Page 66 of Duality

“Miss Harper. Mind if I cut in?”

I turned and locked eyes with Ryan Jacobs. An oily grin stretched his face, and he held out his hand to Evelyn. Over my dead body.

CHAPTER 29

EVELYN

The music swelled around us, the soft hum of violins mixing with the low chatter of the gala. The floor-length gown I wore shimmered under the ballroom lights, but I was acutely aware of Alexander’s firm grip on my waist as he guided me across the dance floor. His hand radiated a quiet strength, one that was both reassuring and commanding. For a moment, I could almost forget why we were here and just enjoy dancing with one of the men I was rapidly falling for.

Almost.

“Miss Harper,” a smooth, practiced voice spoke from behind us.

Alexander and I both tensed as Ryan Jacobs stepped into our space. His perfectly tailored suit and too-bright smile barely masked the venom beneath.

“Mind if I cut in?”

Alexander’s hand tightened on my waist, pulling me closer. The movement was subtle but unmistakable as he staked his claim. “I do, actually.”

Ryan’s smile didn’t falter, but there was a flicker of something colder in his eyes. He gestured casually to the edge of the dance floor. “Then perhaps we should talk.”

Alexander didn’t wait for a response. He guided me off the dance floor, keeping me close as Ryan followed. The edge of the room was quieter, tucked away from the prying eyes of the crowd. Marcus and Adrian tracked us from the bar, their expressions dark, but I discreetly waved them off. I was curious as to what Ryan had to say. Did he know we were circling the wagons to take him down? Or maybe he didn’t believe we were a threat to him. Whatever it was, it was better to find out than to be kept in the dark.

We reached the edge of the dance floor, and Ryan leaned in slightly, his voice dropping. “You’re meddling in things above your paygrade.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened, but his tone was composed. His familiar boardroom mask shuttered over his face. “And where exactly am I supposed to be meddling?”

Ryan’s gaze flicked to me, a slow, deliberate movement that sent a chill down my spine. “I wasn’t talking to you,” he said to Alexander.

From the look in his eyes, I knew that Ryan knew who I was. No doubt, courtesy of Finch. But the best course of action was not to confront him now, which meant playing dumb. The awards ceremony hadn’t started yet, and Marshall Beckett and Julian Slater were still conspicuously absent. Until they arrived, we couldn’t show our hand.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” I said evenly.

“If you have something to say, say it,” Alexander said, his voice low and deadly.

I squeezed his arm in warning. We didn’t need this to devolve into a dick measuring contest.

Ryan’s smirk widened. “I’ll keep it simple. You don’t want to stand in the way of the new vision for this city. We’ve been working with this…partner for a long time, and trust me, youdon’t want to find yourself on the wrong side. Change is coming. It’s best if SDS and the Archers, simply…step aside.”

The threat was clear. A new vision for the city that left Citadel and this partner on top, no doubt. And they obviously didn’t care about who they stepped on to get here. Or how they cleared those players off the board. If Citadel was confident enough in this new partner to openly threaten us, whoever it was had to be a much bigger player than we’d anticipated .

Alexander stepped forward slightly, his body a shield between Ryan and me.

“Is that a threat?” he demanded.

I squeezed his arm gently, mentally willing him to keep his cool. He settled slightly, but his muscles were still tense. Of course, it was a threat, but we couldn’t respond in kind. We had to keep it together, so Ryan stayed at the gala, and we could get all three of them.

Ryan’s smile slipped, just a fraction, and the coldness in his stare sent a chill down my spine. Thank fuck we were handling Citadel tonight before they could cause more damage. That look in his eyes was one I recognized in the serial rapists and abusers that we put away. He enjoyed hurting people, and he would keep doing it until he was stopped.

He straightened his jacket, a thin veneer of civility snapping back into place. “Enjoy your evening. For now.” He smiled genially, then melted back into the crowd.

Alexander turned to me immediately. “You okay?”

I nodded, though my heart was still pounding. “I’m fine. I’ve faced worse.”

“I hate that he threatened you,” Alexander grumbled, and I couldn’t help my smile.

I patted his chest gently. “I figured that out, caveman. It’s fine. He can’t do anything here. We need to stay on track andwait for the others to arrive. He won’t be a problem for much longer.”