Helen sniffed. “You never know. We have the family name to think about.”
A deep, unfamiliar voice spoke from my left. “God forbid we forget about that.”
Kate sucked in a breath, swaying slightly as the blood drained from her face. “Rafe.”
Frowning, I turned to see who she was looking at. A stranger stood a few feet away, studying Kate like a predator. His smartly tailored suit seemed at odds with the tattoos peeking out from his collar and sleeves. Stubble covered his square-cut jaw, doing nothing to hide his sharp cheekbones.
Something about him had my awareness prickling. He was handsome, there was no doubt about that, but there was something about him that had my hackles rising. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Something dangerous. Something ruthless.
Then I realised what it was.
He reminded me a little of Dominic.
It had me tucking Kate under my arm like it would protect her.
Ice-blue eyes swept over us, sparkling with amusement like something about our positioning was funny. “Hello, Kit.”
Kit?That was a name she’d never gone by as far as I was aware.
Kate didn’t answer, just leaned into my side.
Keen to defuse whatever weird-ass tension Rafe had brought in with him, I extended the hand not around her. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Ryan, Kate’s fiancé.”
“Rafe,” he said, not bothering to smile as he shook my hand. Nor did he bother to look at me, gaze still fixed on Kate. Kate, who was trying to make herself as small as possible. “Kit’s stepbrother.”
My brows shot up before I could stop them. This was the guy Kate was estranged from?
“Yes, yes, it’s marvellous that Rafe was able to join us,” Helen said impatiently, looping her arm through mine. “Now, let’s go over the final details before everyone else arrives.”
As she steered us in the manager’s direction, I could feel Rafe’s gaze burning into my back. I leaned closer to Kate, dropping my voice to a whisper. “Want me to ask him to leave?”
She shook her head rapidly. “No. Don’t even speak to him, okay? I’ll deal with it.”
I frowned. Leaving her to deal with him alone didn’t seem right, but I respected Kate’s decision. “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”
“I won’t.” She gave me a tight smile. “Trust me, the last thing I want is you within six feet of Rafe.”
I thought about pushing, but for some reason, Dominic entered my mind. Would I want him within six feet of Kate?
Absolutely not.
Would I want to explain that to her?
Also no.
So I stayed quiet. Kate could have her reasons, and I’d have mine. We weren’t hiding things from each other, but rather recognising what needed to be shared and what didn’t.
Dominic didn’t matter, and neither did Rafe.
We had each other, and that was what was important.
An hour later,I was officially bored out of my skull.
I was used to having to network with people thanks tomy job. Having to do so during my personal time was a right ball-ache.
I threw yet another longing glance towards the table full of my friends. They were laughing and joking, having a whale of a night. My skin itched to be sat with them. To be doing anything other than hobnobbing with Kate’s parents’ stuck-up acquaintances.
Kate seemed to be bearing up better than I was, but she was more used to this. Her smile only faded when Rafe drifted too close.
