Page 66 of The Bargain

I extended my elbow to her. “Now is the time to make my insufferable speech. Would you be my date for the evening?”

She blushed again but took my arm. “Yes, I would.”

I took her to the front of the stage, where I made the expected speech about the pride I had in my heritage, the success we’d already had, and the many successes to come. When my eyes traveled around the audience, they always ended back on her. Pride filled her eyes as she rested her hands on her chest. She was looking at me as if I mattered and that ignited a little warmth in my cold heart. As I continued the speech, I met my sister's all-knowing eyes, which were full of mirth. She expected me to unravel, to come undone, but I wouldn’t do it, not for her, not for anyone.

After thanking everyone that mattered, I gestured for the DJ to start the music. My part was done for the evening; now I could relax a bit and try to enjoy a party that cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“Would you care to dance?" I asked Opal as couples started to move onto the dance floor.

“I’m not the best or most confident dancer,” she conceded, even as she followed me onto the dance floor.

"Don't worry, Ms. Collins. I'm great at leading. You just need to yield," I whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

We both knew how much she enjoyed submitting to me.

As we started to dance, I rested my hand a bit lower than was required, so my fingertips brushed the curve of her shapely ass. I also pulled her closer to me than necessary, enjoying how her body reacted to mine even when she didn't want it to.

I leaned down, almost against my will, and brushed my nose against her silky hair.

At the sound of a familiar voice, I looked up and tensed. Helle was here and making her way through the sea of people.

What the fuck was she doing here in a golden evening dress, her pale blonde hair in an integrated hairdo as if she was supposed to be here?

“Dean, what are you doing with her?” she barked, stopping beside us.

“Helle,” I warned softly. “What are you doing here?”

She turned toward Opal. “You must be the whore? Opal, isn’t it? I’m Helle, Dean’s girlfriend.”

It was official; the woman had lost her damn mind.

I tried to grip Opal’s hip, to lock her by my side, but she took a step back. “Opal belongs here. She’s wanted here. You’re not. Leave. Now”

Helle laughed. “You can’t be serious?”

She looked at Opal with her mouth tipped down in disgust before turning toward me again. “Come on, darling. You called her a useless meat sack - barely a step up from a blowup doll You don't seriously want to spend time with her.”

I saw Opal flinch and even though I'd said those words, I wanted to kill Helle for repeating them.

I grabbed Helle’s arm and turned toward Opal. “Would you excuse me?”

She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself in self-comfort; she was retreating again. I just hoped I could fix it - again.

Pulling Helle out of the room as discreetly as I could, I led her down the corridor and pulled her into the small service room that served as a security post for the night.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?” I barked, letting go of her arm.

She turned around, wincing as she rubbed at her arm, but I didn't care. If she had been a man, I would have punched her unconscious.

“I came to ask you to reconsider, Dean, darling. We’re so good together,” she purred, taking a step toward me.

I took a step back. “Please, you're no better or worse than any of the models I'd fucked before you and will fuck in the future.” I sneered. “We’re done. We were done before we'd even started. You were always temporary, and that pussy of yours is not that special.”

I turned to the guard in the room, who was doing his best to look at the screens and ignore the little scene happening right behind him.

“How the fuck did she make it in?” I barked at him, ignoring her huff of indignation.

“Sir, I- I’m not sure.” He was all flustered, not great for security. “She was let in the front gate. I-”

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