AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Shouldn’t you be meeting and greeting or whatever the fuck this party is for?” my dad questioned as he joined us, though I knew it was because he hated this bullshit just as much as I did.
“Probably,” I answered. “But I had to stop Reed from making a dick of himself hitting on Reece.”
Dad snorted, and Reed rolled his eyes before straightening his back a second later. “Greg Barlowe headed this way,” he warned under his breath, just seconds before the older man appeared in front of us.
“Barlowe,” I greeted, shaking his hand when he held it out to me. “This is my father, Huntsman, and my friend and business partner, Reed Lawson.”
He nodded. “Ah yes, nice to meet you both,” he greeted before turning his attention purely to me. “Now, I hear there was some kind of misunderstanding last week at the investment meeting.”
I almost spat out my drink.
Misunderstanding?
“You mean where your son-in-law called my family thugs and gang members and said that the company didn’t want to be seen supporting criminal trash?” I questioned, refusing to look over at my dad who I knew was telling me to calm the hell down with his narrowed glare. That was one thing about my father. He couldn’t give a flying fuck who talks shit about the club. They’re not there.
They don’t really know.
And yet the disrespect rings in my ears.
Sometimes almost painfully.
Barlowe visibly cringed but quickly shook it off. “I must apologize. My son-in-law can be—”
“Judgmental? Arrogant? Pompous…” Reed rattled, but I quickly cut him off, placing my hand on his shoulder and giving it a tight squeeze.
“Unfortunately, occasionally all of the above,” Barlowe explained with a sigh, almost a sheepish flush of red decorating his cheeks. “I believe you can tell a lot about a person by their choice of partner. My daughter, for example, is spoiled and entitled so she ended up with a jerk like Elton. After I heard the way he spoke to you, I knew it would be better if I came down here to discuss business personally with you.”
I had to give it to him, it takes a lot to admit when you see flaws in the people you love. I instantly had a little more respect for the man. Obviously, he knew better now than to send in that young, pretentious jackass.
“I appreciate that gesture,” I told him. “I’d love to make a time to present you—”
“No need,” he cut in, waving his hand in the air. “Like I said, you can tell a lot about a man by who they choose as a partner. And after chatting with your fiancée, it’s clear to me you’ve chosen a beautiful, respectful, and poised young woman who’s also incredibly driven and focused on her ambitions for the future, and that gives me a lot of confidence in you, young man.”
I knew Barlowe was old, but I didn’t think he was senile too. “You’ve been talking to my fiancée?” I questioned, pronouncing each word slowly so I was sure we were both talking about the same thing. On the same page.
Though when he narrowed his eyes at me, I knew he was wondering whether I was the crazy one. “Yes,” he answered slowly, nodding to a corner of the room I’d had yet to wander to where there was another bar and a single woman perched on the edge of a barstool beside it, a wine glass in her hand. A woman I recognized instantly because there was no fucking mistaking the way my body reacted when I took her in. “I’ve been chatting with your fiancée for the past twenty minutes, and I’d just like to say congratulations on finding such an elegant young woman to have by your side. Maybe I’m a little old-fashioned, but it really does say a lot about your judgment and character, and I’m hoping that while I’m here in Vegas this week, I can stop by and sign the paperwork for that investment opportunity and maybe we can even talk about future ventures.”
I dragged my eyes away from Cassie and the stunning floor-length red dress she had on just long enough to shake Barlowe’s hand. “Yes, get in touch with my office, we’ll make time,” I assured him, but I was already moving away, the pull toward this fucking woman too strong. “Excuse me a moment.”
I left Reed’s amused laughter behind me as I made my way across the busy foyer, completely ignoring the handful of people who tried to offer me some form of congratulations regarding the apartments or pull me aside to discuss business. Nothing was stopping me at that moment, momentum carrying me to the small bar on the other side of the room and pausing just a couple of feet behind her while she laughed softly with the young girl mixing drinks. The crimson-red dress she wore was high at the front, covering her chest completely and with at least three inches of fabric wrapped up and around her neck like a choker.
The back of the dress was completely open and bare down to a gentle V just above the curve of her ass. The garment was tight and fitted in all the important places, but the bottom was floaty and free. Her long brown hair was curled just gently and fell over one shoulder, hiding her face from me.
I couldn’t have that.
I stepped in closer, placing my hands on the bar on either side of her and pinning her in.
The girl behind the bar was quick to make an exit the second I flicked my head, taking the entire cocktail shaker with her and a handful of alcohol bottles before slipping away. “You know this party is invite-only?” I murmured in amusement, leaning in close. “Didn’t know they were letting just anyone in.”
She sat a little taller as she sucked in a long, deep breath which, if I didn’t know better, seemed like it was for courage. Only, I had no idea why the hell she’d need it. Cassie turned slowly, leaving her drink on the bar, her red lipstick printed perfectly on the rim as she came to face me.
And there was the smile.
The one you couldn’t help but look at and feel like your day just got ten times fucking better because of it. It was just too real, too damn genuine to feel anything other than pure joy pulsing from it.
The bruising around her eye and cheek bone was covered perfectly like you wouldn’t even know it was there. A quick scan over her arms revealed much the same—deceptively perfect skin, not a mark or bruise in sight. It was like magic, but more likely just a lot of makeup.
“Just anyone?” she teased with a soft laugh. “According to the world, I’m your future wife. One of the bus boys even called me Mrs. Shaw.”
