The pressure’s mounting faster than I’d like; we have to move quickly to catch Luke before he does something stupid. Caution isn’t a luxury we have anymore.
I know it’s her when I hear footsteps coming down the hallway. She’s light on her feet, but I can feel her getting closer like static in the air, crawling under my skin where I swore I’d never let another person again.
I turn just as she appears at the threshold to the kitchen, and for a moment, everything else falls away.
She’s dressed to kill.
A black fitted dress hugs her like it was sewn onto her body, stopping mid-thigh. Her legs look longer than they are, toned and bare, carried on black leather boots with a chunky heel that thuds softly against the tile and adds a couple of inches to her height. Still, I’m at least six inches taller. Her makeup is sharp. Black liner cut into perfect wings, smoky eye shadow deepening the corners of her eyes,and her lips are painted a burgundy shade that looks almost the color of blood.
I drag my gaze up, past the hourglass curve of her waist, past the bare skin of her collarbone, until I meet those ocean blue eyes. She’s smiling. Barely. Like she knows exactly what kind of wreckage she’s leaving in her wake, and she’s enjoying it.
“Coffee okay?” My voice comes out rougher than I intended.
She nods, offering a small smile before drifting closer. “Coffee was great. So was the music.”
There’s a glint in her eyes that’s sharp, like she’s discovered a secret. My gut tightens, but before I can unpack it, the buzzer at the front gate cuts through the room. Nate.
I curse under my breath. “We have company.”
Her brow arches. “Fun.”
I almost smile at her sarcasm, but there’s no time. I hit the intercom and buzz him in. Minutes later, Nate strides through the door like he owns the place. Black jeans, a fitted leather jacket, mirrored sunglasses, and his motorcycle helmet tucked under one arm.
My wild younger brother: brilliant and reckless, and the reason this business still exists. Nate doesn’t just work with me; he keeps the machine running. Cleans up messes. Handles things I can’t, or won’t, put my name on. Which means he’s the one who takes the most heat when something goes wrong.
His gaze snaps to Arden instantly. Assessing and suspicious.
“Hello again,” Nate says, his tone a little too friendly.
“Charmed, I’m sure,” she shoots back.
Nate’s eyes flick to the coffee in her hand. “You settle in fast.”
Arden’s smile doesn’t waver. “Only when I’m invited.”
He grunts, “We’ll see how long that lasts.”
I shoot him a look that tells him to stand down, then jerk my head toward the back patio. “Outside.”
Arden lingers, leaning against the kitchen counter, swirling her coffee like she has all the time in the world. Casual. Unbothered. But when Nate and I step out, I catch her reflection in the glass. The tilt of her head, the subtle inching toward the door. She’s listening.
I expected as much.
“We’re moving forward,” Nate says, lowering his voice. “Holloway will be at the gala next Friday. Not Wilde, though; he’s on tour.”
“Excellent,” I reply. “Arden’s coming with me.”
Nate’s jaw tightens. “I wouldn’t be so quick to decide. Once you bring her out in public…” he exhales sharply. “You don’t get to control how people spin it.”
I give him my best reassuring smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Then let it spin. I’m not worried.”
His jaw flexes again, but he lets it go. I can see he’s not convinced, but there’s no point in arguing.
“Fine.” He hesitates. “And you’re sure about her?”
“She’s more capable than you think,” I reply, sharper than I mean to. Nate seems to have forgotten that I’ve seen her in action.
She played me like it was nothing, slipped right past every defense I thought I had. If she can do that, she can handle this. Still, this isn’t a club or casino floor. It’s Hollywood. And it’s an entirely different world.
