Page 95 of Black Ties and White Lies

Margo’s eyes search my face. She leans in, running her fingers through my hair. “Who were you talking to?”

“Just an old friend.” I’d never considered Ruby a friend, and I’d never be clueless enough to ever consider her one.

“Oh.” Margo shifts her weight on her feet, looking to the group Ruby disappeared behind. “It just looked a little heated.”

I pull her into an embrace, clinging onto her a little too tightly. There’s no way I’ll let the information Ruby is holding over my head get out. I can’t lose Margo. Not now. Not with how I feel about her.

“Your heart is racing so fast,” Margo presses. I can tell by the way she watches me that she knows something’s up, she just isn’t pushing asking why.

A gentle kiss to her is the only answer I give to her statement. I don’t have a good enough excuse to give her, so I opt to stay quiet instead.

Margo pulls away from me, staring at something over my shoulder. Her lips purse slightly. I turn around, following her gaze to figure out what she’s staring at.

My stomach drops.

In the corner, I find Ruby in deep conversation…with my brother.

Fucking hell.

“Now it makes sense,” Margo mutters.

My head snaps to look at her in worry. “What makes sense?”

“You’re nervous because Carter’s here and brought your old friend as his date.”

“They came in together?” I ask tightly. My vision starts to get a little blurry with worry. I need to get out, to gain my composure before I lose my shit in the middle of my own engagement party.

Margo shrugs, not catching on to how much I’m internally freaking out. “I’m pretty sure I saw them walk in together, but I was locked in a conversation with Emma and Winnie. I can't be positive.”

“Oh.” The tie around my neck suddenly feels too tight. I pull at it, loosening it slightly.

“You look a little pale.” Margo’s cold hand runs over my forehead. A crease forms on her forehead in worry.

“I think I might go get some air. I just wasn’t expecting Carter to show up.”

“Want me to go with you?”

I take a deep breath, trying to pull myself together. I plaster on a calm facade, trying not to worry her more than I already have.

It should be fine. Even if Carter came with Ruby, she wouldn’t tell him anything. She’d come to me before spilling any information she has on me. She’d want to barter and get something out of me before going forward with it.

“No, I’m good. You enjoy your time, babe.” I pull her into me once again, breathing in her familiar scent. I lay a kiss on her lips. “I’ll be right back.”

I walk away as she watches me with a small frown on her face. Guilt weighs heavy on me as I leave her standing there alone. With a few minutes to myself, getting my head together, I’ll come back better as ever. I just need five minutes to figure out what’s happening.

I need a few minutes to figure out how to tell Margo about my lies … before Ruby—or Carter—get to her first.

I dodgea few people offering congratulations as I search for Beck. When he’d ran off at first, I hadn’t been too worried. I figured he was set off by Carter showing up. Now I’m not so sure.

My steps are quick as I walk the perimeter of the party, smiling at people I’ve never met before as they tell me how happy they are for Beck and me. Most of these people were invited by Beck. I recognize some from work, but for the most part, it’s all new faces stopping me for a quick chat as I look for my fiancé.

After not finding Beck anywhere in the grand ballroom, I search the small rooms that connect to the main room. I come up empty handed, having no idea where he ended up. My last-ditch effort is to search the outside terrace after I don’t find him out front on the stairs.

I step out onto the terrace. It’s eerily quiet. My arms wrap around my middle, trying to keep myself warm in the frigid air. I should’ve grabbed my coat from the coat check, but I hadn’t expected to be out in the air for long enough to need one.

I loop around a corner, disappointed when I don’t see him anywhere. Turning around, I decide to go back inside to the party and wait for him to find me. He probably had to end up taking a work call or something like that. There has to be a reason he left me alone at the party far longer than the five minutes he’d originally told me.

A pair of cold hands grab my arms as I walk straight into a warm chest.

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