Page 31

“Where, exactly, do you play bingo?” He had to be joking.

Senior centers if I’m feeling social. At home if I’m not.He shrugged.My staff enjoy the game as much as I do.

I tried to picture Vuk Markovic playing a rousing game of bingo with his staff in that giant mansion of his.

I could no more imagine a lion breaking out into dance in a tutu and tiara.

Still, the image of Vuk enjoying something so mundane was oddly charming. It lent him a rare sheen of normality—if he wasn’t lying about the bingo, that was. I still wasn’t sure.

“How old did you say you were again?” I teased. “Eighty?”

Bingo is a game of chance. No complexity required. It’s the perfect activity to help me unwind after making decisions at work all day.

I never thought of it that way. “Do you win often?”

Vuk’s mouth curved a fraction more. His eyes glittered, pale and sharp as crystals.I always win.

On anyone else, the arrogance would’ve been astounding. On him, it was a mere fact of life.

Vuk Markovic always got what he wanted.

The party swirled around us. Lilah’s preview was scheduled to start soon, and Hank was still lurking somewhere, but it was impossible to focus on those things when exhilaration fizzed through my veins.

As much as I liked Lilah, I’d spent all week dreading tonight’s event. I didn’t want to make small talk with industry people, and I only came because Jordan asked me to. Hank’s unwelcome appearance solidified my dread.

For better or worse, Vuk’s presence wiped that away in one fell swoop.

When I first moved to New York, I’d dated casually. However, none of the men were interested in anything more than a one-night stand or a trophy girlfriend. The more I advanced in my career, the worse my options got, and now that I was engaged, I couldn’t evenattemptto date anyone else.

I wasn’t trying to date Vuk—this was not a man who “dated” anyone—but when I was around him, my world opened up again. The potential, the possibilities…the rush ofwhat if.

He gave me a glimpse at what my life would look like if it were mine again.

Vuk stepped closer to allow another attendee past. His shirt grazed my chest, ever so lightly, and little fireflies danced all over my skin.

His eyes appeared darker up close. More heated.

“There you are.” The sudden sound of Jordan’s voice was the equivalent of getting tossed out into a snowstorm after cozying up by the fire all night.

I jerked back, my heart skittering even though Vuk and I hadn’t been doing anything wrong.

Vuk’s expression wiped blank as Jordan came up beside me. He’d returned from Rhode Island that morning, just in time for tonight’s highly anticipated preview.

He hadn’t updated me on his grandmother’s health yet, but he had alluded to the fact that we needed to discuss something important.

“Vuk! Good to see you.” Jordan clapped his friend on the shoulder. “I was just looking for you.”

The other man responded with a cool nod. All the banked heat I thought I’d detected earlier was gone; not a trace of emotion marred those features carved of ice and stone.

The corners of my world folded in again. Possibilities blinked out one by one like stars dying in the night.

Once more, I was Ayana Kidane, the supermodel and doting fiancée.

I wanted to scream.

“The preview is about to start, so this is perfect. There’s something I need to tell you.Bothof you.” Jordan rubbed a hand over his mouth. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and unease trickled into my bloodstream. “As you know, my grandmother got sick last week, but it wasn’t a passing illness. She was diagnosed with a lung disease. Apparently, she found out last month but hadn’t told us. I spoke with her doctor, and the prognosis isn’t good. He said she likely won’t be mobile by the end of the year.” His tone was bleak. “I spent the week with her, and after much…discussion, she made her wishes clear.”

Concrete blocks piled up in my stomach.Oh no.