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Instead of the laughter he’d expected, Grace gave him a wistful smile. “Would it be so terrible? Us married? We’re closing in on thirty and neither of us has found our soulmate.” She took a sip of her champagne and gave an awkward shrug. “We’re friends—we could make it work.”
Soulmates.There was that word again. It left a strange ache in his chest.
“Grace,” he chose his words with diplomacy, “you are a beautiful, intelligent woman, and you deserve a man who views you as his entire world, not simply as a friend.”
A lifetime ago, he’d thought Nathalie was his world. She hadn’t agreed. Hopefully, Grace would take more care than Nathalie had with any heart handed to her for safekeeping.
“And that’s not you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No matter.” Her chin lifted on a rally. “You’ve agreed to be my date for the tournament, and I’m holding you to it. Now,” she dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “I shall proceed to ignore you for the rest of the evening before the Earl and Countess Cannington get their hopes up.”
“Brilliant.” He leaned down, giving her access to his cheek for a kiss.
“Daddy has asked me to visit some of our business partners in the States early next week, but I should be back by Thursday and will be in touch about the weekend.” She waggled her fingers and left with a swish of her skirt.
He watched her flow through the crowd, an old hand at navigating high society.
Where was a bloody server with a fresh tray of drinks? Ryder’s gaze roved the crowd.
It landed on his older sister, Rebecca, dressed in a sleek royal blue gown that hugged her slim figure. She held court with a trio of investors who belonged to their father’s elite social club.
Her cool gaze connected with his. She excused herself and sashayed toward him.
His chest tightened. He could really use another drink.
It was a miracle Becca hadn’t tried to kill him. Although, to her credit, he didn’t think his sister wanted him dead. She did, however, want to run Arborleigh Holdings one day and knew their father still expected Ryder would come to his senses, marry well, and take over the family empire.
“Ryder.” Becca angled her cheek for him to kiss. “I understand you had the chance to speak with Mum and Dad.” Her dry tone held a hint of amusement.
“Ah, yes. They instructed me to mingle and locate a suitable bride. Speaking of which, congratulations on your engagement to Percy. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to attend the party.” He’d been too busy trying to help his friend and colleague, Nathan Long, locate Nathan’s now-fiancée, Emily Dane, after a Parisian sex trafficker abducted her.
Becca waved away his apology with an elegantly manicured hand sporting a conspicuous diamond. “I got your flowers. Besides,” she speared Ryder with an arch look, “that was a year ago, and we’re used to you skipping important family events.”
Right then.
“Becca, I may be back in London, but I have no plans to join Arborleigh. I have a career I quite enjoy.”
Becca took a sip from her flute and regarded him through narrowed eyes. “Father hates your job. He considers it unseemly for someone with your breeding and education.”
The pressure in Ryder’s chest intensified. He hadn’t had a panic attack in eight years, and he wasn’t about to have one now.
He leaned down and placed his lips next to his sister’s ear. “You should have figured out by now I don’t give a damn what Father thinks.” He straightened, saluted her with his empty glass, and handed it to a nearby server before heading for the exit.
He’d shown up, as Sadie had requested. If there was one positive from Nathalie Williams’s rejection eight years ago, it was that it had given him the impetus to join the military and leave this life behind. At the time, he’d thought he had nothing left to lose. Instead, it had given him the opportunity to carve out his own path.
He didn’t fit in here. Never had.
“Lord Montague.”
Fuck.
He’d been so close to an escape.
The voice behind Ryder was unfamiliar, with a Chinese accent, and using the courtesy title Ryder despised. He’d done his research on the guest list and knew who it had to be. Liu Jianjun, the Chinese tech billionaire with known ties to the Ministry of State Security—China’s intelligence agency.
Who also was buying up property in London and using Arborleigh Holdings to do it. Ryder had tried to warn his father against doing business with a man British intelligence considered a potential threat to national security.