Page 13 of Just My Luck

Chapter 6

Jax

My hand tightened around the stem of my glass until I thought it might actually shatter. Kit’s gaze was practically tracing the silk right off Nova’s skin. The territorial roar in my chest came back with a vengeance.

“Mr. Mylonas,” Kit said, finally breaking his eyes away from Nova to give me a cool, measured look that felt entirely like a challenge. “I see you managed to tag along after all.”

“Jax,” I corrected. “Wouldn’t miss it,” I replied, my voice dropping into a low, hard register. I stepped just half an inch forward, subtly putting myself back into Nova’s personal space. “Gold Standard doesn’t leave money on the table. Or accounts.”

Kit’s mouth twitched with amusement. “Good. Because there’s someone you need to meet.” He turned slightly, raising his glass toward a silver-haired man standing near the fireplace. “Stephen Hartman. Head of international compliance for the gaming commission. He’s the gatekeeper for every out-of-state marketing push we do. Stephen, come over here.”

Before I could anchor myself, the older man drifted over, and Kit immediately pulled me into a fast-paced, highly technical conversation about Colorado’s specific regulatory gaming laws. It was a massive piece of the puzzle—the exact kind of compliance hurdle GSM needed to clear to secure the Onyx contract. I had to focus. I had to be the professional senior executive my father expected me to be.

But the moment Stephen asked to see our compliance timeline, Kit stepped back.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him slide right into the gap I’d left next to Nova.

My attention splintered completely. While I was answering Stephen’s questions, my gaze kept snapping across the amber-lit lounge. Kit was leaning in close to Nova, his mouth inches from her ear as he said something that made her laugh. Under the chandeliers, the liquid gold of her dress caught every drop of light, and Kit was drinking it in. He reached out, his fingers casually brushing against her arm as he gestured toward the ice sculpture.

A hot, toxic spike of jealousy burned through my veins. I stumbled slightly over a question, my brain entirely occupied by the urge to walk over and shove Sterling away from her.

It took me almost an hour to break free from the conversation and get back to Nova’s side. By then, she was two more drinks in, and I could tell she was feeling the effects. I suggested we grab some food, and she happily complied.

From there, I convinced her to down a glass of water and noticed instantly that she snapped back.

By two in the morning, the heavy thump of the jazz trio had faded into a low, ambient hum, and the crowd had thinned down to the last few high-rollers.

The three of us had migrated to a deep, plush velvet booth in the back corner of the VIP wing. Nova was sandwiched right between us—Kit on her left, and me on her right.

The lavender champagne martinis had once again done their damage. Nova was back to being a little tipsy, her usual sharp, analytical posture softening as the alcohol took hold. Her head dipped slightly, her shoulder leaning heavily against my arm as she tried to keep her balance. Every time she leaned into me, a jolt went straight through my chest, but the comfort of it was instantly ruined by the man sitting on her other side.

Kit was moving in, quiet and deliberate.

“You really are a fascinating creature, Nova,” Kit murmured, his voice a low, smooth purr in the quiet booth.

He reached out, his long fingers gently tucking a stray lock of her dark hair behind her ear. His hand lingered, his thumb casually brushing against the bare, exposed skin of her shoulder where the gold silk dipped low. It was a small, intimate gesture—the kind of touch that screamed familiarity he hadn’t earned.

My jaw clamped shut so hard it ached. I wanted to rip his hand off her.

But even with her eyes slightly unfocused and her weight leaning into my side, Nova’s brain wouldn’t quit. She was a fighter, entirely obsessed with winning this account.

“The… the structural metrics.” Nova blinked, swallowing hard as she looked up at Kit, completely ignoring his hand on her shoulder as she tried to force her professional voice back. “If we start to execute the Denver media blitz at least a year before your grand opening, I believe we can spike the out-of-state fly-market numbers. I have the spreadsheets on my tablet…” She actually looked around as if it would magically appear.

“Shh,” Kit interrupted softly, a dark, intensely charming smile spreading across his face as his fingers slid down to tap the side of her neck. “Forget the spreadsheets for tonight. You’ve already won the room with this number.” He winked at her as his finger rubbed the strap of her dress.

Nova let out a tiny, breathless laugh, her head tilting back against my shoulder for support. I looked down at her, then snapped my gaze over to Kit, my eyes cutting through the dim light of the booth like a knife.

He looked back at me over her head, his expression completely unbothered, his fingers still resting dangerously close to the collarbone I’d spent the last four years wanting to touch. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he was daring me to do something about it.

“I…” Nova suddenly said, sitting up as she looked at me.

“I think it’s time we head up,” I finished for her when she didn’t continue.

She nodded a few times, and I helped her stand up.

“Right.” Kit stood up, moving closer to Nova. “If you wish.”

“I got this,” I said, putting my arm around Nova’s waist.