Page 3 of Fast-Track Fiancé

‘I thought the sapphires would bring out my big, beautiful eyes,’ Tristan gritted.

‘Bring out your massive ego more like,’ Victor teased, but the once easy joking between them was no more, and so the barb only rubbed.

Tristan resisted the urge to growl, taking a sip of champagne. ‘How could anyone have an ego with you two always nearby, primed to kick them back to earth?’

Victor opened his mouth as if to retaliate, only for the tension to be broken by the return of one of Tristan’s dates, who insisted upon hand-feeding him a chocolate-covered strawberry. A second date appeared toting a fresh flute of champagne, both women leaning in to drape themselves across his arms.

‘Good to see you’re not too heartbroken, anyway.’ Gabriela let out a delicate sniff of disbelief.

‘Amazing what inheriting control over a multibillion-dollar corporation will do for one’s sex appeal.’

‘Charming as always, Tristan.’ Victor frowned repressively. ‘I had thought recent events might have made you more serious.’

‘Which events are you referring to, primo?’ Tristan said darkly, his body tensing at the disapproving tone of his cousin’s voice. ‘The fact that my mother chose me as her replacement on the board...or the fact that I had to take that seat under a cloud of scandal caused by you?’

The air between them seemed to crackle with a sudden intensity. Victor was only a couple of months older than him, hardly the voice of wisdom. They had been more than family. Tristan had once counted him his closest friend. But at some point in the past year, Victor had grown increasingly distant towards him. And a large part of the reason for that distance currently stood between them with a shiny diamond ring on her finger and her hand delicately cradling her stomach. Her very obviously rounded stomach.

‘I see congratulations are in order,’ he said, pasting on a serene smile even as his gut roiled.

‘I thought Victor had already told you.’ Gabriela breathed the incredulous words, which seemed surprisingly genuine, while Victor simply gritted his jaw and brooded.

‘How could I have told him when he avoids me at all costs?’

‘Well, now I know.’ Tristan shrugged, downing the remainder of his champagne. ‘I see a large diamond ring as well, so it seems my cousin was an easier man to pressure than me. Bravo.’

Gabriela inhaled a sharp breath, painted lips parting in a mixture of shock and anger. Tristan felt another uncomfortable twist in his gut as he watched Victor lean down to his fiancée, touching a hand possessively to his unborn child as he whispered something into her ear. With a final sharp look in his direction, she turned and walked away. Disappointingly, Victor did not follow.

‘This is neither the time nor the place for our personal issues.’ Victor muttered angrily. ‘This exhibit honours our family’s legacy and you show up in typical playboy style with an orgy of partners.’

‘I will not apologise for the fact that I am in high demand,’ Tristan felt his mouth tighten with a cruel smile. ‘Since you so selfishly took yourself off the market, my workload has doubled.’

His cousin shook his head, eyes narrowing. ‘Your mother told me what you promised her, along with taking the helm.’

‘That’s my business.’

‘So it’s true?’ Victor’s brows rose. ‘You’re finally going to settle down with a wife and family?’

‘I’m going to give my mother the grand wedding she craves, with the perfect bride.’ Tristan tugged at his collar, feeling it tighten around his neck like a noose. He inhaled and pasted on his most rake-like smirk. ‘I never promised anything about settling down.’

‘You’ve already found the lucky lady in question?’

‘You seem very interested in my love life, cousin; have you already tired of the last fiancée you stole from me?’

There was no trace of mirth in Victor’s eyes as he stepped forward, closing the small space between them. ‘You weren’t engaged. I’ve tried to explain countless times. Gabi and I never set out to hurt you.’

For a brief moment, he imagined the satisfaction he would get from punching his cousin squarely in the jaw. But ultimately he decided that the sight of Victor clutching at his own broken nose, while highly deserved and overdue, would not be worth the ruination of his pristine white tux.

‘As I’ve said, I’m over it,’ Tristan snapped, pulling his arm away. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a fiancée to track down.’

He walked away, leaving his cousin stuttering with outrage while he moved along the lavish gallery under the pretence of greeting the other guests, but, really, he was hunting. His skin vibrated with awareness as he scanned the crowd gathered around the cases of priceless jewels, his steps slow and measured. A shimmering cloud of blue caught his attention like a moonbeam in the darkness and he looked up, catching sight of her in the reflection of the glass case in front of him. He looked over his shoulder, just in time to see her slide sideways behind a mannequin.

Interesting.

Testing his theory, he moved along the crowd to another case, and sure enough a shimmer of blue followed a few moments later, partially obscured by a large wall of diamond-encrusted flowers. Curiosity burning now, he continued to amble slowly along the crowded floor, calmly waving off the calls of attention from various business contacts. A few moments were all he would need to ascertain who she was and assuage this fixation. Then he could return to the event clear-minded and hopefully with a plan in place for his mystery lady later tonight.

His pulse quickening, he made sure she still tailed him as he made a series of turns until he reached an empty hallway. There, he slipped through a balcony door...and waited.

CHAPTER TWO

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