“I don’t know…” I frown at my feet. “I might be busy.”

Ezra says nothing while I stare at my shoes like a coward, and when I finally chance a glance back up at him, I notice his expression is teeming with disappointment.

“Right,” he says. “Well. If you change your mind…I’ll make sure you’re on the list.”

We’re standing still again, space between us that feels wide and yet too close, and I struggle for words, any words, that might cut the tension. But they never come.

“Anyway,” Ezra says finally, beating me to the punch. “I have a meeting. I’ll text you the details, yeah?”

“I didn’t say I would come,” I argue feebly.

Ezra’s grin is warm and bright, and I feel it lighting up parts of me that have long been in the shadows, leaving me feeling exposed. “I’m learning that it’s the things you don’t say that I should be paying attention to, Dani. That’s usually where your real feelings are.”

My mouth gapes at his back as he casually turns to walk away, and I can’t help but feel that for all the ground I gained in the courtroom today, I just lost a much larger battle outside of it.

The strangest part is how little I seem to mind.

OceanofPDF.com

Eighteen

“Are you sure we were invited?”

I catch Nate gaping at the crystal chandelier and open my mouth to answer, but Vera is one step ahead of me. “Technically, you weren’t. You invited yourself.”

“As if you didn’t want me here,” Nate huffs. “We’re a threesome.”

“Don’t call us a threesome,” I groan.

His brows knit. “A posse?”

“Not better,” Vera sighs. “Also, inaccurate.”

“I don’t even know why I’m here,” I hiss, linking my arm with Vera’s to keep her close as we weave through a sea of crisp suits and idle chatter. “I must be insane.”

“Pfft. We all know why you’re here,” Nate snorts. “And his name is—”

“If you like your balls,” I warn, “I wouldn’t finish that sentence.”

“Testy,” Nate tuts. He whips his head around, searching the area. “Isn’t there supposed to be an open bar at these things?”

“I hope so,” I mutter.

Nate tugs on Vera’s other arm. “Let’s go get our baby bird some liquid courage.”

Vera arches her eyebrow. “Why do I have to go?”

“I only have two hands,” Nate points out. “I can’t carry everything.”

She narrows her eyes suspiciously, but eventually unwinds her arm from mine before giving me a look. “Stay here. We’ll be right back.”

I watch them go, Nate already teasing Vera about something that’s making her scowl. Her midnight-blue dress complements his navy suit perfectly, almost like they planned it, but I know if I were to point that out, they’d both kick me, most likely. Well, Vera would.

Stay here, I scoff internally. As if I know anyone here. It seems all of Alexander Hart’s guests are over sixty, and none of them look nearly as friendly as my parents’ work friends. Most of them look like they haven’t smiled in years. It’s daunting, and it makes me wonder again why I came.

When Ezra texted me details about the party as promised, my immediate urge was to blow it off, to assert again that I wouldn’t be attending. But something about his expression when he’d told me about it, the almost eager tone of his messages when he asked…I couldn’t seem to find it in me to say no to him. Which is nothing new, if I’m being honest. I’m just having a harder time pretending the urges aren’t there now.

“Champagne?”

A pretty brunette in a vest and tie offers me a flute and a smile. I take one gingerly, returning her smile with a nod. “Thanks.”

“Of course,” she says back before continuing through the crowd.

I take a sip as I scan the groups of people littered about the wide ballroom, looking for signs of Nate and Vera. Knowing them, they’re probably arguing at the bar over what to bring me. I’m not looking for golden-brown hair or a teasing grin, that’s for sure.

Seriously, what am I doing here?

“Ah, Ms. Pierce,” a dry voice says behind me.

I bristle as I turn, recognizing it. “Mr. Hart.”

Alexander Hart looks the same as I last saw him—completely put together and just as cold. “I wasn’t aware you were coming tonight.”

“Neither was I,” I answer coolly. “My invitation was last minute.”

His grin isn’t at all friendly, and I don’t like the way his gaze travels down the length of my clingy, red dress. “Well, the more the merrier, I say. Anything for charity, am I right?”

“For charity,” I echo. “Right.”

“I assume Ezra invited you?”

“He did.”

His eyes are calculating, and I keep my expression carefully blank.

“I hear you have been doing well representing dear Bianca,” he remarks, bringing his own glass to his lips, his blue eyes still on me. “But you have always given Ezra a run for his money, haven’t you.”

“I try,” I answer tightly.

“He must really…respect you,” Alexander says with that same unkind smile. “It is rare for him to invite friends to these functions.”

“I don’t know if I would call us friends.”

“Oh?” Alexander leans in closer, enough that I can smell his too-strong cologne. “What would you call yourselves then?”

“Dani.”

I take a step back from Alexander to put distance between us, finding a very irritated-looking Ezra standing beside us. “Ezra.”

He’s gorgeous in his tailored black suit, his golden skin and hair seeming richer against the dark color. Even angry, his green eyes are hard to look away from. It’s why I’ve always done my best not to look too deeply. I’ve always been afraid I might get lost there.

“I was just complimenting your…friend on her efforts with the Casiraghi case,” Alexander explains. “Ah.” He flashes me that creepy smile again. “But you said you are not friends, correct?”

“Senator Wilson is looking for you,” Ezra tells his father evenly.

Alexander nods before winking at me, and I have to fight back the urge to shudder. “Duty calls, I suppose. It was good to see you, Ms. Pierce.” He levels a stare at Ezra, clapping him on the shoulder. “Come say hi. The senator and his wife are big supporters.”

“Sure,” Ezra mutters sullenly.

I wait until he’s gone to speak. “I know he’s your dad, but that guy gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah.” Ezra’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “I didn’t think you were coming.”

“Neither did I,” I tell him honestly.

Like his father’s, Ezra’s eyes sweep down the length of me, but this time, it fills me with heat instead of the chilled sensation Alexander left. “You look…” He pauses, working through a swallow, and I feel goose bumps creeping across my skin as he takes in my red silk dress. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks,” I say quietly. I clear my throat, looking past him at the room we’re standing in. “This place is…something.”

“Alexander has never been one for subtlety,” Ezra tells me.

I nod. “I can see that.”

“I’m really glad you came,” he says in a low tone that’s meant just for me. “I have to go talk to them, but…stay? I’ll find you in a bit.”

The old Dani would argue with him, would be bristling at him telling me what to do, even posed slightly like a question, but this Dani…she’s nodding. Subtly, but still.

“Okay.”

This time his smile feels more real, and it surprises me how much I enjoy seeing it.

“Good.” He reaches to gently brush his fingers over my elbow, and even this slight touch is enough to fill my stomach with butterflies. “I’m glad you’re here.”