Had he seen Ken walk me into the ballroom? “Nothing of consequence.”
“Lie.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Has anyone ever told you that your one-word answers are annoying?”
“Yes.”
That pulls a small smile from my lips. From my right, a couple approaches with a young woman in tow.
She’s a lovely, wispy thing, with blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes. Small and encased in white lace, she looks as though a breeze might blow her away.
“Your Grace,” the man bows. “Lord Herbert Shrewsbury, Baron of Clearwater.”
Win nods back.
“May I present my wife, Baroness Clearwater, and my daughter, Lady Elizabeth.”
The wispy blonde bobs into a curtsy, the color draining from her face. I try to keep my features expressionless, but my mind is busy picturing Win married to Elizebeth. He’d frighten her to death. Seriously.
I actually think she would die.
“Pleasure,” Win manages to push out through his lips, his look of contempt barely hidden.
Elizabeth curtsies again, seeming to be struck dumb. I’m sure among this garden of English roses, there is a woman with a bit of tenacity. I just haven’t met her yet.
There are some alpha males who like soft women they can coddle. Win isn’t one of those men. He wants to be challenged, and Lady Elizabeth could not be further from a challenge.
“And who is this lovely young lady?” Baroness Clearwater asks, eyeing me up and down.
I give her a regal nod in return, before I look back at Win. This is one instance where I will follow his lead. I’m not looking to make any moves yet, just gather information.
“This is a dear friend of the family,” he answers for me, his hand lightly touching my elbow. “Her family works closely with mine in the States.”
It’s a simple enough explanation and the truth. Which I admire.
“Oh, what does your family do?” the baroness asks. “Are they also in real estate?”
My lips part as all sorts of naughty answers dance on my tongue. Should I tell her that my brother runs a network of brothels? That my father is head of a Bratva family? But I don’t say any of those things. Instead, I take a page from Win’s notebook and answer with a simple word. “Yes.”
The baron’s eyes light up. “Do they own casinos as well?”
“Yes.” Technically, until two days ago, I owned a casino of my very own. I sold it for this opportunity.
I look at Win deciding how badly I’ve been cheated. To be determined…
CHAPTER EIGHT
Win
I’ve got a problem.
Honestly, that’s to be expected. Life is full of them, and I’ve had more than my fair share.
But tonight’s problem is completely unexpected and irritating as fuck.
The issue? I can’t keep my eyes off Katarina.
The woman is sin in that dress, and she shines more brightly than all the other women attending combined.
