Chapter 10
HARLOW
"You look stunning." Archer stood just outside the gallery, eyes on me as I walked, my heels clicking on the sidewalk. His gaze raked up and down my body appreciatively.
"You don't look so bad yourself," I said, giving him a similar appraisal. His dark suit looked expensive, like it was tailored for him.
"I'll be doing some research tonight." He slipped an arm around me and pressed a kiss to my cheek. "Seeing who pays more attention to you than me. My hypothesis is no one will notice me. All of their eyes will be on you."
"That's an interesting theory, Professor Hardwick," I teased. "How will you prove it?"
"Peer review." He pulled me in closer. "Boner and Cass will be watching too."
"Do you have an academic journal in mind to publish your findings?" I pressed against his warm, firm body.
"Just my phone," he said. "I think I just found my new lockscreen." He managed to tear himself away from me long enough to take a photo of me in a black dress that fell just above my knees and plunged at the back. In my heels, I was as tall as him. As a bonus, they made my legs look longer.
"Perfect." Without showing me the photo, he tucked his phone back into his pocket and put his arm around me again. "Shall we go inside?"
"I hope the host remembered to put us on the guest list," I said jokingly.
Trying to step inside only to be told we weren't on there would be embarrassing, to say the least. I doubted Boner would give us the opportunity to kick his ass like that though.
"The host wouldn't dare to forget you," Archer assured me.
"Does that make you my arm candy?" I raised my eyebrows at him.
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, which was the Archer version of a grin.
"At your service my lady." He bowed from the waist.
I batted his chest with the back of my hand. "You're more than arm candy, Archer Hardwick. Come on, let's go in."
We stepped over to the door and waited while the security spoke to the couple in front of us. They waved them through and turned to us.
"Names?"
"Harlow St. James and Archer Hardwick," I said.
The security guard scanned the list. "I have Ms St. James, but Archer Hardlington."
I giggled like I was some kind of a socialite. "Just a little joke of Mr. Bonegard. Of course he meant Hardwick."
The guard looked at us both like we were out of our minds, but shrugged and waved us in. Apparently that was above his pay grade.
I exchanged glances with Archer, but we stepped inside, taking in the beautifully lit gallery and glittering people inside.
"I can't believe he pulled something like this off so quickly," I said out of the side of my mouth.
"I can," Archer said. "Men like Boner only have to mention an event like this and people swarm to take part. If they don't, they'll miss what people here are saying about them."
"Ah, good point," I said.
Parties like this were the perfect place for gossip and making connections. Networking. Who knows how many deals would be made in the quiet corners of the gallery tonight?
I should do some schmoozing of my own. A couple of glasses of champagne and people tended to open up and say things they shouldn't.
"Harlow!" Boner said from the other side of the room. Dressed from head to toe in black, suit, shirt, tie and all, he nodded to his companions and hurried to take my hands.
"You look beautiful." He kissed both of my cheeks and stood back to smile. His hair was tied back in a man-bun, looking sleeker than I'd ever seen him.
Good enough to eat. Well, suck. He wasn't on the menu for Angel's Rest.
"You're very handsome," I told him.
"I'll tell you who's handsome." Boner jerked his head toward Archer. "If I didn't have a party to host, I'd suggest we all sneak away to my office for a private party." He winked.
"It's too early for an Irish exit," Archer said. "That's what they call it when people sneak out without saying goodbye."
"I'm not Irish, but I could pretend," Boner said. "Unfortunately for all concerned, you're right, it is too early. Oh look, Cassius is here." He gestured behind us and frowned.
I turned slowly. Cass walked up to us, also wearing a dark suit, his hair held back from his face with a clip. His brightly colored tie was a contrast to the rest of his outfit.
It was Jules walking at his side that drew my attention.
"Funny, I don't remember Titmus senior being on the guest list," Boner remarked. He sounded unworried but with narrowed eyes that hinted at curiosity with a touch of annoyance.
"Nice to see you too," Jules said sarcastically. He looked like he wished he was anywhere but here.
"Jules insisted," Cass said. "When he found out where I was going tonight."
Jules glanced at him, scowling. "It wasn't the where, it was the why. Are you four out of your fucking minds?" He had the sense to keep his voice down.
"You told him?" I asked Cass.
How much had he told him? Did he know about the…meatballs? If I had to guess, I'd say no. If he had, Jules would be tearing my head off right now. Possibly literally.
"He insisted on knowing," Cass said. "I figured he could help." He didn't look angry, but he wasn't going to let me, or anyone else, make him question his decision to let his brother come.
Yes, he was still mad at me all right.
"Just make sure he doesn't get in the way," I said firmly. If either of them thought I was going to back down, they'd have to think again.
"Right back at you," Jules hissed. He looked me up and down, but the expression on his face suggested he wasn't sure if he should stab me in the eyeball with a cocktail toothpick, or tear off my dress, bend me over the sculpture beside us and fuck me boneless.
