Page 16 of Sweet Surrender

Light danced in her blue eyes before she nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.” I was being hustled, plain and simple, something I had to live with as we walked side-by-side across the lobby, following the flow of traffic into the ballroom.

I didn’t have time to stop before bumping against the arm, which Sienna threw out to the side to halt my progress. “Photographers. Give them your prettiest smile, now,” she murmured while I did exactly that. Evidently, it wasn’t enough because she added, “Try to make it look like you’re not on your way to the guillotine. Try to think of something that makes you smile for real.”

Of all times for my pink-haired mystery woman to come to mind. Fuck, she was good, so good I had jerked off to the memory more than once in the days since our encounter. It had been so gratifying, knowing she was nervous and apprehensive, but breaking down her walls just the same. It was the sort of rush nothing else could deliver. There wasn’t a deal in existence that had ever or could ever bring me that level of satisfaction.

“I would ask what you were thinking about just then…” Sienna whispered once the photographer moved on. “But I’m afraid of what I would hear.”

“It’s nothing for your innocent ears,” I confirmed, but I couldn’t pretend not to notice her scowl as we stepped into the busy ballroom. “Smile, or people might think you don’t love your job.”

Because if she acted like a raging bitch with a stick wedged up her ass, I could make her regret it.

“Is that Noah Goldsmith?” I turned to the sound of my name being called and groaned softly when I recognized Mabel Curtis, who was roughly a hundred years old and wore enough cloying perfume that my head spun. “I thought that was you! You look so much like your father, Ari, it’s difficult to tell you apart.”

She was a longtime, faithful Farrah Goldsmith client, and as such, I had a responsibility to be friendly even as my nostrils burned. Why did old women always have to wear the same perfume? And why did they bathe in it?

She shook her head and clicked her tongue before continuing her monologue. “I was so sorry to hear about all this mess in the press. Trust me, nobody believes it.”

I had heard some lies in my life, but this had to take the cake. “I appreciate your support,” I managed to murmur through clenched teeth. “Forgive my manners. Do you know Sienna Black?”

Thank fuck. She turned to Sienna, smiling wide enough to show off the lipstick on her teeth. “Of course! Sienna’s mother decorated my Sag Harbor house.”

I left the two of them to chat pleasantly for a few moments, scanning the ballroom over the top of their heads. What a surprise, the number of people whose gaze darted away from mine as soon as I looked their way. Hypocrites, every last one of them.

Once Sienna was free, I leaned down to mutter in her ear. “How many of the men in this room have paid off a nanny after fucking her during naptime?”

“That’s none of our business,” she reminded me in a light, almost playful tone, looking around before wiggling her fingers in a wave to a passing couple. “And that’s not what we’re here for.”

“Fucking hypocrites need to look in a mirror,” I muttered. My tie was too tight, cutting off my air, and I hooked a finger beneath my collar in a vain attempt at finding a little comfort.

“Would you stop fidgeting?” she snapped in a whisper, handing me a glass of champagne as we wound through the clusters of people dotting the spacious room. “You are the generous benefactor tonight, remember? We don’t need any photos of you scowling like a toddler who missed naptime. Now, let’s check out the silent auction.” Tucking her hand inside my elbow, she tugged gently in the direction of an elaborate display set up on the far side of the room.

“What, I haven’t given them enough money tonight?” It still stuck in my craw, the fact that she hadn’t thought to check in with me before making a pledge like that. Was it not bad enough I was watching my life slip away, losing a little more control all the time?

“Look who it is.” Before we could reach the auction tables, a familiar and unwelcome presence made itself known in the form of Drake Thomas, who sauntered our way, holding a glass of champagne and wearing a shit-eating grin that could only mean one thing. He was looking to start something. “I hate to tell you, but I already took a look at what was up for auction. There are no Get Out of Jail Free cards available. But then, you’re not in jail, are you? Not literally.”

“Sorry,” I countered, accepting his handshake even as my skin crawled at having to make contact with the snake who’d gone out of his way to undermine me for years. Jealous that I’d built a business twice as large in half the time it took him to build Thomas Properties. I was younger and smarter, and it killed him. “Maybe I’m not too quick on the uptake this evening. Was that supposed to be a joke?”

He nodded slowly. “Understandable. With everything you’re going through right now, you must be beside yourself. Your thoughts have to be racing in a million different directions. Truly, I was sorry to read all those ugly allegations last week. It must have come as a real shock.”

For all I knew, this bastard had been the one to set the match to the fuse and blow the whole thing up. “Oh, you know how it is,” I replied with an easy shrug. “There are so many jealous, petty people out there, willing to say and do anything to undermine the competition when they know they don’t have a prayer of beating them honestly.”

“How are you?” Sienna asked in an overly bright voice, sliding her body between his and mine. “It’s nice to see you here. What do you think? Is it worth me putting a bid down on anything over there?” She jerked her chin in the direction of the table, where countless guests laughed and joked about who would come out on top when it came time to announce the winning bids. Because to them, this was all fun. A game. Their futures weren’t in jeopardy, no matter how much worse their sins were than mine.

Fuck, how I hated them for it.

But not as much as I hated how Drake looked Sienna up and down. The prick barely managed not to lick his thin lips. “Tell me you’re not here with Noah Goldsmith,” he said with a groan before chuckling like we were all friends. “I could show you a much better time.”

If he thought that would get under my skin, he was wasting his time. That didn’t stop me from placing a hand on her waist and stepping up a little closer. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re trying to poach my date. There I was, thinking you only poached other people’s clients.”

“I don’t need to do any poaching,” he muttered while his gaze went steely. “There’s plenty of them lying around, just waiting to be snapped up. As it turns out, people don’t like doing business with shady characters. They would much rather go with somebody they know they can trust.”

“And as long as you can fool them into trusting you, you may as well take advantage,” I agreed.

“It was very nice to see you.” Sienna closed her hand over mine, squeezing hard enough to grind my bones before she pulled me along with her, away from him. We weren’t able to move ten feet before being stopped again.

“Oh, Noah!” I vaguely recognized the old man who placed himself in our path. “The man of the hour! We would love it if you would say a few words.” Right. Chairman of the foundation and a general pain in the ass who loved to hear himself speak. I couldn’t remember his name, but who gave a shit when I was a deer caught in headlights?

“A few words.” My brain threatened to shut down thanks to overwhelm. I felt Drake’s eyes bore holes into the back of my head while the old man smiled expectantly at me.

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