3. Misty
I stare blanklyat my laptop screen, the soft glow illuminating my cubicle in the otherwise dim, empty office. It’s late, and I’m just putting the finishing touches on my proposal when an email pops up.
There is no flipping way this is happening. But there, clear as day, is a summons to the black-tie event held by the Everette family every year to celebrate the patriarch’s birthday.
The email gives some shallow reason for needing a PR representative present, but this screams of Damon. Is this some sort of twisted game? Did he not play with me enough the other night? Unlike what I told myself, I didn’t for a single second forget what happened. I swear the memory is burned at the back of my eyelids. Every time I shut them, I see the way the muscles in his arms flexed with each downward stroke of his fist.
I shake the thoughts from my head and hit Reply on the email.
MistyHart@Bostonbruins.com to Events@Bostonbruins.com
I’m sorry to inform you I am unavailable to attend the gala.
Best wishes,
Misty Hart
Junior PR for the Boston Bruins
Perfect. I smile, cool and professional. Moments later, a message pops up in the company’s messenger app. My cursor hovers over the red dot notification. Something tells me I know exactly who it is.
Damon Everette - CEO of Everette Industries: Mandatory attendance. See you there.
Black tie, dress appropriately.
He didn’t even bother to say hello. There is no rational reason I need to be there. I had nothing to do with the planning since it’s an Everette family event and not a Boston Bruins event. My back teeth grind as my fingers hover over the keys, awaiting my reply.
Misty Hart - Junior PR representative: My apologies. I’ve previously booked the weekend off and have a prior engagement.
I’ve barely hit Send when his reply comes through.
Damon Everette - CEO of Everette Industries: Not a request.
Gah.I snap my laptop shut, frustration burning in my chest. I couldn’t just say no, no matter how badly I wanted to skip it out of spite. A slow, mischievous smile pulls at my lips. He can insist I show up all he wants, but he has no control over how I dress. If he wants to boss me around, I’ll show him exactly what happens.
The driver, Nicholas, comes around to open my door when we pull up to the Everette hotel. He’s an older gentleman, likely late fifties, with a soft smile and warm eyes. It took him a bit to open up, but by the time we arrived, I’d learned he has a beautiful wife, Sarah, and two kids. Once we got to the topic of his kids, he’d rambled on freely about the youngest entering her first year in law school and the eldest being the top of her class in med school.
I’d gotten a text before he arrived at my apartment, letting me know the company was sending a car.
Probably didn’t want me showing up in an Uber.
I chuckle internally at the thought of the look of horror on all of these rich people’s faces being forced to witness my lowly commoner state.
The building’s architecture is full of art deco elements, making it feel like it’s from a different time, but there’s no mistaking the luxury details of the marble exterior or the stained glass windows in white and black.
I take Nicholas’s hand as he helps me out of the car. “Thank you.”
He gives me a nod and stands with his hands behind his back. There’s a rigidness to his posture that screams of years of training. “Of course, miss. I’ll wait out front for you when you’re ready to leave.”
I adjust the strap of my dress so it lies flat against my shoulder. “You don’t have to do that. I’m sure I can grab a cab at the end.”
“I assure you, Miss Hart, I do have to do this. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
I’m still puzzling through what he means when a man in a black suit ushers me toward the entrance. “Right this way, Miss Hart.”
I don’t recognize him, and he must notice the confusion on my face because he answers. “We’ve studied the guest list thoroughly. You’ll find all members of the staff will know who you are.”
I scrunch up my nose. “Weird.”
He laughs, a glint in his eyes. “Not used to this?”
“Is anyone?”
“Oh, definitely.” His eyes dip lower and slowly rise. “Come find me before you go. We can grab a drink.”
“Are you hitting on me?” I ask incredulously. The guy doesn’t look old enough to get into a bar.
“Maybe? Are you open to that?”
“No.” I laugh. “Nice try though.”
My heels click against the marble floor as I make my way to the grand staircase. Soft velvet underfoot, my hand glides over the intricately carved railing.
My carefully styled hair is tousled by a gentle breeze as I follow the elegantly dressed crowd through the towering double doors into the lobby. The interior is even more impressive than the exterior; trees adorned in vibrant red flowers and twinkling lights fill the space, while the delicate scent of jasmine and honey saturates my senses.
“Holy crap,” Mia, one of my closest friends, says, followed by a long wolf whistle as her eyes travel down my dress. Her pale blonde hair is styled in a french twist, and she’s wearing a deep purple gown that looks amazing on her. “Who pissed you off?”
“How do you know someone pissed me off?” I mean, someone did piss me off, but I didn’t think it would be so apparent.
“Because that’s a Princess Diana–level revenge dress.” She gestures to me, indicating it’s obvious.
The dress in question is a deep navy, fading into a pale blue. It has a square neckline that I designed to sit barely an inch above my nipples. The satin fabric is perfectly tailored to me, skimming over my curves. It’s so tight I opted for two layers of Spanx so I don’t get light-headed sucking in the entire night.
I do a spin. “You think it’ll work?”
“Definitely,” Mia’s boyfriend Alex says, stepping up to us and handing her a champagne flute.
