Page 31

W ith a soft sigh, my eyes rove over the crowd of mingling elites once more while waiting for Arius to pause his droning diatribe regarding future business acquisitions and investments. Bloody hell, if I have to endure one more minute of this insipid prattle about mergers or whatever shite, I might actually scream. Don’t these posh wankers have anything better to discuss beyond the relentless pursuit of lining their already-overflowing coffers?

Small mercies that at least Arius is taking the brunt of this conversation—every conversation, really—leaving me free to sip my champagne and simply zone out with a vaguely polite smile fixed in place. A practised facade to conceal my utter boredom and growing irritation at being continuously overlooked like some decorative houseplant. Not a single one of these pompous bastards has even deigned to acknowledge my existence thus far, not unless it’s a half-hearted nod or mumbled greeting after being introduced by Arius.

It’s painfully obvious how these starched collars view me—a pretty bauble dangling from Arius’ arm, nothing more than a glorified trophy meant to be admired but never truly engaged with. Just another vapid socialite prized solely for her ability to play the doting, demure fixture at her beau’s side whilst he handles the real business. Christ, even the sycophantic staff hovering about with fresh platters seem to spare me nothing more than a cursory glance.

Which is why, despite not indulging in more than a few polite sips for appearances, I’m sorely tempted to simply chug the remaining contents of my crystal flute and beeline straight for the bar. Perhaps if I can dull my senses into that deliciously numb haze of inebriation, then the remainder of this damnable charade might become bearable.

Decision made, I steal one last furtive glance towards Arius, who seems engrossed in whatever the hell that wizened crone next to him is blathering about. Something to do with solidifying various investments and branching out into untapped markets, if those randomly dropped keywords are anything to go by. Boring shite.

Bracing myself, I ease back, preparing to slip off towards that tempting mahogany bar with its endless bottles gleaming like jewels under those soft amber lights. Surely Arius wouldn’t notice my absence for a short while, not if he remains so bloody absorbed in whatever business deal is being brokered…

… only to find myself abruptly yanked flush against his unyielding side mere seconds later, one of those thick, muscled arms banded like an iron bar across my waist. It’s a silent warning not to stray too far.

Jaw clenching, I resist the urge to sag against Arius’ broad form, cheeks flushing hotly with a cocktail of embarrassment and impotent rage at being so summarily reined back into the fold like a wayward filly. As if sensing my mounting humiliation, Arius disengages almost immediately, a low murmur of apologies tumbling from those sculpted lips before he’s steering us away towards one of the branching hallways.

The instant we round the corner and that oppressive press of bodies eases, I rip myself free and whirl to face him head-on, arms crossing defensively over my chest. “What the fuck was that about?” I snap, tone laced with accusation as a derisive sneer twists my lips. “Bad enough being ignored all night, but now I can’t even manage thirty seconds out of your orbit before getting hauled back like an ill-trained mutt?”

Arius doesn’t blink at my heated vitriol, merely loosens his tie and stares back with an infuriatingly blank expression. Impassive, almost bored, as if he hasn’t just publicly humiliated me in front of that entire room of preening socialites.

“Well?” I prompt after several tense beats. “You plan on explaining your latest wanker behaviour, or are you just going to stand there choking on your own tongue?”

One dark brow arches at the crude barb, though Arius doesn’t rise. Just resumes that slow, predatory pacing, seemingly wrestling with churning thoughts. Back and forth, boots striking the polished floors at an unhurried cadence whilst he tugs at the already-loosened knot of that silk tie.

The tension is palpable, stretching with each passing second of terse quiet.

Finally, I can bear the stifling silence no longer. Huffing out an exasperated breath, I shake my head and motion towards his agitated movements. “Are you having some kind of panic attack, or…?”

Arius pauses mid-stride, those hooded eyes pinning me. “No,” he says, emphatic yet maintaining outward calm. “I’m not having a panic attack.”

“Then fucking explain yourself!” I explode, palms slapping against my thighs with frustration as I rock back on my heels. “Tell me what the bloody fuck is even happening here, because I’m sick of being strung along like a prized show pony without a single clue! Like yeah, it was funny at first but it’s quickly become clear I have no idea what I’m even supposed to be doing.”

With a dark scowl twisting his chiselled features, Arius meets my heated glare head-on without flinching. “Absolutely not,” he growls, voice pitched low and guttural. “I can’t indulge a single bloody thing to you, , not yet.”

The visceral denial hangs heavy between us, a palpable tension crackling like live wires in the suffocating space separating our rigid stances. Part of me wants to keep badgering him for answers, to prod at that steely resolve until it buckles under the relentless onslaught. Yet another part, the one quickly losing patience with this charade, simply wants to cut my losses and walk away with whatever dwindling shreds of dignity remain intact.

Jaw clenched until the muscles feather with strain, I inhale a deep, steadying breath through flared nostrils. The faint vetiver notes of Arius’ cologne intermingle with the woodsy undertones wafting up from the hardwood underfoot, an intoxicatingly heady blend that does nothing to soothe my fraying temper. If anything, it only ratchets the simmering resentment coiling through my core higher as a stark reminder that this entire bloody evening has been one giant exercise in futility.

