Page 70 of Ungodly Rich

“The Porcellian Club.” Preston sounded miffed at having to explain himself.

“No. I didn’t attend Harvard.”

Harry must have sensed Julia’s unease, because his arm slipped around her waist, reassuring and perhaps a touch proprietary. As if to warn Preston not to push his luck.

“My mistake.” Preston chuckled. “I thought I recognized a fellow brother, but I guess the only thing we have in common is Julia.” He said her name meaningfully, making it abundantly clear in what context, exactly, he knew Julia.

Heat flooded Julia’s cheeks. She felt Harry’s arm tighten around her waist. To her relief, Bruce and Tara had entered their own conversation with the senator, so they were unaware of the drama unfolding among the young people several feet away.

“You two…,” Harry began.

“We dated, all of senior year,” Preston said, too loudly.

“Funny. Julia and I have been together for some time. She’s never mentioned you.” Harry’s voice was casual, but Julia heard the knife-edge of warning beneath.

Preston’s swagger seemed to fade a little, but then he flashed that smile again—the one that had always opened doors, made girls fall into his lap, made professors rush to forgive him. Except Julia knew, now, that it wasn’t really about his handsome smile. Things fell into his lap because of his family’s money and power.

Both of which the Ellenes had in spades.

“Congratulations,” Preston said again to Harry. “I’ve always thought Julia was the one that got away. Or maybeI’mthe one that got away?” he added with a laugh. “I guess the jury’s still out!”

Finally, Julia found her voice.

“I think I’m the one who was lucky to get away, given your history of cheating.” Julia spoke lightly, but she saw Preston’s eyes flash. She felt perversely glad to have pissed him off.

Then, summoning her most Tara-esque voice, she stepped back. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to find the event planner.”

Julia had to leave this conversation now, before she did somethingshe might regret. Slapping a senator’s son at an engagement party was hardly the careful behavior that Tara had requested.

“Jules,” Harry murmured, but she brushed past him.

That was when she saw Valentine watching her again. The woman gave a pleased little smirk and tilted her head in Preston’s direction, as if to say,You’re welcome.

Julia nearly stumbled in her high heels.

She thought back to the other night, at the Four Seasons bar, when Abby had asked her about Preston. Could Valentine have eavesdropped on them somehow? Julia hadn’t seen her there, but she recalled how the waitress had awkwardly lingered near their table. Was it possible that Valentine had bribed the woman to listen in on their conversation, maybe evenrecordit?

The very notion felt outlandish, but Julia was starting to realize that there was nothing these rich people wouldn’t do.

Maybe it was time she and Valentine had a conversation. An honest one this time.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Aphrodite

Aphrodite was in the garden, pretending to study the water that gurgled from a marble fountain. Back on the terrace, a mere twenty yards away, guests drifted by in a brightly colored blur. The low hum of their conversation had grown louder as everyone moved on to their second or third cocktail. And these were regular drinks, not even spiked by Dionysus—at least, as far as Aphrodite could tell.

Footsteps sounded down the walk, and Aphrodite looked up, unsurprised to see Julia marching toward her.

“Julia! How is your night going? You look beautiful!” Aphrodite reached out to play with the silk of Julia’s dress, well aware that the mortal would find it annoying.

Irritatingly, Julia did look beautiful, even if she was wearing a dress that Tara had clearly selected: a white silk thing with a high neck and long sleeves. Aphrodite suspected that it was from one of the British designers’ “mature” lines.

Julia pushed her hand away. “How did you do it?” she demanded.

“I’m sorry?” Aphrodite asked, though she knew perfectly well what she was being accused of.

She had summoned the ghosts of Julia’s past to wreak havoc on her future.