River comes up behind Mia and kisses her temple while cupping the back of Alex’s neck, giving a gentle squeeze. The two men make a striking pair in black tuxes and crisp white shirts. Where Alex is blond and playful, River’s dark and broody.
He lifts a brow at me, a slight smirk on his face. “Who’s the lucky guy?” He’d never smiled like this until the three of them got together.
I’ve grown pretty familiar with Alex and River since they’re both forwards on the Bruins. River had been known for being standoffish, which is just so completely different from who he is today. Which is basically a teddy bear, at least when it comes to the two of them.
A weariness settles around my shoulders. What exactly was I thinking showing up like this? Am I really this transparent?
Mia must see my thoughts on my face because she grabs my hand. “You look stunning. Whoever this mystery guy is, he’ll eat his heart out. Might even beg on his knees.”
“I don’t think I want him to beg on his knees.” Do I?
She turns, pulling me deeper into the room, and tosses over her shoulder, “Even better, leave him wanting.”
Even with the grand size of the ballroom and the exclusivity of the event, the room is overfilled with impeccably dressed people. Working in the NHL has made me fairly used to being around wealth, but this is something else. This is old money, daddy owns an island type of wealth.
Lucas and Piper spot us through the crowd and head our way. Her hair is down around her shoulders in golden waves like something you’d see in an old-time movie.
She and I grew close as roommates in university, and I had front-row seats to the whirlwind romance that brought them together. It was touch and go for a bit, but Lucas finally got it together.
“Hey, Misty. How did you get roped into coming to this?” Lucas asks, looking stunning in his deep navy suit, which pairs perfectly with his warm brown skin.
“Same way you did. Work.” I scrunch my nose, knowing none of them want to be here.
“Don’t you normally get out of this stuff?” Alex asks.
“Yup. Boss’s orders.” I sigh.
Alex and River stiffen. It wasn’t too long ago that Damon tried to block Alex from becoming the captain. According to him, the owner of the team had some kind of weird vendetta against him.
“We’ve got to do our rounds. Don’t get into too much trouble,” River says, eyeing his girlfriend.
Mia crosses heart. “Double promise.”
River lifts a brow. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“It’s the grin. Who could believe that grin,” Alex adds with a wink.
“Okay, bye,” Mia cuts in, and River leans close, whispering something into her ear that has a pink blush painting her cheeks.
The second the guys are out of earshot, Mia spins on me, still flushed. “So, who is he?”
“Who is who?” Piper asks.
“Whoever Misty wore this dress for,” Mia responds, taking a sip of her drink. “He must be here.”
Piper scans me head to toe with wide eyes.
“Why don’t you ever dress like this for me?” she says playfully.
“I just wanted to look good, okay. No hidden agenda.”
Both girls smirk. “Fine, don’t tell us.”
My shoulders relax when they drop it. Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m doing. I’m not lying to myself that I didn’t pick this dress to see Damon’s reaction, but I didn’t get far enough to anticipate what would happen after that.
He forced me into coming here for no reason, and I want him to regret it.
There’s a hum in the crowd filled with excited whispers. I strain to overhear the group of women behind us. I don’t dare turn around to see who they are. Instead, I do my best to make out their whispers.
“Did you see them?”
“Not yet.”
“I heard they just got back from their place in Monaco.”
“By place, you mean mansion?”
“Doesn’t one of them race cars?”
“Which one? I could learn about cars if it means I can get closer to one of them.”
“You wish. Plus, we all know they go through women like it’s a game.”
“Not Damon. Only the younger two.”The girl sounds wistful, and I tense, leaning a little closer to listen.
“That’s because he doesn’t date at all. I hear no one’s ever stayed over. Brittany hooked up with him and said he wouldn’t even kiss her when they hooked up. That it was like having sex with a robot.”
I roll my eyes. There goes my theory that he’d be good in bed. There’s nothing worse than a selfish lay.
“Wait, you mean she didn’t…you know…finish?”
“Oh, she did. Said he insisted, but there was nothing personal about it. Like it was just a part of the transaction. Honestly, he hasn’t been seen with anyone in years.”
“His mother must be furious. He’s thirty now?”
“Thirty-five.”
That makes him a decade older than me. A little thrill trickles down my spine, and I ignore it. Just because I think older guys are hot doesn’t mean anything.
“What are they saying?” Piper whispers in my ear, and I jump, startled. I press my hand to my chest, not realizing I’d spaced out that much.
I lean closer to her so our shoulders touch and whisper so the girls can’t hear me. “Gossip.”
“Juicy gossip?”
“Everette family stuff. The usual. I have no idea why people are so interested in them.”
“No idea, huh?” Piper raises one brow. “Let me see, handsome, influential, and unimaginably rich. What’s not to like?”
“Alex and River don’t like them,” Mia adds.
“See?” I say to Piper.
“That’s because he tried to break them apart. He already fixed that, and you know it.”
“Why does it even matter?”
“You tell me,” Piper replies. There’s a suspicious gleam in her eyes.
