Page 37

“You’re absolutely right. In that case, I should apologize for my own lie and amend my previous statement. You are the second most gorgeous woman in this room.”

He twirls us past the musicians, nodding toward the woman in black beside them.

“Did you get a chance to meet my date?” he asks. “Blakely Tallis, lingerie model turned designer, and the most talented tailoress in this city. Drop-dead stunning, if you ask me. You’re a decent enough replica. It’s a point in your favor I find rather stirring. Though, like all replicas, you’re not quite as good as the original.”

Seven leans back slightly to scan me from head to toe, his gaze oozing over me like muck. I feel coated in it, so hideous that I never want anyone to see me like this, especially not Liam.

Chapter 17

Liam

I see her immediately. Dancing with Seven.

The rest of my vision goes dark, and acid burns in my stomach as I zero in on that sick fuck. His hands on her body, the body that belongs to me.

“Don’t.” Brady grabs my arm, but I shake him off with a snarl. He’s the one who had me stay behind to talk with the Russians. He’s the reason I was late to return to the ballroom, giving Seven all the time in the world to rove his hands over my fiancée. Mine.

I shove through the crowd. People squawk as I push them aside, but I don’t give a shit. They’re lucky I don’t knock them down as I barrel toward Seven. I want to lunge for him, shove him to the ground, pummel his face into his skull until all that’s left is brains and blood on the marble floor.

Brady yanks my arm again, forcefully enough to turn me around.

“We need this truce to stick.” He keeps his voice low for the onlookers.

It’s not his words that cut through to me, but his expression. Brady never looks pleading, it’s too much like weakness. But it’s a reminder. We are weak compared to Seven Vanleusen. That posh boy has the connections and the funds to destroy us. All our men, our family. Brioni.

I tear away from my brother and continue bulldozing my way through the crowd. That fucker Seven is an immediate threat to my fiancée. But as much as I want to chop off his hands for touching her, he’s also an overarching threat I can’t engage with right now.

I clench my hands into fists at my sides, shouldering through the dancers now, steps away from Brioni and Seven. I am in control. I am the leader who puts his organization’s welfare above personal satisfaction. I keep my men in line, and I can keep my temper in line too.

“Vanleusen.” I stand in his way, forcing him to either stop or crash into me.

He halts gracefully, but Brioni stumbles in her heels. I catch her by her upper arm, never breaking eye contact with Seven.

“O’Sullivan,” he says with an insincere bow. “I was just telling your fiancée what an appealing stand-in she’d be.”

My every muscle is taut, ready to unleash violence. He’s insulting my perfect Brioni. He touched Brioni, and for that I will punish him.

Something presses lightly on my chest. Suddenly Brioni’s standing in front of me. She’s leaning back on me like she’s tired, ready to call it a night. Automatically, I circle my arm around her waist, holding her to me. I don’t like that she’s standing between me and Seven. But by the way she’s positioned herself on my chest, she’s announcing to the world that she’s with me.

“Blakely Tallis,” she says to Seven. “Seriously?”

I have no idea who she’s talking about, but she sounds unimpressed. Seven smirks down at her. I’d like to punch that expression off his face, but as Brioni continues, his smugness falters.

“I would’ve expected more subtlety from you,” she says. “Heavy-handedness is so decidedly low class. Goodnight, Mr. Vanleusen.”

Splotches of red appear on his cheeks. The combination of Brioni’s words and Seven’s reaction would’ve surprised me into laughter if I weren’t so damn furious. As it is, all I can do is scoff a little as Brioni loops her arm into mine.

She turns us smoothly away from our enemy. Brady, who’d been hovering nearby, falls into step on my other side. My brother and I exchange a look. He raises his eyebrows, clearly impressed by my bride-to-be.

But I’m still livid. Brioni may have taunted Seven, but that doesn’t excuse the fact she danced with him in the first place. She’s mine. And though she doesn’t understand that yet, she will soon enough.

Chapter 18

Brioni

Liam puts on a pleasant face for the rest of the party, but I know him. It’s a mask. Underneath, he’s seething from our encounter with Seven.

I did everything in my power to de-escalate the situation, applying my usually worthless skill in a way that should have made him proud. I want so badly for Liam to be proud of me, to recognize that I handled myself against our enemy. But it didn’t feel like enough.