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DAVINA

The last place I wanted to be was at Chester’s.

It was enough having to deal with him for work and lunch during meetings with people like Kyla—not that I had a problem with Kyla. I liked her so far—but to put it simply, Chester was the kind of person you only spent time around for money’s sake. Not for fun.

I’d planned on spending the rest of the night reading for a little bit or watching TV while I sifted through emails, but that’d been pushed to the side, thanks to Deke. He knew exactly what he was doing, and I was not pleased that it worked.

Of course, my sister was excited to go. She looked up the address for Chester’s condo, and it was the definition of luxury, with its water views, its glass balconies, and a whole restaurant and bar on the main floor.

“I’m about to add every single moment of this night to my stories,” she said as we pulled up to the towering building in an Uber. “It’s so nice having a rich sister.”

I scoffed. “I am not rich.”

When the car came to a complete stop, we climbed out, and I braced myself for the night ahead. Once we were checked in with the doorman, we took the glass elevator up. Octavia held her phone up in the air to record a video of herself in the transparent box.

“You weren’t joking about adding every single moment, were you?”

“Uh, no. All my followers are about to know I’m that girl,” she said, tapping away at her screen. I laughed.

The elevator opened with a soft chime and welcomed us to the penthouse floor. I could hear music playing from a distance and spotted Chester’s room number at the end of the hallway.

“We aren’t gonna be here all night, okay?” I fixed my dress, a black bodycon with thick spaghetti straps. The dress was Octavia’s, and it was riding up my damn legs. I forgot Octavia liked her clothes a little risqué.

Other than the dress I’d worn to lunch, I had no other cute outfits to go out in, and something told me showing up to a party at Chester’s required a fresher fit. All that was left in my suitcase was a set of pajamas and a comfy jumpsuit that I was saving for my flight back to Charlotte.

“Okay, but if this is an open bar type of situation, let’s at least stay for an hour and take advantage of it.” Octavia finger-combed her locs as she peered at her phone screen, with the front camera open.

“We’ll see.” I gave the door a knock, and it was answered in a matter of seconds. A woman appeared, older, with pale skin. Her hair was mousy brown and stringy, and she had fine lines around her mouth.

“Hi! Davina, right?” she asked.

I threw my hand up. “That’s me.”

“Come in, come in!” the woman insisted, gesturing for us to hurry inside.

We walked into a spacious, dimly lit condo. Jazz music poured from hidden speakers, and there were at least twenty or so people here, with drinks in hand, mingling or laughing. “Chester has told me all about you! I’m his wife, Caroline.”

“Nice to meet you, Caroline.” I gave her hand a shake while trying to remember a time Chester mentioned having a wife. He didn’t wear a wedding band ... then again, when I looked at her hands, I noticed she wasn’t wearing one either.

“Follow me. I’ll show you to him.” Caroline was already walking across the room, and I trailed behind her in my heels.

She stepped through two french doors that revealed a glass balcony with a skyline view of buildings peppered in gold lighting. Chester was outside, chatting with a tan man with bright-green eyes. I started to smile when I saw my investor, but as I stepped farther out, that’s when I caught Deke on the other side of him.

Shit. I was really hoping he wouldn’t show. He had better places to be. Why would a man as lively as him voluntarily come to a party full of old bores?

“Chester, honey! Davina’s here!” Caroline sang, and when she did, Deke’s head swung to find me.

I forced a smile, avoiding Deke’s searing gaze while giving Chester a quick hug.

“Glad you’re here, Davina. Please, help yourself to the hors d’oeuvres and drinks. We have two bars set up, and drinks are on the house.”

“This is why I love rich people,” Octavia murmured. “Be right back.” She left the balcony to find the nearest bar.

Chester introduced me to the tan man next to him, but once that was over, they returned to their conversation from before.

I tried not to look but couldn’t help myself when my eyes connected with Deke’s.

“You look good,” he said, stepping closer. A drink with ice in a short glass tumbler was in his hand. His silky gray shirt was paired with dark-wash jeans and a pair of designer loafers. Two chains hung from his neck, one thick and one slim, and his diamond earrings glinted beneath the dim lights. He smelled just like he did the first time we met.

“You look good too,” I said, doing my best to keep my heart from racing. Impossible. My heart always sped up around him. He made me so damn nervous, which was crazy, because I had no reason to be.

Deke finally took his eyes off me to gesture inside. “Want a drink?”

I nodded. “Was just about to grab one.”

I entered the condo, with Deke close behind me—so close I could feel the heat of his body on my backside. I made a beeline for the bar where Octavia had ordered herself a cocktail. It was a signature drink for the night, called the Hey, Miami. I found it on the short menu and ordered one for myself.

Octavia moved away from the bar but only to stand next to Deke. He turned a fraction to face her, a slow smile materializing.

“Octavia, right?” he asked.

She provided a little curtsy. “That’s me.”

I collected my drink, when it was ready, and stood next to her.

“What’s up with your friend Javier? Is he always an asshole?” she probed.

“When it comes to looking out for his daughter, yeah,” Deke answered with a chuckle. “Why? What’d he say?”

“I was giving Aleesa a little tickle, and he was all ‘Oh, do not tickle her right now. She is very tired and needs a nap.’” Octavia frowned while taking a sip of her drink. “He’s a helicopter parent. Those are the worst.”

“Are they?” a voice asked behind us. Octavia whirled around, only to find Javier standing a few steps away with Aleesa in his arms.

“Oh—Javier! Hey!” Octavia chimed, but he wasn’t having it. He looked my sister up and down in her beige jumper and heels with a deep frown.

“Aleesa could not sleep. Probably because she had way too much candy today.” He shot a pointed look at Deke, who twisted his lips like he was innocent. “So I figured I would bring her to the party tonight to burn some energy and so she can get to know you a little more. Chester said it was okay to bring her, so I figured it could not hurt. But since I am the worst and too much of a helicopter, as you put it, maybe this was the wrong decision.”

“Oop,” I quipped, then hid a smile behind my drink.

Octavia hit me with her elbow and caused some of my drink to spill. “I didn’t mean it like that, Javier. I just meant—I mean, I get why you’re so protective of her.” Octavia looked from me to Deke, searching for an out.

Deke provided one by capping Javier’s shoulder and saying, “She didn’t mean it like that. But you gotta admit, you are an asshole sometimes, man.”

Javier didn’t smile, but his shoulders did drop a notch. He returned his attention to Octavia, then lifted a mini pink backpack, offering it to her. “Let’s see if you can do better.”

Octavia’s eyes widened, and she immediately set down her drink and took the backpack, sliding it onto her shoulder.

Javier placed Aleesa on her feet, and Octavia smiled as she lowered to one knee. “You wanna go see the city lights?” my sister asked.

“Lice! Yes!” Aleesa clapped her hands.

“Yeah? Come on.” Octavia scooped Aleesa up and headed for the balcony. Javier followed right after.

“You might want to tell your sister that working for Javier will be the worst decision of her life.” Deke laughed, standing next to me.

“Meh.” I shrugged. “I think she can handle him.”

“Good luck to her, then.” Deke’s body moved a bit, and he stood so close to me I could feel the heat of it again. “Will you walk with me? I wanna show you something.”