Chapter 19 Aurora
Aurora
‘Are they always this wanky?’ I ask, knocking back my champagne.
Dove snorts out a giggle, before doing the same with hers. ‘You mean all the dick measuring? Yeah, pretty much. This is why I needed you here with me. A couple of circuits in order to network, and then we can get the hell out of here.’
I follow her gaze around the mansion’s large living space that spills out into a fancy orangery on the other side of the room.
It’s teeming with men in tuxedos, standing in groups, talking about money and their businesses, pretending to be impressed while mentally calculating the other guy’s wealth to see whose is greater. Dick measuring, like Dove said.
‘The lack of women in this room makes me sick,’ she says.
‘Yeah,’ I murmur, my eyes flitting to Rafael.
He’s on the far side of the room, tall and devastatingly handsome in his tux as he talks with a group of older men. He hasn’t brought a date tonight. I expected to see Seraphina, but Dove said he’s not mentioned her since he got back from his friend’s wedding in South Africa.
He’s also not mentioned the incident in his office, either. But that could have something to do with the fact that I’ve avoided him like the plague for the past two days.
I tilt my head back, admiring the giant crystal chandelier above our heads.
Dove’s informed me that the man who lives here is Fairfax Guardian’s newest potential client.
I don’t recall exactly what she said his business was.
Something big that involves a lot of money.
This evening’s soirée is being hosted by him in order to alleviate concerns about restructuring and reassure partners and investors that it’s business as usual.
‘You know Poppy, the stepdaughter? It was her mother who started the business. Apparently, the husband didn’t want her to work after they got married and encouraged her to let him manage it all, thinking he could do better.
Bet she didn’t expect him to be almost running the company into the ground,’ Dove says.
‘Things can happen that you least expect,’ I reply as I look around the room.
A shiver runs up my spine as my eyes collide with rich, molten bronze ones. Rafael holds my gaze for a few seconds, and I glower at him before he’s pulled back into conversation again and looks away.
‘I’d love to meet Poppy,’ Dove adds. ‘I’m going to go and see if I can find her.’
‘Okay. I’ll catch up with you. I need to use the bathroom.’
‘Okay.’
I watch her walk away, passing Rafael as she does.
He’s still deep in conversation. Bastard.
I’ve been running through a lengthy list of insults in my head over the last two days that I’d love to use on him.
The man is insufferable. He knew the moment I stepped into his office that he was going to mess with me.
The arsehole got a kick out it, I know he did.
He toyed with me like a cat with a mouse, belittling me for his own perverse pleasure.
Almost making me come on his desk, with a bloody pen.
My cheeks heat with a cocktail of shame and anger as I recall the heat of his broad body leaning over me.
I hate that I was turned on by him.
I hate that I wanted him to kiss me.
I hate all of it.
I hate him.
Weaving through the sea of dinner suits and tuxedos, I exit the main living space and cross the marble-floored foyer.
‘Could you please tell me where the bathroom is?’ I ask a member of the wait staff as they approach with a silver tray of canapés.
‘That way, madam,’ he says, gesturing towards a small group of people waiting outside a closed door on the far side of the grand entrance hall. ‘Of course, there is another bathroom down the hallway, fifth door on the left, should you wish.’
‘Thank you.’
The hallway is wide, stretching on with closed doors on either side. A door on the right opens and Gabriel walks out, quietly closing it behind him.
‘Aurora!’ he greets, his brows shooting up behind his glasses like he’s surprised to see me.
‘Hi.’ I smile, forcing myself to breathe. ‘I was just looking for the bathroom.’
He clears his throat. ‘Me too. Wrong door. Are you having a nice evening?’
‘I am. It’s . . . interesting.’
‘Indeed it is,’ Gabriel replies, glancing up the hallway as voices float down from the main entryway. ‘Excuse me. Enjoy your evening.’
He strides off in the direction I came from as if he’s forgotten he was looking for the bathroom.
Something about it makes me wait for him to be out of sight before I carefully open the door to the room he came out of.
Poking my head in, it’s a cute little library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and one of those ladders to reach the high ones.
A comfy-looking sofa with threads hanging from its cushions sits in the centre of the room.
The most interesting thing is the window.
It’s huge, arched, and beautiful, complete with a cosy window seat.
The moonlight shines outside, illuminating an extravagant circular fountain in the garden.
Closing the door gently, I move along the hallway, locate the bathroom, and step inside.