With a curt nod, I turn on my heel and begin striding down the branching hallway in brisk, purposeful strides, the whisper of my silk gown rustling with each furious step taken. If Arius refuses to be forthright, to shed even a scant ray of light on the utter madness currently unfolding, then fuck it. What’s truly the worst he can realistically do if I simply remove myself from this asinine situation? Chain me up in whatever godforsaken dungeon he and his mates have rigged for their sadistic amusement?

At this point, anything seems more bearable than remaining a moment longer, to be continuously strung along without a single clue as to the endgame. I’m halfway towards the distant double doors leading back out towards the foyer when the measured cadence of Arius’ boots suddenly sounds behind me, that deep baritone laced with scathing reproof.

“And just where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

The words have barely left his lips before I whirl on my heel, eyes blazing with righteous fury as I gesture towards the doors with an emphatic slash of one hand. “Home,” I snarl, chin canted upwards in defiance of his clear authority. “Since you seem so bloody determined to keep me in the dark, I’d say my presence here is rather pointless, wouldn’t you? I figured, at the very fucking least, that I’d be able to enjoy myself. How ignorantly optimistic that was.”

A muscle twitches along Arius’ jaw, that steely gaze hardening into chips of flint as he closes the remaining distance in three long strides. One of those thick, veined hands abruptly lashes out with blinding speed, brutally snagging me around the bicep and wrenching me forward until we’re nose to nose. The vice-like grip tightens incrementally, fingers dimpling the material of my sleeve as he hauls me flush against that towering frame. I can feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat against my sternum, surprisingly at odds with the scathing vitriol dripping from those sculpted lips.

“You go home when I fucking say so,” Arius bites out, his words dripping with venom. “Not a second before, . I won’t have you throwing a tantrum and disappearing from this gala. I’d have to explain your absence to everyone here.”

I yank my arm back, trying to break free from his grip. “Like anybody would even notice I’m gone,” I spit, humiliation burning through me. “Let’s be real, Arius—none of these pompous arseholes have even looked my way all night. I’m nobody to them, just another trophy on your arm for show.”

Something flickers across his face at my words, his eyes darting away for a moment. The muscle in his jaw twitches again before he raises his gaze back to my face, his expression neutral.

“It’s about appearances, whether those arrogant fucks acknowledge you or not. They acknowledge me,” he says, his voice low. His grip on my arm loosens slightly, his thumb brushing over the pulse point in my elbow. “You’re here with me because this is where you belong, . At my side, no matter what anyone else thinks.”

I can’t help but scoff. “That’s bullshite, Arius, and you know it,” I retort, raising an eyebrow. “We both know the only reason I’m here is because it suits your agenda. Don’t feed me that crap about belonging with you when it’s all just coercion and force.”

The moment the words leave my mouth, Arius flinches like I’ve slapped him. He swallows hard, all traces of his usual arrogance gone. It’s so jarring that I feel a flicker of doubt through my anger. I’ve clearly hit a nerve, unwittingly peeling back a layer to see something vulnerable underneath.

Arius closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He lets go of me and walks over to a stack of folding chairs against the wall. He grabs one and sets it down, then sits, finally meeting my eyes again.

“That’s not true,” he says, his voice rough with emotion. “And I hate that you’ve been made to feel that way by the others—by me. Like you don’t matter, like you’re just an accessory I show off when I want to.”

He rubs a hand over his face, his jaw clenching. I frown, caught off guard by this shift in his behaviour. Is that regret I see? Or maybe pain?

Arius avoids my gaze, sighing before he speaks again. “If I answer even one of your questions, , I’m risking everything—our future—in ways you can’t understand right now.”

I shake my head, still bitter. “How can it be that serious?” I argue, gesturing around us. “We’re at some fancy party, not breaking into MI6 or uncovering some government conspiracy. The stakes can’t be that high.”

The question hangs between us as I watch Arius’ mask finally crumble completely. He licks his lips nervously before meeting my eyes again.

“If they knew, the Order would have us both killed for my failure to keep you in the dark before the final trial.” Arius sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair.

“Look, , I can’t tell you everything right now, but this is way more complicated than it looks,” he says seriously. “The Order I’m in, all the traditions and initiations—it’s all tied to power structures and legacies that have been around for generations. Questioning or stepping out of line could have serious consequences.”

He looks at me steadily. “I’m not trying to blow you off or dismiss how you feel. But there’s bigger stuff going on here that I have to be careful about, for both of us. All I’m asking is that you trust that I’m doing what I need to, even if you don’t get why yet.”

Arius shakes his head slowly. “This gala, these events—they’re about more than just hanging out with rich people. There’s evaluations, power plays, subtle shite happening behind the scenes. I need you with me through all of it, not just for show, but because…” He pauses, like he’s choosing his words carefully. “Because your part in this is bigger than you know right now. I just need you to believe that I’ll explain when I can. Can you do that?”

He looks at me openly, waiting for my answer. It’s clear there’s more going on under the surface that Arius is trying to navigate, even if I’m not allowed to see it all yet. Now it’s up to me—push harder for answers, or trust him and see where this leads, no matter how confusing it is.