Prick. He’d had me banned from the men’s club two years ago.

“I can fuck my beautiful fiancée any time I want,” he went on, “and she looks really amazing dressed only in that quarter-of-a-million-dollar necklace around her neck right now. A necklace I bought without asking my daddy for the money.”

“And how about fun?” I retorted. “Are you having any of that without me?”

This was not the party it should’ve been. My sister didn’t get the party she should’ve had, either. God, they were pathetic. We would’ve laughed at this polite, bland, and pretentious snooze-fest back in the day, and then grabbed the girls and taken them for an all-night ride through our underworld. What a shitshow.

Kai looked at me, his dark eyes only a shade lighter than mine. “Banks loves you,” he said. “And we would never disinvite the Ashbys. Those are the only reasons you’re here. You burned down my dojo, you tried to kill us, and you’re not to be trusted around Rika. We’re not friends, so when we run into each other, we’ll keep it brief and civil for the women’s sake, but I’m not ready to pretend anything is okay.”

“Everything okay?” Arion popped up in front of us, asking.

I snorted, the little speech he thought would have me shaking in my boots ruined now.

The whole group arrived—Will and Alex, Margot, Arion and Winter, along with that little shit-stain Ethan Belmont. He was next on Crane’s list of duties.

But I guessed they had to invite everyone to get the pretentious part right. Rika was circulating now, and my sister was AWOL. I imagined these things made her as uncomfortable as me.

“Peachy,” Michael replied and then leaned over to Margot, kissing her on the cheek. “Thank you for coming.”

“Thank you for inviting us,” she said and then joked. “Even if your mother made you.”

“Please.” He chuckled. “Rika and I run our own show now. The misfits stick together.”

She smiled at him, and I knew Michael’s mother and Winter’s mother were friendly, both of them probably finding common ground in their family drama.

He offered her an arm and led her off to the dance floor, Kai faded away, and Arion sidled up to me, taking a sip of my drink. I cast her a glance, able to appreciate how beautiful she actually was in her skin-tight gold dress, long golden hair, and every inch of visible skin glowing and soft.

But she was cold, shallow, and boring. Someday someone might be able to get inside her head and reach her, but it wouldn’t be me. I’d already been there with someone else and never again.

“Wanna dance?” I heard Ethan say.

I looked over to see Belmont with his arm around Winter, and I let my eyes fall down her body, noticing she had changed clothes. Her gown was gone, replaced with a thin, black fabric that draped over a black bodysuit—or leotard—with the gauze twisted into straps over her shoulders and fitted around her breasts. The sheer fabric draped past her ass, down her legs, and not quite to her ankles which were laced with matching black ballet slippers. No tights. Her bare legs were completely visible through the dress, which slit up the middle, giving her free rein to move.

“I was just about to,” she answered. “Rika and Michael asked me.”

Asked you? To dance?

“Sweet,” he replied.

But I cocked an eyebrow. “Why the hell would they do that?”

Was this Rika’s way of keeping an eye on Winter? Installing herself in her life again?

Winter’s chin lifted a hair and she set her jaw. “Because I’m good,” she stated.

“Well, this should be entertaining,” Arion mumbled with a smirk.

I didn’t know if I agreed. Winter would dance. For me. I didn’t like they’d gone behind my back to arrange this with her.

“Oh, Winter, this is Alex, by the way,” Will said and then eyed me. “My new best friend.”

My lips twitched with a smile. Touché.

Alex reached out with both hands, taking Winter’s and shaking it. “Hi, nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

“Alex goes to school with Rika in the city,” Will explained to Winter.

She nodded, and I chuckled to myself. Yeah, Will, that was how we knew her. Sure.

I lifted my drink to my mouth. “Is Alex for hire tonight?” I asked, gazing down her body, the caramel-colored gown perfectly accenting her deep brown hair.

Will turned his glare on me. “Fuck you.”

“I’m completely serious,” I maintained, turning to my wife. “Do you like her?”

I mean, she was all ready to bring another woman into our bed—or my bed—days ago, right? And this was Alex’s job. As an escort, she should appreciate the business.

Arion remained quiet, her eyes falling and looking uncomfortable. “Damon, it’s not the place.”

“Do you like her?” I pressed, gazing down into her eyes and threading my finger under her necklace, gently pulling her mouth up to mine. “I like her. Tits for days and big eyes. I’d love to see those big eyes on me when she fucks you.”

