Page 5 of Reckless Games

Lakeyn

“Thisisyourparty?”

I should have guessed.

Unlike the rest of the men here, slightly nervous, not knowing what to expect, the one standing in front of me is completely relaxed. His shoulders are pulled back and something about the wicked dark smile he offers at my question feels ominous.

He nods, not taking his gray eyes off me.

“And you know who I am?”

“I know everyone here.” He tilts his chin down once more, bringing his mouth near my ear as he trails his fingers gently down my arm, leaving a path of goosebumps in their wake. “But you… I’ve been keeping an eye out for.”

That would explain why I’ve felt eyes on me since the moment I stepped through the doors.

His fingers pause at the back of my hand before pulling it away, sending a shiver skittering up my spine. Every hair on the back of my neck stands tall, and for a moment I forget he’s looking at me like I’m my sister—saying things to me because he thinks I’m her.

I’ve never wished so much to be myself and for this stranger to be speaking to me.

He pulls back, and I straighten, hoping he didn’t catch the disappointed frown that probably just ghosted my face, as I slip back into my sister’s façade.

“I’m not sure I remember you,” I say, secretly hoping they don’t know each other well enough for him to think it’s an odd statement.

The man smirks.

Wicked. Devious.

His head once more ticks to the side as he takes me in.

“Adam Kingsley,” he says, seemingly unfazed by my statement. “We bumped shoulders once in LA.”

I nod, not sure what to make of the fact that he saw my sister once and decided to invite her to his getaway. It’s either flattering or slightly stalkerish, but this entire event is borderline twisted, so who am I to judge?

“Well, it’s nice to meet you.Officially.” I take a sip of champagne like he’s the kind of man you need to chase with something—anything—to survive the chaos he’ll wreck inside. “I’m Ivy.”

His expression pinches, so fleeting I almost miss it. And I’m not sure why he flinched at my sister’s name, but he just nods, not saying anything.

Licking the champagne from my lips, Adam’s gaze drops to them. And I can’t help but wonder if this is how men always look at my sister. With fascination. With interest. The way his eyes light turns my core molten, and I can barely contain the flutters that kick up as an amused smirk climbs his cheeks.

It’s almost as if he can see me squirm under his stare. Because I do, I can’t help it. Ivy might be used to men like him—rich, powerful, confident—but inside I shrink. And the smallest part of me is jealous. Knowing he’s only interested in me because he thinks I’m her.

I take a step back to make some space. I can barely breathe between Adam’s closeness, his cinnamon cologne, and the champagne going straight to my head.

He opens his mouth to say something, but a man comes up to his left, and he pauses. The man leans in and whispers something to Adam. But even if he’s listening, Adam doesn’t take his eyes off me. Of all the men in the room, I had to draw the attention of the one I sense I shouldn’t. The man hosting this madness.

But while I should be scared, instead, I’m curious.

Who is the man behind the Midnight Manor and why can’t he take his eyes off me?

“I’ll be right there.” Adam nods at whatever the man in the suit says, holding up his hand and waving him off.

Alone again, Adam steps toward me, and I can’t help but retreat a step, like it’ll save me from this magnetic pull I feel drawing me to him. But there’s nowhere to go, and with one more step, my legs strike the table behind me, and I’m trapped.

“Nervous?” Adam looks almost amused as he adjusts his cufflinks.

Even those are gold and expensive, like everything in this room.

With Adam this close, I get a better look at the black mask framing his stormy gray eyes. It’s more intricate than I initially realized, with a design weaved into it. Everything about him feels like a secret I want to uncover.

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