. He reached the front of the restaurant, opened the door, and just about collided with Isole.
“What the ... ?” He stopped short, getting a better look at her. Her shirt was ripped, her face scratched, and her hair was a wild mass of loose curls. She looked like hell, but a fire lit her eyes.
He pulled her into his arms. “Are you okay?”
“I need your help.” She drew a breath. “And we may need your brother and his friends, too.”