“Jesus,” I heard someone mumble.

Another person sighed their aggravation.

But Winter remained silent. I could feel her, though. She was all I felt. I wanted her to hate this. To feel hurt that her eyes would never be on anyone, and she would never be as enjoyable or as sexy as Alex or Arion, because they could taunt with a single look.

She was pathetic, and less, and without. Like I could’ve ever enjoyed you like a real woman. Is that what you thought, Winter?

Arion kept her eyes down, not wanting what she was willing to do in the privacy of our bedroom displayed in public and in front of others.

Her lips pursed, but she finally answered. “You’re in charge.”

I quirked a smile, hating that she was so pliable, but glad Winter heard that. I didn’t need her. I could get what I wanted from anyone. Let her sit on that in bed tonight.

Even if I didn’t want it from just anyone.

I dropped my hand, peering over at Alex. “Is it still full price if I just watch?” I teased. “And if we do like a punch card, can you blow me on the eighth visit?”

Arion growled and spun around, walking away, while Ethan grabbed Winter’s hand and left.

“Fucking piece of shit,” Will said, turning to Alex. “Let’s go.”

I laughed, watching him walk away and thinking his little escort was following. Instead, Alex shook her head and sauntered over to stand at my side.

She crossed her arms, observing the party with me. “It is an art how quickly you can make everyone want to kill you.”

I shrugged, hearing the smile in her voice. “I just can’t help myself.”

I took another drink, kind of wanting to kill myself for a second, too. The shit that came out of my mouth. All for Winter’s sake, because she was my sole motivation in everything I did, and I was kind of fucking ashamed she had that power.

I didn’t have to explain myself to Alex, though. She knew what I was doing. I respected her, because she was no nonsense and made no excuse to do what she needed to do to get what she wanted. The world respected people who didn’t crave approval.

“How’s the job going?” I inquired, glancing down at her.

Her brow shot up, looking dissatisfied. “It’s almost not worth what you’re paying me. That old fuck is agonizingly boring, Damon,” she told me. “And pompous.”

“I know.”

Michael’s father had information I needed, and I doubted he’d care that I put Alex into bed with him to get it. It was for a good cause.

“Are you getting close?”

She pulled a flash drive out of her bodice and held it up to me. “I was able to grab this. But there’s more,” she pointed out. “Gimme a few days.”

I took it, hoping lots of good things were on it. For all our sakes. Her computer science minor was definitely a perk for this job.

“Make it two,” I told her, “and you get a bonus.”

I held up the flash drive, looking at it and pleased that everything was coming together. All the ducks. “Quack, quack,” I mumbled, feeling fucking great all of a sudden.

Someone bumped into me, knocking my shoulder, and the flash drive fell to the ground.

“Oh, excuse me,” a blonde woman dressed in a gray gown said.

She dove down and plucked the flash drive off the floor, and then stood up, raising her hand to give it back to me.

But she froze, meeting my eyes. Her face fell, and she didn’t move except to breathe.

Christiane Fane. Rika’s mother.

And even though she had a full-grown daughter and spent years on pills and alcohol, she was still incredibly beautiful. Her hair was loosely pinned back, strands framing her face, and her skin shimmered in the candlelight. Jewels hung from her ears, and her eyes flaunted several shades of blue that made them look exotic.

I wondered why my father never pursued her after her husband died. My mother had left by then, and Christiane was the wealthiest woman in town. She was gorgeous, still young enough to have more kids, and kind of stupid. I’d never understand how anyone remained that weak their entire lives, but here she was.

Why the fuck was she staring at me?

“Like what you see?” I smarted off, snatching the flash drive from her hand.

Jesus, go away.

She blinked, snapping out of it, and then dropped her head and walked away. Was she drunk or something? I thought Michael got her to kick that shit.

Whatever.

“So you going tell me what you’re doing exactly?” Alex asked once she’d left.

I tucked the drive into my pocket, letting out a deep breath. “Getting my family back. I—”

But I didn’t have a chance to finish. The string quartet stopped playing, and everyone exited the dance floor as I was sure a speech was about to start.

But it was Winter’s voice I heard.

“I have a special gift for Michael and Erika,” she said, and I moved a few steps to the right to get a view of her standing in the middle of the dance floor. “Something I hope they’ll find entertaining. But…” she smiled, looking beautiful with her hair piled on top her head. “I hope the lovely couple doesn’t mind—I’m dedicating this to my sister’s new husband.”