Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“We should get into the cocktail room before we’re seated for dinner.” Enzo starts walking, his sister on his arm, the other hand outstretched to me. “We can catch up later.” The second part is for me, a warning not to attempt to stay behind and a promise he has no intention of letting me.
“We will, yes. I have to check on a few things anyway. Beeks, find me later?” Rocklin meets my gaze.
I can only nod.
With that, she disappears down the hall, my dad on her heels.
The doors are tugged open, and we step into the massive gathering area of The Enterprise. It never looks the same when you walk in for an event, tonight’s setup generically on theme with the fake organization pretending they’re out to raise money. Ninety percent of the attendees know this, and that’s exactly why they’re here; the other ten, well, they’re the suckers so desperate to be invited to the prestigious, black-tie club, they don’t give a shit to do the research. Not that they’d find fault if they did—cons know how to cover their trails.
A girl in all black heads this way with a tray of champagne, and for a moment I wonder if she’s one of my sister’s prospects, here on a job as the unsuspecting help, but I don’t care enough to consider it for longer than a blink. I’m here for the liquor at this point, and she’s my saving grace, giving me an excuse to let go of the man making me fucking sick.
I snag a glass the second she’s within reach, tearing my hand from Enzo and pretending I need to smooth my hair down. When he reaches for me again, I pass the glass from my right hand to my left hand, meeting his gaze.
What are you going to do, move her to your other side and step around me to hold my free hand?
His jaw tics and surprisingly, he does release his little pet, but only to grab them both a glass. Fire burns in my belly as he gently passes one to her.
Katana smiles her thanks, and it’s not an expression I would point at my sibling. Especially not with the blush creeping up her cheeks.
Fuck this.
Desperate to get away, I search the area as discreetly as possible, knowing it won’t be too hard to find a familiar face. The second I spot one, I call out her name loud enough for others to hear so he can’t keep me chained to his side without stirring the opposite kind of gossip the bastard is going for tonight.
“Delta!”
My sister’s gorgeous, picturesque best friend—one of them anyway—spins to face me. Practiced in the art of all things fake and plastic, she keeps her smile in place when I know she wants to frown with suspicion.
It’s fair, considering I was a brat who liked to stir shit for my sister when I was bored. But she likes me, even if she sometimes wishes she didn’t.
“Don’t even think about it—”
I walk away, ignoring Enzo’s rumbled demand. Each step I take away from the duo, I breathe a little easier.
“Boston.” She smirks as I approach, her gaze on the man frowning at my back. “He’s already obsessed. I’m impressed.”
I scoff, sipping the too sweet drink in my hands. “Speaking of obsessed. Where are your men?”
“Ander is away on Greyson business and Alto is talking to the mayor, pretending he cares about crown-of-thorns starfish.”
“Who came up with that anyway?”
“Smooth, isn’t it? Weave some big words together and put on a serious face, and suddenly everyone believes a poisonous creature that is essentially killing our coral is, in fact, vital.” That smirk of hers turns a bit feral. “Little do they know we’re testing their venom in tranq darts.”
My brows rise and she chuckles, a goddess-like sound, and smooths her multimillion-dollar hands along her middle-parted bun.
I spot the piano up on the stage. “Are you performing tonight?”
“At closing, yes.” She tips her eyes, gauging me. “Why are you avoiding your—” She looks to my left hand. “—fiancé?”
“Not avoiding.”
“Liar.” She studies him a moment. “He hasn’t moved since you walked over.”
I try to fight it but end up swallowing and she grins wider.
“What is he doing?”
“Staring.”
“Let him.”
Delta glances my way, lifting her left hand, facing him once more as she wiggles her fingers in his direction, giving me a smile that can only say this is for lying to your sister.
Also fair. When I showed back up at the Greyson Manor, she thought I ran from Enzo. Well, that’s what she was told by my father but to her credit, she didn’t fall for the lie, far too perceptive to believe I was able to run from a man like him and not get caught.
She found out later Dad had asked permission to take me home for “a visit,” but not even I knew for certain he was taking me so he could refuse to give me back, attempting instead to offer Enzo my sister.