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The limousine slowed behind a line of vehicles as they neared what looked to be an older warehouse, pulling Arabella from her thoughts. When they reached the surprisingly ordinary-looking building located in a low-income neighborhood, their driver was directed toward the underground parking structure by the security detail surrounding the place.
“Jesus,” Gavin said, the one word dripping with disgust and ridicule. “Just look at this place.”
His crass, obnoxious tone piqued Arabella’s irritation and she narrowed her gaze his way. She couldn’t deny that she’d conjured images of arriving at an opulent mansion outside the city limits for tonight’s festivities, but she wasn’t about to make any judgments until she arrived at the ball. From pictures she’d seen of past events, the interior of wherever the event was held was always lavish and extravagant.
“No need to be rude,” she snapped at him, hating his sanctimonious attitude. “In case you didn’t notice, the nearby neighborhoods we drove by are clearly being rehabilitated and modernized to revitalize this district.”
The corners of Gavin’s mouth curled into a patronizing smile. “You’ve always seen the world through rose-colored glasses, Ari. Trust me, no matter what renovations take place, this part of the city has been and always will be unworthy of the more elite people of the world.”
“That’s enough, Gavin,” her father said in a surprisingly stern voice in an attempt to smooth things over between them. “How about the two of you put your differences aside and enjoy the evening?”
She gave him a sweet smile. “I plan to, Father.” She wasn’t going to let Gavin taint anything about this special, magical night for her. Which meant ditching him as quickly as an opportunity presented itself.
The limo finally came to a stop, and a valet dressed in a tuxedo opened her passenger door. He held out a hand to help Arabella and her huge, voluptuous dress out of the vehicle, followed by her father and Gavin. A few steps later, they had to verify their credentials with security before they were escorted along the long length of red carpet that led into the building.
Inside, the transformation was immediate and spectacular, causing Arabella to gasp as she took
in the stunning, enchanting decor that had altered what was probably a normal and plain open common area when it wasn’t in use for the yearly charity event. She’d barely begun to appreciate her surroundings when Gavin grabbed her by the elbow, pinching just hard enough to make her wince.
“Pay attention, Arabella,” he said impatiently as he led her toward a group of guests where her father was already conversing with a few of the men. “Your head is always in the clouds and I don’t want us to get separated or you getting lost in this huge crowd of people.”
Was he for real? She rolled her eyes over his idiotic comment. Unfortunately, the mocking gesture was lost on him since he was looking straight ahead. “I’m a grown, twenty-five-year-old woman, Gavin,” she reminded him, twisting her arm just enough that he was forced to let her go, and judging by the clench of his jaw, he didn’t like that act of rebellion. “Not a three-year-old who needs a babysitter. Besides, do you not see the security in this place? Nothing is going to happen to me if I decide to take a look around on my own.”
He gave her a dark stare that was just shy of threatening. “You’re my date,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. “I want you by my side tonight.”
It was an unmistakable order, and his possessive behavior made anger and resentment bubble inside her, which was not how she intended to spend this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime kind of night. Since they were surrounded by a dozen other guests, she tamped down her temper the best she could for now because it was not the time or place to make a scene and set Gavin straight on the fact that he did not dictate to her or the decisions she made.
The men continued talking, clearly all very well acquainted. The women standing next to their husbands or dates were dressed in the most beautiful, extravagant gowns and dripping in glittering jewels. They looked stunning . . . and as bored as Arabella felt listening to business-related discussions.
Not in the mood to stand around and strike up social niceties with the ladies, she made sure that Gavin was engrossed in the male conversation before gradually inching away from him and toward the freedom to explore and experience this evening on her own terms. Eventually, she turned around and blended right into the throng of other guests, a veritable sea of silk and satin and black tuxedos.
Exhilaration swirled inside her as she accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter passing by with a silver tray of flutes. The first sip of the expensive bubbly wine was sweet on her tongue and tickled her throat on the way down. The second drink was just as smooth and decadent.
Without Gavin controlling her every move, she strolled around the ballroom, taking in everything around her with wide-eyed awe. The color scheme was soft pink and cream—from the opulent floral arrangements on the dinner tables and displayed on dozens of pedestals, to the gossamer fabric draping columns and the walls, to the dramatic up-lighting that created an elegant, romantic ambience to the room. She walked through an area that looked and felt like an enchanted forest with real, eight-foot trees wrapped in tulle and twinkling lights, feeling as though she’d entered an enchanted wonderland. Candles floated in a huge marble fountain, and the crystal chandeliers overhead cast stunning prisms of light everywhere.
