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A server paused before me and offered me a glass of champagne. After tipping my head in thanks and taking a flute, I scanned the room.
Not far from me stood Simon and Nyx Drakos. Surrounding them were the Mykoses, Nyx’s four brothers, and her parents. From the information Andraius had told me to learn, Nyx was the first female born into the Mykos family in over a hundred years, and her marriage to Simon fulfilled some contract negotiated for the previous female in the family.
In my opinion, it was all bullshit. No arranged marriage resulted in the type of affection Simon Drakos showed for his wife. The man had a reputation as an emotionless, cold-blooded killer. Their story went deeper than her giving their marriage a chance, no matter what Andraius wanted to believe.
Simon glanced down at Nyx as she spoke to one of her brothers, and his deep green eyes lit up right before he lifted a finger and traced down the side of Nyx’s cheek.
That simple, intimate gesture sent a wave of sadness into the pit of my stomach. I’d had that long ago with someone. Actually, with two someones. As unconventional as we were, it worked for us.
Then it all imploded, and I’d buried it under a mountain of lies and secrets.
It had taken me the first year of my marriage to feel as if I wasn’t cheating on them, to accept I’d had no choice, to understand staying alive meant others stayed alive.
“Nerine, it’s so good to see you,” Nyx exclaimed as she approached me.
She moved toward me in a way only a woman with complete confidence in who she was could pull off. She owned her sexuality. She wore her dark black hair in a one-shouldered style piled to the side, and her long ivory gown accentuated the golden hue of her skin perfectly. She had an ethereal glow about her that made you pause to look.
Then there was her husband, who approached along with her. To say Simon was gorgeous was an understatement. He epitomized the bad boy vibe but in a very tailored way. However, it was his green, almost emerald-colored eyes that made a person stop to study him. Like a snake, he could mesmerize until one was under his enchantment.
They were a power couple at their finest.
No wonder Andraius wanted me to get in good with Nyx.
I wanted to be like her, but I’d run across hot coals before admitting that to my husband.
And no matter how much Andraius wished it, he wasn’t even anywhere in the same vicinity as Simon. He’d never achieve the power, respect, or magnetism that Simon held without trying.
“Thank you for inviting us,” I said to Nyx, then smiled in Simon’s direction. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Hello, Nerine.” He took my hand and kissed it, which garnered a shake of the head and an eye roll from Nyx.
That definitely wasn’t proper behavior and broke a ton of etiquette rules.
For some reason, that one gesture had me relaxing. She wasn’t the prim-and-proper wife Andraius made her out to be.
Releasing my fingers, Simon searched behind me. “Where is Angelos?”
“He’s probably discussing business with your uncles.” I gestured with my chin to a circle of men deep in conversation.
“Too bad they have no sway over you when it comes to decisions,” Nyx muttered, or I could have sworn she had.
But her utterly impassive expression made me think I’d possibly misheard her words.
Then a smirk appeared on Nyx’s face, and she tucked her arm in mine as if we were long-lost friends. “I’ve arranged for you to sit with me at dinner. I believe we have a lot of things in common.”
I highly doubted that, but okay.
“Wouldn’t you rather sit with your family?”
“Believe me,” Simon interjected from behind us. “You are far better company than any of her brothers.”
Nyx shot him a glare over her shoulder. “I see them all the time. Plus, I fly back to New York every week.”
We moved toward a long hallway decorated to give the feel of walking through a garden.
“I have a question to ask you,” Nyx said.
“Go ahead.”
