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If I avoided every past or failed arrangement in Los Angeles, I’d be missing out on a sizable chunk of the city, particularly the good parts with all the restaurants I like. I won’t start doing it now.
“And there’s Freddy.” I covertly gesture with my champagne to the short white man in cargo shorts and a colorful button-up who joins Harris in conversation. The two men walk towards the back staircase that leads to the second floor.
“That’s him?” Titan frowns. “I imagined somethingdifferent.”
“It’s a power play kind of thing. He doesn’t have to impress anyone, his power and money already do that, so he doesn’t have to dress up. But…” I gesture around to the rest of the room. “Everyone else does.”
“Fine. Then let’s get this part over with so I can look for the Keystone.” Titan starts moving through the crowd towards Freddy, but I quickly wrap my hand around his bicep. I have to tug hard, but he stops.
“What are you doing?” My eyes are wide and filled with panic. “I know the Pull has you feeling things intensely, but you can’t go over there like that—not all hopped up like this.”
I watch as Titan consciously slows his breathing, his eyes locked on the back of Freddy’s head as he talks with Harris at the base of the stairs, surveying the party.
“It’s up there.”
“What?”
“The Keystone is up there. I can feel it.”
“Just like that, you know.”
“Yes.” He finally looks at me, then to where we were standing with the hors d’oeuvres. “That must be why I felt it so strongly over there. It was right above where I was standing.”
There is something that scares me about Titan’s intensity around the Pull. In the short time I’ve been in his presence, I’ve never been worried that he might hurt me in his pursuit of it, but I realize he might hurt a lot of other people to get it.
“Okay, just slow down. If you go in there hot, there is no way he’s going to invite you to the unveiling.” I eye him up and down, not trusting what he might do next. “I’ll go in and charm him first. You can just play the mysterious billionaire, and he’ll invite you without asking.”
Throwing my shoulders back and breasts forward, I stand taller in my heels. After a day of Titan making me feel off-kilter, I welcome back the certainty of the seductress. I search out Freddy, and he is thankfully standing alone at the base of the stairs. Where Harris has gone, I don’t know, and as long as it isn’t nearby, I don’t care.
“Let me soften him up, then come over in a couple minutes and I’ll introduce you. This is why you are paying me.”
Titan arches an eyebrow in my direction.
“Do you doubt my skills?” I purr, cocking my head to one side as I look at him from under my lashes.
“Never.” His laugh is strained, but I can see the pride on his face.
When I head Freddy’s way, I add an extra sway to my hips.
I grab a full glass of champagne as I cross the room, drinking half of it down to prevent spillage. As I near my target, I turn my back to him and join in a conversation with two guests. I don’t know what they’re saying, and they give me strange looks as I laugh along.
Doesn’t matter. I’m not here for them. I take a step back and, just like I want, collide into Freddy’s shoulder.
“Oh my goodness.” I whirl, free hand splayed out, a look of pretty panic on my face. “Did I get you? I’m so sorry.”
I bend at the waist, checking the floor for nonexistent champagne and displaying my deep cleavage to its best advantage.
“No, no.” Freddy holds his arms out, looking for a wet spot, and of course finds nothing. As he looks up, I feel his eyes on my chest. “Who are you?”
The question is a brusque one, but his tone is all interest.
“Jules,” I finally answer, after having smoothed my hand over every curve of my body. I subtly flip my hair over my shoulder as I look up at him and give him a shy half smile. “Really, I’m so sorry. Clearly too much champagne for me.”
“No such thing.” He looks me up and down.
“You know”—I smile—“I couldn’t agree more.”
He grins along with me, clinking his glass with mine, before we both take long sips of the alcohol.
