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Bennett snorted a laugh. “Take it not much has changed in that regard? Still a money-grubbing dickwad?”
Shaking my head, I bit back what I really wanted to say. Of all the people to come and go through the course of my life, very few recognized my father for the self-centered bastard that he was. Bennett was one such person and he made no qualms about letting Phillip Sinclair know he thought he was a piece of shit. Must have been nice to have the freedom to say and do as one pleased, backed by a family fortune that put the Sinclairs’ to shame. If it wasn’t for their mutual business dealings, I highly doubted Bennett would tolerate being in the same room as my father.
“Well, fuck him.” Bennett grinned and squeezed my shoulder. “Oh, before I forget. A little birdie told me there’s a Stradivarius violin coming to Bancroft’s in the near future. Do you want me to call you when it’s in? Perhaps you can attend the auction, perform a song or two for the prospective buyers?”
My jaw dropped for a full ten seconds before I realized I looked like a guppy. Snapping my mouth shut, I tried to formulate some sort of proper response, but it seemed all I could do was stand there and stare at him like he was Santa Claus and sputter out a few sounds now and again.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He winked and reached out, chucking me under the chin. As his ringed-covered hand retracted, another tattooed hand came out of nowhere and snatched his wrist in a vise grip.
Fuck!
“Sasha,” I hissed, praying to God he didn’t snap Bennett’s wrist. “Let go. Now.”
“Who the fuck does he think he is, touching you? He’s lucky I haven’t ripped his arm off already.” The question may have technically been for me, but Sasha’s gaze was glued to Bennett’s.
“Easy tiger…” Bennett said with a smile, sliding even closer to Sasha, chuckling in a way that didnotsound friendly. A quiet tapping sound pulled my attention downward. Somehow, Bennett produced a long, thin knife — a knife that was relaying a warning on Sasha’s inner thigh with each little pat. “We’re just two friends having a conversation. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
“It’sBennett,” I growled, willing Sasha to let go before Bennett fucking castrated him. “You know? The guy whoinvitedus.”
Sasha didn’t look any happier with that answer than he did a minute ago, but at least he released his hold. His hand dropped safely to his side. It was clenched, and everyone in a five foot radius was still in danger of being decked, but it was progress.
Bennett, however, stayed exactly where he was, knife and all. He cocked his head, leaning up to study Sasha’s face in spite of the wolf mask. “Roan, who is this formidable specimen? A bodyguard?”
“He, um… No.” I scratched the back of my neck, trying to come up with something believable. “He’s a friend. Just a friend.”
“Uh huh.”
“I didn’t want to come solo, so… you know. I asked and he was free. I mean, who wouldn’t want to come to one of your parties?”
“Uh huh.”
“This is Aleksandr. Aleksandr, this is Bennett.”
“Mon coeur?” A man dressed entirely in black, including the intricate mask that obscured the top half of his face, appeared at Bennett’s side. He held a champagne flute in each hand, suspicion clear as day in his pale green eyes. “Is everything alright?”
In one fluid movement, the knife disappeared and Bennett stepped back, taking the flute and clinking it against the other. “Of course, my love. May I introduce Roan Sinclair and hisfriend,Aleksandr.” Bennett gave Sasha a knowing smirk. “Gentlemen, this mysterious creature beside me is Leander Welles, your silent co-host of the evening.”
Leander inclined his head politely, but his gaze didn’t leave Sasha, and Sasha’s didn’t leave Bennett.
“Nice to meet you,” I spat out, extending my hand toward Leander, hoping this didn’t suddenly turn into the OK Corral. Bennett might be faster than Sasha but Sashawouldrip his arm off if given half the chance. Not even half. Like, one-sixteenth of a chance.
Thankfully my distraction worked. Leander’s attention drifted to me when he shook my hand. “A pleasure.”
“I’ll call you about the violin,” Bennett said, gesturing toward me with the champagne. He draped an arm over Leander’s shoulders and took a step away, pausing in front of Sasha. He opened his mouth and drew in a breath, stealing a quick glance at me. Whatever he was going to say disappeared with another chuckle and a shake of his head. The pair slipped off into the crowd, without bloodshed or broken bones. Thank fucking God.
Nevertheless, I closed the distance on Sasha, keeping my voice low. “Coat room. Five minutes.”
Slamming what remained of my vodka, I set the glass on the bar and stormed off for the hidden rendezvous point.
13
SASHA
At first,I thought I was seeing a ghost across the crowded space, a trick of the eyes from all of the glittering chandeliers. The blonde who kept staring at me seemedsofamiliar. That seductive smirk. And then it struck me hard, nearly stopping my heart. Thatnecklace.
Daria.
It was fucking Daria.
