Chapter 26
EVERLEIGH
The gala’s being held downstairs in one of the hotel’s grand ballrooms, and the second Viktor and I step through the entrance, my eyes drift to the crystal chandeliers that glow overhead.
Violin music drifts softly through the room. Millionaires stand around pretending to laugh at each other’s jokes while waiters weave through the crowd carrying champagne glasses on silver trays.
Everybody here is fake.
Both the smiles and the conversations.
Every single person in this room wants something.
My heels click softly against the marble flooring as Viktor and I move deeper into the crowd. I can already feel eyes landing on me from different directions.
Exactly what Father wanted.
Men are predictable creatures.
Give them a pretty face and enough exposed skin, and suddenly they talk way too much.
My eyes move across the ballroom slowly until they finally land on my father standing near the center of the room beside Elliot Armani.
And Dante.
My breath catches slightly before I can stop it.
He’s dressed completely in black. Suit fitted perfectly against his broad shoulders while one hand holds a whiskey glass.
His dark hair is pushed back slightly tonight, and even from across the ballroom, he still somehow looks dangerous enough to draw in all of the single and married females around him.
His eyes lift and shift towards me.
Dante’s eyes drag slowly down my body before returning back to my face again.
His gaze by itself is so intense that heat immediately sizzles low in my stomach.
It’s been two weeks since the night he took my virginity.
Two weeks since he touched me.
And judging by the look in his eyes right now?
He’s thought about it every day since too.
My pulse stumbles slightly at the realization.
Viktor notices immediately, because of course he fucking does.
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters under his breath beside me. “You two are exhausting.”
I elbow him lightly in the ribs without taking my eyes off Dante.
Dante finally tears his gaze away from me once my father notices us approaching.
“There they are,” Father says smoothly once Viktor and I reach them.
Elliot Armani immediately turns toward us with a polished political smile already sitting on his face.
Armani looks exactly like every other politician I’ve ever met. Expensive suit with fake charm attached to it.
“Everleigh. Viktor,” Father says calmly. “This is Elliot Armani.”
Elliot shakes Viktor’s hand first before turning toward me. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”
“I’m sure all good things,” I answer smoothly while shaking his hand.
That earns a laugh out of him as he presses his lips to my hand.
Politicians love women they think are witty but harmless.
Unfortunately for him, I’m not harmless.
“And this,” Elliot releases my hand and continues while motioning toward the brunette woman standing beside him, “is my daughter Chloe.”
My eyes shift toward her.
Chloe Armani is beautiful in an effortless kind of way. Dark hair cascading over one shoulder, silver dress falling gracefully over her figure. She looks close to my age. Slightly younger.
“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Chloe says while extending her hand toward me.
Something about the way she says it feels genuine.
I shake her hand lightly. “You too.”
Her eyes move briefly toward Viktor afterward before returning back to me again.
She smiles. “I’ve heard a lot about the Genovese family.”
“Hopefully nothing too traumatizing,” Viktor mutters while stealing a champagne glass from a passing waiter.
That earns an actual laugh out of her.
Father and Elliot continue discussing campaign donors beside us while Dante stays quiet near the edge of the conversation, whiskey glass still loosely held in his hand.
But I can feel him watching me.
The awareness of him presses against my skin constantly now.
It’s starting to make it difficult to focus.
“I just had a thought,” Chloe suddenly says.
My attention shifts back toward her. “That sounds dangerous.”
Her lips twitch faintly. “You and I kind of look alike.”
Viktor immediately chokes on his champagne beside me.
I stare at her for a second before laughing quietly under my breath. “Do we?”
“A little,” she says while studying my face closer now. “Same dark hair. Similar skin tone. Same facial structure in certain areas.”
I shake my head slightly, amused. “Maybe a little.” My eyes drag across her features again before I smile faintly. “I think the eye color’s the biggest difference.”
“And the personalities,” Viktor mutters under his breath.
I elbow him lightly in the ribs without looking away from Chloe, earning another laugh out of her.
“I’m starting to like him,” she says quietly.
“Don’t encourage him,” I warn.
“Too late,” Viktor says while lifting his champagne glass slightly in her direction.
Father’s attention finally shifts toward us again after finishing up the conversation he was having with Elliot.
“Everleigh,” he says calmly. “Why don’t you accompany Chloe to the donor tables for a bit?”
I nod slightly, stealing one last glance toward Dante and the dark hunger sitting behind his eyes before letting Chloe loop her arm through mine and guide me deeper into the crowd to start networking.