I suspected the artist, the plaque beside the sculpture read Leah Kent, wouldn't appreciate her sculpture being destroyed like that. Made of branches attached together to make some kind of bird, it wouldn't survive a vigorous fucking.
Would she mind if I picked it up and hit Jules with it? Yeah, that was probably out too. Besides, if I guessed right, it was a little too heavy. Maybe one of the paintings?
"We should mingle," Cass said, his voice tight. "We'll look less suspicious."
He was right, but I couldn't shake the thought maybe he wanted to be away from me.
"Good idea," I said finally. "I see someone I know, I should go and say hello."
I nodded across the room to Solomon Danforth. A former chef, now owner of a very exclusive restaurant. He was an old friend of my father. A mentor of sorts.
He nodded back and offered a smile before turning back to his companions and chuckling at something one of them said.
"I'll go with you." Archer dropped his hand from my waist and laced his fingers in mine. He gave Cass a characteristically unreadable look and followed me through the throng.
I led the way through the glittering crowd, past Sable Taylor-Francis, who looked happier than when we saw her last. Her black hair shone, pin straight with a hint of purple.
Her gaze was still cautious as she spoke to a burly man in a navy Armani suit, but I couldn't see a sign of any bruises on her skin.
With her husband dead, killed by Archer and me, she had a better chance of living her best life.
She gave us a glance as we passed, her brow creasing briefly. There was no way she could have recognized us. We were wearing masks when we were in her hotel room. She must have recognized me from some article about my restaurant.
I gave her a faint smile and went on pushing through the crowds.
"That was weird," I said to Archer once we were out of sight.
He shrugged, looking indifferent. "She couldn't know."
"I know she couldn't, but…" I shook my head. "I don't know." I put the thought aside for now. I should be concentrating on looking for someone who fit with what we knew about Eros. What little we knew. Half the men here fit into the right age bracket.
I spotted Erin off to the side, talking to a couple of men and a woman a handful of years older than her. She'd helped me bring the food here before hurrying home to get changed.
Her bright yellow, off the shoulder, floral dress stood out in the crowd, but she looked beautiful. Judging by the expressions on the faces of the people she was talking to, they thought so too.
I'd keep an eye on her, but I wasn't going to hover. Not unless I thought she needed me. Right now, she looked like she was in her element. Socializing and having fun.
"The percentage of people here who are guilty of some crime or another," Archer remarked. "Mostly white collar stuff. Shoplifting here or there."
"Some casual murder," I said in his ear.
He snorted softly and whispered back. "There's nothing casual about it."
I glanced at him and smiled before saying, "Some formal murder, then."
"Sounds like a good title for a movie." He grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing server and handed it to me before taking another. "The Formal Murder Club." He raised his glass.
I tapped mine against his before taking a sip. "Maybe you should propose that to one of the studios."
"I just might," he said. "I could do my own research and write a script."
"No one would believe it," I said.
"That's the best part." His eyebrows quirked upward. "I could write off all the cleaning supplies on tax."
"That wouldn't be suspicious at all," I joked. "Bleach, rubber gloves, rope, sharp knives. All for research. The IRS might ask questions."
"That's unfortunately true," he said regretfully.
"Fortunately, I can write off three of those items against the restaurant," I said.
"You picked the right profession." He sipped his champagne and scanned the room. "Who did you want to say hello to?"
I frowned. "I saw a colleague of mine, but I can't see him now. I must have been mistaken."
"Fellow chef?" Archer asked.
"Former chef. Restaurant owner," I said. "More a colleague of my father than one of mine." He was too old to be Eros. What had Eros said? Hypnos and Zeus were both out of town. I'd always suspected Zeus was older, without knowing why, but Solomon was clearly in town.
"I'm sure it's nothing," I said half to myself. "Solomon Danforth wouldn't be involved." He'd always been nice to me. I'd gone to him for advice when I was setting up my restaurant.
"He probably went to the restroom," Archer said.
"Of course, I'm sure that's what happened," I said.
Or he was somewhere else in the room and the crowds were too thick to see. No doubt he'd turn up at some point.
I also couldn't rule out the possibility he'd put in a quick appearance before leaving again.
He was a busy man. Constantly traveling across the country to visit his restaurants.
Ensuring they were operating the way he wanted them.
He was as particular as they got. And renowned for showing up without notice to make sure his staff were all on their toes at all times.
I could respect that. After all, it was his name on every single door. His reputation. His money. He had every reason to check on them. It probably drove his staff around the bend. No one liked to think the boss was looking over their shoulder.
Although, from what I knew of his restaurants, they didn't have to worry about his displeasure. Every single one was a tight ship, just like mine.
"We just mingle then," Archer said.
"Yeah." I stopped to glance over my shoulder to where Erin had been.
There was no sign of her now.