Page 6 of Priceless

“I’ve never seen her before.”

That was the goddamn truth, because if I’d ever seen her before, I would have remembered. One look and she was seared on my brain.

Cameron whistled softly through his teeth. “Given the meeting earlier today, I know we’re not exactly looking, but…”

He didn’t need to finish the sentence. One look at Everett’s face told me he agreed. She held a glass of champagne in her hand and looked out the windows, barely moving. Not engaging.

For a brief moment, it looked like there was pain on her face, but she sighed and sipped her drink, still looking out at the coast.

“Hell of a time to find someone that attractive,” Everett said, subtly adjusting himself. Thankfully on the balcony there was no one close enough to see.

“There you are.” Frank held up a fat-bottomed bottle by the neck and grinned in victory. “Cognac. Thought you might appreciate it.”

I smiled politely. “We certainly do.”

The butler that had followed him had a tray with four small glasses and held it still as Frank cracked the bottle open and began to pour. “I’ve been meaning to put a meeting with the three of you on the books,” he said.

“Oh?” Everett accepted the glass and raised a single eyebrow. “Why?”

Despite doing business with Frank, we rarely met with him.

“The Firefly deal. I wanted to get a head start on arrangements for afterward. It seems like it could be beneficial for all of us.”

I narrowed my eyes. The deal wasn’t public yet. And everyone involved had signed agreements not to say shit until the ink was dry. If he knew, we needed to tighten our ship. It also made me wonder in what context he heard the news.

Everett’s face looked sharp and dangerous. “How do you know about that?”

Frank smirked. “I have my ways. But you know, never kiss and tell.”

“Hmm,” was all I said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Everett pull out his phone and send a quick text. Good. He was putting our team on exactly how this had leaked and why. Because if this had anything to do with the board forcing our hand, it could be to our advantage.

“What do you think?”

He meant the liquor. It was good, but I’d had better. I smiled. “Excellent, thank you. I hope the fundraising is going well?”

Frank blinked for a moment. “For the foundation. Yes, of course. Well, as you know, this event is the highlight of our year in that regard.”

Someone raised a hand on the main floor and caught his eye. “I’m so sorry. It looks like I’m needed downstairs. Please enjoy.”

“We will.” Cam lifted the small glass and drained it before Frank walked away. He put it on the tray the waiter held. “We won’t be needing any more of that.”

“Aiden is looking into it,” Everett said. “I don’t want to leave until we know something.”

“I agree.” And in the meantime, there was a beautiful woman in the room I very much wanted to dance with. But when I looked back at where she’d been standing, she was gone.

3

WILD MORNING GLORY

(HEAVENLY TRUMPETS, WHITE WITCH’S HAT)

MEANING: DEAD HOPE EXTINGUISHED HOPES

OCEAN

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