Chapter 4 #3
“And finally, there’s Alex Kingston, the one with the tattoos.
He’s the seventh Duke of Sunford, can you believe, although he refuses to use the title he inherited.
” Lloyd leaned closer to me, and on a whisper, he said, “He’s seriously loaded.
He could buy every piece of artwork in here...
and all the people in the building too.” There was a hint of reverence in his tone and his eyes darted about as if he was worried who was listening. As if the walls had ears.
So there was money on top of money here tonight. It didn’t surprise me, looking at the price tags on the art and the people in attendance.
Lloyd tilted his head even closer, continuing to whisper conspiratorially.
“Kingston’s a bit of a renegade. I think he loves the cash but hates the trappings. But he’s one of our biggest investors and the best client on our books. Alex Kingston collects art like most people collect...”
“Stamps?” I ventured when Lloyd stalled.
“I was going to say something more twenty-first century, but yeah, stamps, I guess.”
“My dad used to collect stamps,” I said on a shrug, trying to claw back a little dignity. Why the fuck did I pick that out of my brain? I could’ve gone with classic cars, designer watches, but no. I chose stamps.
“Used to?” Lloyd smirked. “Let me guess, did he stop when he found out they were lame?” Lloyd laughed at his own weak joke.
“No,” I replied plainly. “He stopped when he died.”
Lloyd didn’t even flinch or register what I’d said. He just nodded dumbly and replied, “Fascinating.”
I just stared blankly at him.
He wasn’t listening. He wasn’t fascinated. He didn’t care. I’d just told him my dad had died, and he hadn’t reacted in the slightest. He was only interested in the trio across the room.
“Would you like to meet them?” he asked, staring at them longingly as he ignored how dumbfounded I was by his insincerity.
I wasn’t sure.
Did I want to meet three wealthy men who might make me feel even more inferior than I did right now?
If I was being honest, all I wanted to do was turn around and walk right out of here. Or maybe hide away until I’d seen the S.K.A.M. performance, then slope off home to eat ice-cream and watch Netflix.
“Erm.” I didn’t get a chance to respond; Lloyd was already walking over to them. “That’ll be a yes, then,” I muttered under my breath sarcastically, and reluctantly, against my gut instincts and my better judgment, I followed him.
As we got closer, Lloyd announced his arrival by puffing out his chest and saying, “Gentlemen.” In what I’m sure he thought was a manly and commanding way, using a voice he hadn’t used when he’d spoken to me.
A fake, posh voice to impress his potential buddies.
But in reality, it just made him sound like a pompous ass.
It wasn’t lost on me that Alex Kingston, the reluctant duke with the renegade tattoos, the one who’d make any girl’s knees go weak with his dark hair and piercing green eyes, rolled those eyes as Lloyd approached.
Then the trio slowly and somewhat unenthusiastically opened up their small circle to allow us to stand with them.
When Alex Kingston’s gaze landed on me, his eyes widened just a hint, as if he was surprised to see me there.
Maybe he was surprised to see a woman accompanying Lloyd, and a part of me wanted to make it clear we weren’t a couple, but I stayed quiet.
I hadn’t been introduced yet, and I didn’t want to come off as pushy.
The whisky glass he was holding in his tattooed hand, that was so close to his lips he was about to take a sip, froze, and he stared at me for a second, before lowering the glass, leaving it untouched.
Perhaps he knew I was from The Echo, and he was readying himself to be on his guard.
But I didn’t get an eye roll like Lloyd. Maybe there was hope for me yet.
I watched as the muscles in his tattooed neck contracted as he swallowed, and then he took a deep breath and my stomach rolled, despite trying to hold my nerve, and I swallowed too.
Had it gotten really hot in here all of a sudden?
“I’m so glad you could all make it tonight. It promises to be quite the event,” Lloyd announced to the group, a smarmy grin on his face as he glanced at each man.
Alex Kingston’s gaze moved from me to Lloyd, he hummed in acknowledgment, then lifted his glass again and took a sip of his drink, staring ahead without uttering a word.
I felt self-conscious and wished I had a glass in my hand to give me something to distract my racing mind and unwelcome nerves.
I wanted to appear professional, but this group was a tough one to read.
There was something vaguely familiar about Alex Kingston, and yet, for the life of me, I couldn’t place where I might’ve seen him before.