The ballroom lights dim, drawing our attention to the large stage set up to the right of the dance floor.
The girls behind us provide an entertaining running commentary as, one by one, each Everette brother climbs the stairs and stands in a row at the back.
“That’s Sebastian. He’s the youngest.”
“I heard he has a death wish.”
“From the rumors I’ve heard, I don’t doubt it.”
His sandy-blond hair is disheveled, falling loosely over his eyes. There’s a sharpness to his smile, one that warns he’s not quite as he seems.
The next brother’s slightly older. His hair is brushed back from his face, revealing his bored expression.
“Xander. God damn, that boy is fine.”
The room grows eerily silent as the next brother takes his place. There’s a dark presence that wafts off him that I can practically feel from here. His near-black hair covers his face, casting his eyes in shadows.
“Matthias,”one of the girls whispers, but they don’t gossip about him, not willing to risk anyone overhearing. Which is a shame because I’d love to know what makes him glare like that.
Damon is the last to walk up, and I don’t need any introduction. I know exactly what kind of arrogant, cocky, overdemanding boss he is. That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate him in his suit. Tailored flawlessly, it shows off his wide shoulders while simultaneously cutting into his narrow waist. The man is all sharp lines and perfection. I hate him a little for it. No one that annoying should be allowed to be that good-looking.
He unbuttons his tux, and I can see the contours of his abs beneath his shirt from here. Why did I think it was a good idea to stand so close to the stage? My mouth waters, and I have to remind myself that this man spent an entire hour tearing apart my presentation for Mia’s charity event. From the smirk on his face, I swear he enjoyed every second of it.
A perfectly styled woman climbs the stairs with poise on the arm of an elderly man. Even with his age, the man manages to look regal. I recognize him easily as the patriarch of the Everette family conglomerate and the grandfather to the four men standing behind him. He’s old, at least eighty, and frail. Why hadn’t the patriarch stepped down years ago?
The answer comes from whispers behind me. “His son was mysteriously killed. Not even the news covered it.”
The woman releases his arm, placing a kiss on his cheek before moving to his right. The resemblance between her and the brothers is undeniable, even with her hair being a light silver color.
The grandfather approaches the microphone, and the room is completely silent, no one daring to speak over him.
“Thank you all for gathering here tonight for the annual Everette ball. I’ll admit I have an ulterior motive for being here.”
Tension weighs the air as the anticipation settles over us. The man certainly knows how to command a crowd.
He continues, a slight curve to his mouth. “As I’m sure you can see, I’ve grown old.”
There’s chatter around the room, and the grandfather waits until he regains their attention. “I’d planned on passing down my title of head of the Everette family to my son, but after his tragic passing, I’ve been waiting for his eldest son to be ready.”
I can’t stop my gaze from traveling to Damon, who stands completely still, his face in a neutral position. You’d never know he was being announced as the next head of his family.
“As a part of the Everette tradition, my replacement is required to be married, which will be my grandson Damon’s final hurdle prior to taking the family helm.”
This time, the whispers grow louder, the attendees unable to suppress their excitement.
“Did you know about this?”
“No, but I wasn’t even alive the last time this happened, and the previous heir was obviously very much married.”A picture pops in my head of the girl behind me pointing at the four brothers.
The old man’s voice grows crisp, demanding their attention. “As I’m close to my demise, my eldest grandson will be required to wed as soon as possible. Which is why I’ve tasked him to find his wife this summer. If he fails to do so, the role will be passed down to his next brother.”
The man steps away from the microphone and immediately leaves the stage. He disappears from sight, clearly wanting even less to do with this event than I do.
The whispers pick back up in the room. The girls behind me are filled with bubbly excitement.
“Did you know they’re a part of the Order Of The Saints?”
“Not just that, I heard they’re the Lords.”
That catches my interest. “Please don’t tell me you believe in that? It’s just an old wives’ tale.”
I huff out a breath. It doesn’t surprise me that the ultrarich play at secret society. Aren’t there secret societies in basically all fraternities?But I somehow can’t picture Damon playing at anything.
“You’ve just never been invited.”
“Oh, and you have?”
“Do I look like a billionaire? I dated a guy in it. He would go on for hours about him being Unsainted and how he’d soon be made a Saint. Whatever that means. I had to promise to keep it a secret. I only told a few people, but word must’ve gotten out because he showed up at my place one day, accusing me of ruining his life and how I cost him his ‘Sainthood.’ Apparently, they even did some kind of severing ritual so he can never get back in. He was furious. It was to the point I thought he was going to kill me.
“Then, out of freaking nowhere, Matthias showed up. I swear it was like he was following him or something. Never saw the guy again.”
“Have you noticed the way the men in here look at him? With a mix of envy and fear.”
“All I know for sure is out of the five most influential families, the Everettes are at the top.”
From my experience with Damon, this isn’t exactly a surprise. Something tells me he’d never settle for anything below being the king.
“Do you think this whole forced marriage thing is to gain more power through a merger with another family?”
“Probably. You know how the ultrarich are. There’s no end to their greed.”
“The only thing I know for sure is there’s never been an unmarried Everette patriarch.”