Page 173 of Indecent Obsession
I’m not sure if this dress was a great idea. Only time will tell. I have been getting noticed a lot more than usual.
Drew pulls me in to introduce me to the people he’s talking to. I smile politely and shake hands. I’m gracious and courteous. The perfect little socialite date he can show off to everyone. The women compliment my dress or the diamonds while the men tell me how beautiful I look tonight. Drew preens like he’s the one that picked them out.
His hand never leaves me as we work our way through the crowd. It’s almost alarming how many people Drew knows or who know him. Women bat their eyelashes at him while men shake his hand and act like he’s their best friend.
From what I can tell, he’s not friends with any of these people. The way he acts with Owen and even my guys is completely different than this forced politeness. It’s the mask he wears to protect himself in this world.
We all need one. I need to settle into mine before we meet up with the others again. We finally join our group, but it’s too early to go to the table.
Verity holds on to Wyatt’s arm like he’s a trophy she won. Nancy steps closer to me.
“So, we hate her, right?” Nancy’s arm brushes mine.
Unfortunately, we do. But I can’t say that in polite conversation with someone I’ve known for only a few minutes. And who doesn’t seem interested in Dante at all, but very interested in me.
Dante pauses in front of me. I tip my chin up to meet those cool, guarded blue eyes of his. That rush of heat when he’s near sears through me.
“I’ll get drinks.” His gaze shifts to Drew. “You’ll stay with her.”
It’s not a question, but Drew slides his arm behind me and wraps his hand around my hip possessively. “I’ve got her.”
I want to roll my eyes. What the hell could happen here in front of all these people? It’s not like we’ve even seen the man I saw watching me since I’ve been living with the guys. Maybe he wasn’t watching me after all. Maybe Tom just had me freaked out, and I imagined it because I was all alone in that house.
Dante nods to Finn.
“Finny,” Olivia whines and pouts. “I’ll miss you.”
Finn laughs and chucks her under the chin. “I’ll be right over there, getting you the best wine.”
She smiles at his attention before he steps away.
Wyatt lets Verity paw at his arm as Finn and Dante walk to the bar.
“Would I know Natasha?” Wyatt asks quietly. Olivia steps closer to Nancy and asks her about her shoes. I pretend to be interested in the shoe conversation but pay attention to Verity’s answer.
“Maybe.” Verity toys with her necklace pendant. She gives him a coy look. “I’m glad Tom finally hooked us up. I’ve been wanting to get to know you for a very long time.”
“Didn’t your friend tell you she wasn’t going to be here?” Wyatt doesn’t look at me. If she was going to be Tom’s date, is she still waiting at home for him?
Verity shrugs daintily. “Natasha left me a message that she was going out of town, but she didn’t say she’d miss the fundraiser.”
Her eyes snap to mine and she gives me a gloating smile. “I’m so glad we were still able to make it out.”
Wyatt makes a noncommittal noise. I’m tempted to ask when her friend went out of town. Maybe that’s all this really is for Tom, a chance to hook up. Maybe he realized it would cause trouble and that’s why he wanted me protected, but it wouldn’t explain the break-in.
I’m grasping at straws because in the end I don’t want either of us to be in danger. I want Tom to come home safe and sound and for me to go on doing what I’m doing with the others. But that won’t happen.
My insides twist. I want Tom to come home. But when he does, this thing with Dante, Wyatt, and Finn ends. If it continues, it’s because Tom isn’t home. I can’t have it both ways. Even if I could, my mother would never approve. Tom would never approve.
I can’t lose my family to have the guys in my life.
All I can do is push it all down and worry about the fallout when it actually happens. But tonight, I need to focus on getting through this.
Finn
“Finny?” Dante chuckles as we join the line at the bar.
“I honestly don’t know what I was thinking.” I shake my head and glance back toward our party. Olivia gives me a little finger wave. Seriously, what was I thinking?
