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ALEX
Katherine looks shell-shocked. Her pretty jewel-like eyes are wide and unfocused, and she seems unsteady on her feet. Of course, that could be due to the shut-up-and-fuck-me heels she’s wearing.
Someone escorts her off the stage and out a side door. The ballroom is alive with curiosity and conjecture. I’m used to standing out because I’m a big guy. This attention is a wholly different sort. People are staring at us. But they’re also staring after her.
The urge to go after her, to make sure she’s okay, is a living, breathing beast in my chest.
“Maybe that wasn’t our smartest move,” Gabe murmurs, on the same page as me, as usual.
“Let’s get out of here.” I nod toward the door that Katherine just exited.
I’ve never participated in one of these auctions before, so I’m not sure what’s supposed to happen next. But I can guess.
A few people step out of our way while others turn to watch us pass. I ignore them, dismissing them all with my trademark scowl.
“Fucking fishbowl,” I mutter.
“What’d you expect?” comes Gabe’s easy reply. “You just offered a million dollars to date Manhattan royalty.”
“One date,” I correct. What the hell was I thinking? I should’ve just asked her out the next time I saw her in the gym.
Taking a deep breath, I push my way through the side door.
The simple answer is: I wasn’t thinking. I was reacting to the flustered beauty up on that stage. I was thinking about her pounding the shit out of that punching bag this morning. About her hiding behind a freaking palm tree, looking like she’d rather be anywhere but here.
In the hall, her back’s to us. A short, black-haired woman holds her attention, giving me time to appreciate Katherine’s killer dress. My gut tightens as I take in the low cut exposing her back and the way the shimmering fabric clings to her ass. The crisscross over her shoulder blades is like a treasure map—X marks the spot—and it calls to my lips.
But now is not the time.
The other woman shifts her focus to me and Gabe. “Gentlemen. That was exciting!” Her painted lips stretch wide. I tune her out as she introduces herself and says something about how wonderful our generosity is.
Katherine half turns, her icy blue-green eyes settling on me for a moment before they skip to Gabe. Her rosy pink lips are pressed in a carefully neutral line, almost like she’s afraid to speak.
But that’s not the Katherine Montgomery I know, which makes me wonder what exactly is going on. What am I not seeing? First, the punching bag, then hiding out behind a palm tree down a side hall, and now this careful mask. Is she even breathing?
Before I can check in with her, Gabe puts a hand on my shoulder, drawing me back to the conversation.
“You coming?”
“Sure.” I have no idea where we’re going or what we’re doing, but he obviously does.
The woman directs us over to a gleaming table to discuss payment.
When I finally make it back to where I left Katherine, she’s gone. I ask the attendant at the end of the hall if he saw which way she went, but he just blinks at me, mouth gaping as if I’m the first person of the night to speak to him. A new guy. Great.
“Pretty strawberry blonde about this tall.” I hold a hand to the middle of my chest. “Green dress.”
He finally nods. “I think she went back into the ballroom.”
“Thanks.” I slip him a bill, and then he’s the one thanking me.
A quick glance around the ballroom, and I’m back in the hall. There’s no way I’d miss her. Not only in that dress but no one has hair quite that gorgeous.
Unease prickles up my neck.
Gabe’s hot on my heels as I head for the grand staircase. There’s no sign of her.
“Elevators?” Gabe asks, and we turn in that direction.
