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He disappears before I have a chance to protest, leaving me in a room full of people I don’t know.
I take a deep breath before I head downstairs where the main party is. I weave through the crowd, stopping every now and then to talk to one person or another. It’s easy to talk about the auction upstairs when they ask what Jovan is bidding on.
Being in a room with these people makes me sick. The only thing that matters to them is the money. Who is spending what, who has the most, and who owns what. Everything is a status symbol to them.
It’s everything I've never wanted.
As I start to do another lap around the room, I see a man I never thought I would see again. My stomach erupts in a flurry of butterflies as I stare at him, watching him talk to the people around him.
He looks up from his conversation, his gaze darting around the room before landing on me. I turn and try to disappear into the crowd, though I know it’s too late.
Carlos Ruiz has seen me and he’s going to track me down.
If I keep moving, I might be able to avoid him until it’s time to leave. I don’t know how long I have to be at the gala for, but I doubt Jovan will make me stay until it ends.
“There you are,” Carlos says, stepping in front of me and stopping me in my tracks. “I haven’t seen you since your parents’ house burned down. Funny how that works, isn’t it? They overdose. You find them and call me. And then the house goes up in flames before I can get there.”
“Who knows what happened,” I say, giving him a polite smile. I take a sip of champagne to try and calm my nerves. My heart is racing as he chuckles and shakes his head.
“You know, I wouldn’t have thought that you had it in you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” My voice breaks, and I take another sip of my drink.
Don’t let him see your fear.
“If you’re done bothering my date, Carlos, I have a conversation that I need to have with her. I would suggest that you leave the gala. I don’t remember inviting you, and as you know, my events are invitation only.”
Carlos sneers at Jovan, nodding once before heading for the door. I wait until he is gone before drinking the last of my champagne. Jovan gives me a curious look as I shove the glass into his hand before walking away.
I need a minute to myself before I can deal with Jovan again.
“Hadley, wait.”
Ignoring him, I keep walking until I enter the staff room. Something breaks outside the door seconds before Jovan walks in. He stares at me for a moment before turning and locking the door.
“Do you want to tell me what was going on out there?” he asks, taking off his suit jacket and tossing it on one of the couches. “Because that looked like you knew Carlos. He’s not a good man to know.”
“Neither are you,” I say.
The room feels like it’s closing in around me. I take several deep breaths, trying to slow my racing heart.
“Hadley, what’s going on? You look like you’re about to throw up. Do you need to go home?”
“I’m fine.” I look up at him, trying not to lose it. The last person I want to talk about Carlos with is his boss. “I just need a distraction.”
He looks skeptical as he reaches out to grab my hand. “Why don’t you sit down? I can get you a glass of water and then we can talk about whatever it is that’s worrying you like this.”
“I don’t need a glass of water,” I say, my words coming out sharper than I meant them. I run a hand through my loose waves and sigh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be snapping at you when you’re just trying to help. I don’t want to talk about what that was out there.”
“What do you want?” he asks as he sits down on the couch, leaning back against the cushions.
My core clenches at the way he’s looking at me. His gaze travels slowly up and down my body, making it clear that he is taking his time enjoying the view.
Even as wrong for each other as we are, he excites me. He makes me feel wanted.
That’s why I close the distance between us and straddle his lap, the loose skirt falling around his lap. Jovan’s eyebrows raise as I loop my arms over his shoulders. His hands slide beneath the skirt, gripping my hips as his cock hardens beneath me.
He groans as I roll my hips. Jovan’s fingers press into the flesh of my hips, dragging me against him.
