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“For charity,” I echo. “Right.”

“I assume Ezra invited you?”

“He did.”

His eyes are calculating, and I keep my expression carefully blank.

“I hear you have been doing well representing dear Bianca,” he remarks, bringing his own glass to his lips, his blue eyes still on me. “But you have always given Ezra a run for his money, haven’t you.”

“I try,” I answer tightly.

“He must really…respect you,” Alexander says with that same unkind smile. “It is rare for him to invite friends to these functions.”

“I don’t know if I would call us friends.”

“Oh?” Alexander leans in closer, enough that I can smell his too-strong cologne. “What would you call yourselves then?”

“Dani.”

I take a step back from Alexander to put distance between us, finding a very irritated-looking Ezra standing beside us. “Ezra.”

He’s gorgeous in his tailored black suit, his golden skin and hair seeming richer against the dark color. Even angry, his green eyes are hard to look away from. It’s why I’ve always done my best not to look too deeply. I’ve always been afraid I might get lost there.

“I was just complimenting your…friend on her efforts with the Casiraghi case,” Alexander explains. “Ah.” He flashes me that creepy smile again. “But you said you are not friends, correct?”

“Senator Wilson is looking for you,” Ezra tells his father evenly.

Alexander nods before winking at me, and I have to fight back the urge to shudder. “Duty calls, I suppose. It was good to see you, Ms. Pierce.” He levels a stare at Ezra, clapping him on the shoulder. “Come say hi. The senator and his wife are big supporters.”

“Sure,” Ezra mutters sullenly.

I wait until he’s gone to speak. “I know he’s your dad, but that guy gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah.” Ezra’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “I didn’t think you were coming.”

“Neither did I,” I tell him honestly.

Like his father’s, Ezra’s eyes sweep down the length of me, but this time, it fills me with heat instead of the chilled sensation Alexander left. “You look…” He pauses, working through a swallow, and I feel goose bumps creeping across my skin as he takes in my red silk dress. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks,” I say quietly. I clear my throat, looking past him at the room we’re standing in. “This place is…something.”

“Alexander has never been one for subtlety,” Ezra tells me.

I nod. “I can see that.”

“I’m really glad you came,” he says in a low tone that’s meant just for me. “I have to go talk to them, but…stay? I’ll find you in a bit.”

The old Dani would argue with him, would be bristling at him telling me what to do, even posed slightly like a question, but this Dani…she’s nodding. Subtly, but still.

“Okay.”

This time his smile feels more real, and it surprises me how much I enjoy seeing it.

“Good.” He reaches to gently brush his fingers over my elbow, and even this slight touch is enough to fill my stomach with butterflies. “I’m glad you’re here.”

I open my mouth to answer, but the words won’t come. This is all new territory for me. So I nod again, because it’s all I can think to do. I watch him weave through the crowd, my eyes lingering on his back for far too long, long enough that I don’t even know how much time has passed when I jolt at a hand on my shoulder.

“Where did you find champagne?” Nate quizzes. “I got you one of those Popsicle drinks you like.”