Perhaps it was in the newspaper or online, like when you see a famous person in the street and your mind convinces you that they’re an old friend, until your brain kicks into gear and you remember exactly who they are.
Hopefully my brain would kick into gear soon.
Tobey Falstead, the Hanby heir, was the first to break the tension.
“It’s been quite the evening already and we haven’t even seen the main event yet,” he stated jovially, and then he turned to give me a dazzling smile. “I don’t think we’ve met.” And he thrust his arm out to shake my hand.
“This is Tobey Falstead,” Lloyd butted in. “Creator of Linto, heir to the Hanby fortune and... oh, goodness me, forgive my ignorance. I can’t for the life of me remember where you ranked on the Forbes list this year.”
I heard Alex Kingston quietly groan and curse under his breath beside me, and I tried to hide my grin. He clearly had the measure of Lloyd.
“Good God, man,” Tobey scoffed, holding in a laugh.
“Is that how you introduce everybody?” Then he turned to address me again.
“I’m pleased to meet you. I’m Tobey.” He gave Lloyd a look, and with a raised eyebrow, he said, “Let’s leave the Forbes bullshit to Alex, yeah? I don’t factor on that list quite yet.”
I heard a whispered, ‘Oh, fuck off,’ from Alex Kingston’s direction and I suppressed a laugh.
“Right.” Lloyd blushed, but continued to smile confidently to cover it up. He obviously thought he was tighter with these men than he was.
“Being on a list means nothing. It’s pointless,” Alex Kingston cut in, and I turned to look at him as he stared ahead. “It’s what you do with your life that really counts.” His gaze focused on Lloyd then. “And how you treat people.”
Lloyd just grinned back, oblivious to any subtle undertones or shade that might’ve been thrown his way.
And I found myself staring at Alex and his flawless, tanned skin, wondering who this enigma of a man was.
A duke, a rich man, and one who thought the way you treat people was important. A paradox, some might say.
So he was one of those billionaires with morals?
Did they even exist?
Apparently so.
I had to admit one thing though; this trio wasn’t living up to the first impression they’d given me from across the room. I was feeling less awkward and out of place the more they spoke. They were actually quite welcoming and gave off a soothing aura.
Surreptitiously, I watched Alex as he continued to talk about principles he valued in life, and I couldn’t help but focus on the delicious stubble on his jaw, that made me want to reach out and touch it, feeling the coarse bristles against my fingertips.
If I was weirdo, that is. I think I needed to get my own principles in check, but he had the type of piercing green eyes that made it difficult to concentrate.
They seemed to peer right into your soul and make your stomach roll with excitement, at least, they did when he glanced my way.
And when he spoke, the deep reverberations of his tone made my insides flutter, and my skin prickle with awareness that I was standing so close to a man who was more handsome than anyone I’d ever seen in my life.
One that appeared to have good and strong values.
This man was even more beautiful up close than he had been from across the room, if you could call a man like him beautiful. He was rugged, but in a perfectly polished way. And he had a fire in him, that much was clear to see from the way he was currently conducting himself. He took no bullshit.
“Don’t play coy with us, Kingston,” Tobey joked, bringing a lighter mood to the conversation. “We all know how much you love making a list and seeing your face in the news.”
Alex Kingston huffed a laugh, his expression softening as he regarded his friend. And as he ran his hand over his stubbled jaw, I stared at the tribal tattoos on the back of his hand and tried not to moan. Hand tattoos were a weakness of mine.
“The only time I’ll get any joy from seeing my face in the news,” Alex announced gruffly, “Is if it’s my mugshot after I’ve rid the world of anyone who thinks it’s a good idea to make a fucking rich list. There’s people who can’t afford to live, show some fucking humility, I say.”
Tobey winked in acknowledgment. “Touche. I’m all for helping a worthy cause.” Then he quietly chuckled to himself. “But if you were at the top spot, you wouldn’t be salty about it. You’d love it. Admit it.”
“Never,” he replied in a bored tone, then I noticed the hint of a smile escape the corner of his mouth.
A smirk he quickly erased as he took another sip from his cut glass, crystal tumbler, a glass that no one else in this room seemed to have, before glancing my way again.
Instantly, a cloud of intensity cloaked him as he looked directly at me, creating more knots in my stomach as he smiled and asked, “Are you having a good night?”
I am now.