“It’s not charity,” Finn said. “Seriously. Quantum Cyber has been doing some interesting things with blockchain security systems. We had been hoping you would move to the next round. It’s just business.”
“Speaking of,” Mark said, “I see Ms. Frost. I did want to talk to her about a development.” He smirked at me. “And you can tell Greg I said that.”
“As if,” I muttered. “I don’t want to lose an eye.”
I looked around for Tess after Mark left. Brea had flitted off to talk to someone else, and Tess was nowhere to be found. I walked through the crowd of high-society people, greeting the ones I knew.
I found her at the auction station, flanked by two men with green eyes and brown hair who looked similar to Finn. They were Richmond brothers, and they seemed very interested in her dress.
“You can’t tell me the designer?” one of them was saying. Tess looked between him and his brother in bemusement.
“It’s a secret. I told you.”
“What if we traded secrets for secrets?” he offered, leaning over her.
“What kind of secret do you have?”
“Well,” he drawled, “my secret is that I think you are the hottest woman at this party.”
“My brother’s an idiot,” the other Richmond butted in. “It’s not a secret that you’re the hottest woman at the party. That’s not a fair trade. How about this? You tell me who the designer is, and I’ll put your name on my yacht?”
“Oh, a yacht?” Tess raised an eyebrow.
“Yep! Brand-new! We could sail it to the Bahamas if you want. We can leave tonight.”
“Don’t go with him,” his brother interrupted. “He’s terrible once you get to know him. Come with me.” He took her arm. “They’re playing our song. I’ll show you a good time. We can go to one of the clubs I own after this.”
“Excuse me,” I said sharply.
“Back off, man,” one of the brothers said. “I saw her first.”
My lip curled back. “She’s my girlfriend, so I saw her first, and I don’t want you anywhere near her. She is not dancing with you, she’s not sailing on your yacht, and she’s not going to your club. She’s coming home with me tonight.”
The other Richmond led his scowling brother away but not before he said to Tess, “If you get tired of blonds, call me.”
I shook my head.
Tess wrapped her arm around my waist. “You’re puffed up like an angry cat!”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are!” she teased. She trailed her fingers to my bow tie then up to my jaw. “They were just complimenting me on my dress. They’re harmless.”
“They’re not.” I glowered in the Richmond brothers’ direction.
“You’re just salty because they like my dress,” she said, wrapping her arms around me. “Everyone likes my dress except for you.”
I looked down at her. “Is that what you think?”
Tess gazed up at me with wide eyes. “I thought you didn’t want to be seen with me in this dress?”
“No, you have it all wrong. I want to fuck you in that dress.”
39
Tess
Well, that was unexpected.
