Page 12 of Treason's Temptation
Istood at the oasis of overpriced champagne and hors d'oeuvres with a perfect view of Treason. There was no escaping the great young hope in Madison Pointe. Even for people living under a rock like me, Treason’s reputation preceded him. He shared his humble beginnings, raised by a single mother on a teacher’s salary, with a room full of people. Most of them never witnessed that level of adversity, so they didn’t fully understand the significance of him on stage.
Treason challenged the room to open their wallets and make a donation to the Langston Foundation. If not for their generosity, he might not be here. Not even his tapered fade and soft waves could’ve carried Treason to these heights. Treason’s grin was the hook, and he knew when to cast it to get the best result.
I pulled away from the rouse, reminding myself why I was here. The lustful stares and light touches were annoying, but they came with the game. I maneuvered the room, picking my next spot. Then Zora Taylor’s laugh took over the room. She had old money, the kind she wouldn’t notice if some went missing.Easing across the room where she was half drunk, I tipped her Hermes so I could graciously pick it up.
“Oh my!” she huffed, a hand on her chest. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What is a gorgeous woman like this doinghere?” she asked, flailing her arms in a circle.
A second voice chimed in before I could reply. “Don’t you just hate when someone looks that good without trying? I might have to call my surgeon in the morning.”
Zora smirked, “Girl, don’t waste the consultation fee. Even the best surgeon can’t turnthatintothis,” joking before she took another sip of her drink.
Another narrowed her gaze, while tapping the side of her flute, “You look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?”
A third voice entered, whispering, “A strip club, maybe.”
If I sacrificed my career to support my husband’s. Then, nursed him through colon cancer, only for him to get an intern pregnant, I’d be resentful as fuck too. Especially if I were raising him as our godson, whom we love as our own.
But she needed to direct it elsewhere. “Or an internship. Isn’t that where your husband met his side bitch.”
Zora let out an actual laugh, and the others followed suit. Now she was glaring at me and clinging to her champagne flute. Moving on to my next boring conversation, I stayed longer than intended because my card skimmer was moving slowly. After another lap around the room, I was ready to call it a night. Sauntering through the ballroom, I couldn’t wait to peel this dress off and shower. Then I heard Treason’s voice, and my stride slowed as I listened to their measured discussion regarding Douglas Barbey’s business venture.
“I’m not asking you to reinvent the system,” Treason explained. “I’m offering a solution. Take the pressure offhospitals and insurance providers. Wearable monitors offer real-time data. Preventative care. Early alerts. It keeps people alive and costs less. Everyone wins.”
Barbey sipped his drink, unimpressed. “Sounds like a tech charity and a big gamble. Where’s the profit?”
Treason’s hand clenched inside his pocket while bringing the whiskey to his firm lips. It was all smoke and mirrors to mask his irritation. Somehow, I saw it the same way he saw mine earlier.
That was my cue.
“I wouldn’t call keeping people alive a gamble,” I said smoothly.
Both men turned. Barbey raised an eyebrow while Treason didn’t flinch.
“And you are?” He asked.
“Someone who knows the system is overdue for a shift. People are walking around with unmonitored conditions and no access to care. Your devices would change that.”
Treason’s lips twitched, trying not to smile. “She’s got a point.”
“You two together?” Barbey grunted, adjusting his cufflinks.
“No.” We rushed out in unison.
Treason recovered first, explaining how upfront funding would generate profit in the long run. His facts and my charm made Barbey double his original offer. Then he scurried away before we could hit his pockets again.
Treason turned to me, one brow raised, “I don’t like being cut off when I’m speaking.”
I smirked, “You sound upset that I did your job better than you.”
“We did make a good team,” he complimented.
“Thatwas afavor. I work alone.”
That made Treason laugh—a real one. Deep and rough, like he didn’t laugh often.
