“Surprising how?”
“You’re not what I expected. That’s not a bad thing.”
“What’d you expect?”
“Someone easier to dismiss.”
The words landed, and his whole face changed. The smirk gave way to something open she tried hard to ignore.
“Good,” he said quietly. “Don’t dismiss me then.”
Chapter Four
The ballroom buzzed with energy,champagne flowing as freely as the congratulations for Giovanni’s success. Kennedi had arrived early, needing the buffer of work to steady herself. Since the studio yesterday, Rolani had taken up residence in parts of her brain she hadn’t authorized.
She’d spent the afternoon in her hotel room rewatching the footage Derek captured, telling herself it was quality control. She watched his B-roll four times. Professional review didn’t require four viewings of a man walking through a set, but she kept finding new angles to examine. New details she’d missed.
Then he walked in dressed in all black. Tailored slacks, a black button-up open at the collar, locs hanging loose past his shoulders. The crowd shifted when he stepped through the door. He started with a dap and a hug for Giovanni, then hugged Paige, laughing at something Brooks said.
But even from across the room, Kennedi felt it. That pull. It made her stop mid-conversation with a producer whose name she’d already forgotten.
Yesterday, he’d been in a black tee and Jordans, paint on his fingertips, sitting on a stool in a fake garage. Tonight, he looked built to ruin the evening she’d planned.
The tailored clothes confirmed what the tee and jeans had already told her. He looked good in everything. He’d probably look good in nothing.
Their eyes met. He didn’t acknowledge anyone else after that, not the people trying to shake his hand, not the conversations around him. Just her. His thumb slowly dragged across his bottom lip, a subtle gesture she almost missed. Almost. Having spent ten years reading people for a living, cataloging what they did when they thought no one was paying attention, she instantly understood. That small movement told her everything—he’d been thinking about her too.
The smile he gave her wasn't the smirk from the plane or the grin from the studio. He’d clearly spent the day wondering whether the premiere version of her would hit as hard as the studio version. Judging by that smile, he had his answer.
She broke eye contact first, turning back to her interview with shaky hands. Work. She was here for work. She had a job to do. But her voice sounded foreign to her own ears as she asked questions she’d prepared days ago.
The rest of the night went on the same way. Every time she turned around, he was there—not hovering or crowding, just present.
At one point, she caught a trace of his cologne drifting through the crowd. Her stomach dipped, her shoulders relaxed, and she closed her eyes for half a second.
She was halfway to the balcony, needing air, when a hand settled on the small of her back.
“Kennedi Walters, right?”
“Yes, that’s me.” She stepped to the side, creating space, but his hand stayed pressed against her lower back as if they’d arrived together. “David?”
He was one of the network executives Giovanni had introduced her to when they arrived. His cologne wasoverpowering, his smile too familiar for someone who didn’t know her. She knew this game. Had played it before in newsrooms and conferences, where saying no too directly could cost her professionally.
“I’ve been following your work.Through Ken’s Lensis impressive.” He leaned in, voice lowering. “I think we should talk about some opportunities. Privately. Maybe after the event?”
Her stomach turned. “I appreciate that, but tonight isn't the time.” She reached into her clutch, pulled out a business card, and placed it in his hand, although she never had any intention of talking to him. “My information is on there. Feel free to reach out.”
David studied the card for a moment, as if she’d handed him a consolation prize. His smile didn’t falter, but his hand tightened around it before he pocketed it. “Of course. Just thought I’d offer.” His fingers grazed her waist as he stepped back. “You look beautiful, by the way.”
He walked away, and Kennedi exhaled deeply. The sensation of his touch stayed on her skin, something she desperately wanted to wash away. The difference between that hand and the one that had almost grabbed her at the studio door yesterday was stark enough to cut. Rolani had pulled back, giving her space she hadn’t asked for because he had already decided she was worth waiting for. David, on the other hand, touched her as if she owed him that closeness.
“Eww,” she murmured.
When she looked up, Rolani was no longer across the room. He was closer now, leaning against a pillar with his drink, watching David walk away as if the man existed purely for his amusement.
David must have felt the stare because he glanced over his shoulder.
Rolani raised his hand, pointed his finger like a gun, and fired.