She passed by a sweeping staircase that led to a second-story balcony that overlooked the ballroom, and she would have explored that upper floor, too, except for the red velvet rope securing the area as off-limits to guests. So, she moved on to the silent auction to peruse the items just for fun and found herself tempted to put a bid on a rare collection of first-edition Jane Austen novels. She took a chance and jotted down an offer that was more than her monthly salary, though she had the amount in her savings to cover the cost if she was lucky enough to win. But as soon as she heard a familiar voice starting to sing around another corner where she’d seen an elaborately decorated stage earlier, she quickly headed in that direction . . . trading in her now empty champagne glass for a full one on the way, excited to see tonight’s entertainment perform live and in person.
Raevynn Walsh was one of the hottest pop stars climbing the charts over the past few years, rivaling Taylor Swift’s kind of success. She wrote her own songs and had the kind of unique and stirring voice that drew in listeners—airy and angelic when she sang ballads and throaty and raw when she belted out her rock tunes. Right now she was singing her current number one hit, “You Don’t Know Me,” while working the stage and entertaining the audience with fast-paced choreographed moves that kept everyone engaged.
She was remarkably gorgeous, with long, wavy blonde hair that fell halfway down her back, and wearing a skintight, black sparkling mini-dress with stiletto heels. When she finished that bold, sexy performance, the lights on the stage dimmed while she disappeared behind a partition with her name emblazoned on it for an outfit change. A wooden swing, decorated in vines and flowers, gradually descended from the ceiling. By the time the prop was all the way down, Raevynn returned, this time wearing a flowing, crystal-studded lilac ball gown that made her look like a regal princess.
She sat down on the swing, and as it began to slowly sway back and forth across the stage, the melody to Arabella’s favorite ballad, “Wishing for You,” began to play. The lights dimmed even more as Raevynn began to sing the heartfelt lyrics, about longing for that one person who could see beyond the facade of her life and love her unconditionally.
Arabella might not know what it was like to be in the public eye all the time like Raevynn, but she understood the desire to find a man who accepted her for who and what she was, without trying to suppress the independent, free-spirited woman she craved to be.
Unfortunately, Arabella knew that as long as Gavin was a part of her life, and her father saw him as the perfect suitor for his daughter, she’d have to fight damn hard for her own wishes, dreams, and happily ever after.
CHAPTER THREE
Maddux stood in the shadows of the private second-story balcony that overlooked the charity ball below, the perfect spot for him to watch Theo’s and Gavin’s every move before deciding it was time to confront the unscrupulous man Maddux had spent the past fourteen years despising.
He’d been aware of the two men since the moment they’d arrived thanks to his security team, who’d immediately alerted him to their presence—along with Theo’s beautiful daughter, Arabella. She’d only taken a few steps into the ballroom when she’d come to a sudden stop, her lips parting and her eyes growing wide in wonder, seemingly mesmerized by the impressive layout and striking, elegant decor that greeted her.
The joyful pleasure that transformed her pretty features riveted Maddux more than it should have, as did the way her champagne-colored dress fitted so precisely to her midsection, much like a corset. The cinched-in fabric started just above her hips and molded to the indentation of her tiny waist that he was certain he’d be able to span very easily with his large hands. The snug bodice pushed up the creamy swells of her small breasts, and the fluttery sleeves of her gown draped gracefully halfway down her slim arms, leaving her shoulders and neckline bare, except for the soft, rich brown curls that fell strategically from the rest of the hair that was knotted loosely at the nape of her neck.
Since he’d employed a private investigator whose sole purpose was to report to him weekly on anything relating to Theodore Cole, which included the other man’s relationship with his daughter, Maddux had been privy to dozens of pictures of Arabella over the years—most from faraway or blurred, zoomed-in shots—but the reality of seeing all that natural beauty up close didn’t compare to those random photos.
He’d also been apprised of her life in general in those weekly reports, and as much as he’d wanted his PI to unearth some kind of deceitful information on Arabella Cole so he could hate her as much as he did her father, it quickly became clear to Maddux that Theo had gone to great lengths to shelter and protect his precious daughter from the harsh realities of what he really did for a living.
