Page 26 of Dangerous Men

SYDNEY

Mason Sterling.

Mason.

Sterling.

Whatever Chase and Alec are saying to one another now is lost to me. I can’t hear a single word of it over the sudden rush of blood to my ears.

There’s absolutely no way I heard him correctly.

Because there’s no way that Alec—my bookstore Alec—is actually Mason Sterling, the multi-millionaire owner of every hotel and casino in Fortune City, who swept into town just a few years ago and suddenly seemed to own everyone and everything. The Mason Sterling who founded the Sterling Children’s Foundation. The Mason Sterling who is responsible for this entire charity dinner.

Caroline’s reaction to him makes a lot more sense now.

“Well, thank you so much for keeping my date company,” Alec—or, rather, Mason—says, his voice pulling me from my stupor. “Come, Sydney, darling. You owe me a dance. A genuine pleasure to meet you, Chad.”

“Chase,” Chase corrects through gritted teeth as Caroline wanders back and delicately presses a beer to his palm. He doesn’t even look at her as he takes it.

The dismissive gesture Alec gives him as he pulls me to the dance floor makes it clear he doesn’t care either way.

I’m speechless. Numb, and barely aware of what’s happening, as Alec pulls me to face him, taking one of my hands in his and sliding his other around my waist.

“He’s still watching.” Alec drops his head to whisper the words in my ear. “Let’s give him a show, shall we?”

The orchestra strikes up a song, and then we’re moving, Alec taking the lead and my feet mindlessly following as he leads me through a waltz.

Mason Sterling.

“You told me your name was Alec,” I manage to say. The words sound flat.

“And it is,” he assures me. He moves with an impossible grace, pulling me along with him, leading me effortlessly through the dance. “My full name is Mason Alexander Sterling. But I’ve always gone by Alec to my friends and family.”

“I see,” I murmur. It’s a lie, I don’t see at all. I can’t reconcile the nebulous idea of Mason Sterling, millionaire businessman rumored to be involved in numerous illegal activities, with the Alec I’ve been lusting after these last few weeks. The Alec I’ve been fantasizing about. Sure, I knew he must have been well off, but…

We spin, moving across the dance floor with an ease that people stop to watch. I can feel eyes on us from all around the room. It’s not just Chase who can’t look away.

“I hope I didn’t offend you by stepping in,” Alec says. His hands shift where he’s holding me, and I realize how closely he’s pressed against me. How good his hands feel on my body,and how effectively he’s leading me through the steps of this waltz.

And I’ve never ballroom danced a day in my life.

“With Chase?” I ask, tilting my head up to look at him.

He nods.

“You looked… upset,” Alec explains, jaw tightening. “I thought you might need some backup.”

“You didn’t offend me at all,” I tell him honestly. “Surprised me, though.”

“Surprised you?” he asks.

“I didn’t even know you would be here,” I admit. “The Alec you, I mean. Not the Sterling you.”

I can feel the laugh as it rumbles in Alec’s chest.

“Were you hoping to see me, Sydney?” he asks in a husky voice. That voice. It does terrible things to me, instantly making me melt. “Hoping to find me here?”

“Maybe,” I answer, a little breathless.