Standing at the basin afterwards, I fish for my lipstick inside my purse. My phone pings and I pull it out to read the message.
Dove: OMG! He’s here!!!
‘What the hell?’ I murmur. There’s only one person Dove would use that many exclamation marks for.
The man who didn’t just break her, he destroyed her.
The one we never ever speak about. Not unless we’re really drunk.
And even then she won’t tell me exactly what happened.
Only that he lied to her and left her heartbroken.
Her next message comes before I can reply.
Dove: He’s back from Singapore for a long visit!
I hit ‘call’. This conversation requires more than a text.
‘Are you okay?’ I ask in a rush the moment it connects.
‘I’m . . .’ Her voice wavers. Dove never sounds unsure about anything. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
‘Has he seen you?’
‘No,’ she whispers.
‘Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to get the valet to call you a cab right now, you’re not going to look back, okay? I can find your clients. Tell them you got ill. No one needs to know why you left.’
‘It’s okay, I . . . I was with them when I saw him and . . . and I told them I needed air. I don’t think they’d find it strange if I don’t return.’
‘Good.’ My voice softens. ‘You’ll be okay. I’m in the bathroom; I’ll be right out. I’ll come with you.’
‘No,’ she fires out, her usual strength returning to her voice. ‘No, Rory. I saw Dominic. He’s here. You need to speak to him. See if he knows anything that can help your father.’
‘What?’ I stutter, my heart leaping into my throat. Dominic Ainsworth, the one man I have wanted to speak to for months, is here?
‘Talk to him. Dad’s known him for years. And he’s Rafe’s friend. I’m sure he’ll listen once you explain who you are and what you’ve found out.’
I love her optimism, but suddenly I’m flooded with doubts.
What if, once he knows I’m the daughter of the man who supposedly stole millions from the company he works for, he doesn’t want to help at all?
While I’m slowly uncovering more scraps of information that suggest my father’s conviction has no evidence to support it, what if Dominic doesn’t want to hear it?
A sudden, painful realisation drops into my mind.
If my father’s innocent, then that means whoever stole the money could still be working there . . .
‘But I want to come with you and—’
‘I’m fine, I promise. I’ll call you tomorrow. Now go,’ Dove urges.
‘Thank you,’ I choke back, wanting to hug her more than ever in this moment. I can hear in her voice that she’s anxious, yet here she is, thinking about me and my dad.
Sliding my phone away, I reapply my lipstick, then smooth down my dress and take a deep breath.
Here we go.
The moment I exit the bathroom, strong male cologne hits me.
‘Oh, excuse me,’ a man’s voice purrs, as he almost walks straight into me. He takes hold of my bare upper arms to steady me. ‘I was looking for the bathroom. The queue up there was too long after five champagnes.’ He chuckles.
My gut twists as I look into cool grey eyes.
‘Are you okay, young lady?’
‘I’m . . .’ I swallow, staring back at Dominic Ainsworth as his hands stay curled around my arms. ‘I’m fine. Just a little hot.’
His attention drops down my body. I’m wearing a tightly fitted evening gown in deep pink charmeuse silk that a brand sent me to film.
It’s a stroke of luck they did, because I wouldn’t have anything suitable to wear tonight otherwise.
Even with the money Fairfax Guardian is paying me, I’ll still need to sell it to pay for Dad’s solicitor.
‘So you are.’ His mouth lifts into a wolfish smile, and he runs his hands down my arms before he lets me go, leaving prickling goosebumps behind. ‘Why don’t I accompany you to the terrace? You can get some air.’
Before I can protest, his hand is on my lower back and he’s steering me to the end of the hallway and through a set of double doors that open out on to a small seating area.
It must join up to the main garden area where I’ve seen people mingling, but here, around a darkened corner, and separated by a giant hedge, it feels miles away from everyone else.
He gives me a concerned-looking smile, and I force myself to pull it together. He’s just being friendly, and I wanted to seek him out anyway. This is the perfect opportunity to talk to him, just like I wanted.
‘These parties are always full of people yapping on about business. Gets a bit much, doesn’t it?’
‘It does,’ I agree, raking my eyes over him. He looks exactly like photos I’ve seen of him. Only in those he isn’t half as intimidating as he is in the flesh.
‘Do you work with Phillip?’ He says the host’s name so easily, like he’s a friend of his.
‘No, I don’t. I came here tonight as a plus one.’