Page 38 of Stay Toxic

I remember his answer.

“I don’t think we’re at that level of acquaintance yet, Hestia. Let’s just say I’m considering suing my father over it.”

I want to scream. I want to break something. But I’m in a middle of an introduction to a perfectly lovely woman who compliments my hair and my dress and loves her necklace around my neck, so instead, I pretend to be a civilized human.

“Ah, here’s my husband. Darling, you must meet Tia,” she says to the man joining her, staring at her like there’s nothing else in the entire world.

He’s…hot. Which is disturbing. Men in their late forties or early fifties aren’t supposed to be this panty-melting. But it would make sense that he would be with someone as perfect as Marcella.

“Tia, was it?” The tall, dark and dangerous man offers me his hand. “Eriks Goltz.”

I shake it, my palm feeling a little too clammy as his cold eyes take me in. For the first time in my life, I do the opposite of my usual move, and give him my full name. “Hestia.”

“Ah.” He glances between his wife’s nephew and me. “Well, you’ll fit right in with the Kellers, then,” he teases, his tone conspiratorial.

“Speaking of, have you seen Mom and Dad? They haven’t met Tia yet, and I figured I should get the introductions out of the way before the auction.”

I would wonder about the auction thing if I wasn’t still shocked by the fact that he’s fucking Aurelius.

“I saw Augustus and Mina by the champagne fountain, which is exactly where you should be, young man. Your lady doesn’t have a drink.”

“Yes, sir,” Sebastian—excuse me,Aurelius—retorts with a mock salute that doesn’t entirely feel inappropriate.

He leads me across the marble floor and the moment we’re out of hearing range, I hiss, “You’reAurelius.”

“Of course I’m Aurelius,” he retorts easily, with an amused smirk and a roll of his eyes, like it’s the most logical thing in the fucking world.

I stomp on his foot.

Discreetly.

“I would have thought it was bloody obvious, pervert. You certainly were.”

I try to get his foot again, but he moves it out of the way smoothly. “Behave.”

“You…” I flush, remembering our conversation from today.

Oh, god.

He knows. He knows I fucking likehim.

I want to hide. I want the earth to open up in two and swallow me whole. Dropping dead would be a personal favor.

“Well, it wasn’t obvious,” I manage to grumble, suddenly fascinated by my cuticles.

“My cousins all have pretentious Greco-Roman names, and I’m one of the only people you’ve been hanging out with since arriving here. Who else could have recognized you from a few messages?” He shrugs. “Plus, if you were that curious, you could have asked. I literally gave you my name. A very distinctive one. Anyone would have told you it was me.”

Yeah, well…I didn’t want to ask.

“Just like you could have asked me if I was seeing Ari, I suppose. I’m not, by the way. Seeing here, that is.”

Oh, god. He’s going there. By chance, we’ve reached the champagne, and there’s a blond man, almost as handsome as Mr. Goltz, but withAurelius’sbright blue eyes, and his eyes, and his general built. He stands next to a petite brunette whose hair is streaked with pink, to my surprise.

I honestly have never seen a woman in her forties with hair colored anything but a natural shade at galas like these. With a glance across the room, I note that this crowd isn’t the conservative type Mother would have invited. There are more colors, in every way: skin, hair, dresses, and also considerably more laughter and smiles that feel genuine, warm.

These people like each other and want to be here.

“Mom, Dad, this will be my girlfriend when she stops running. She goes by Tia, because her parents are as inconsiderate as you.”