Page 40 of Duality (The Archers #1)

“Hear you loud and clear, Mr. Top Boss.” Liam’s cheeky voice rang in my ear.

I rolled my eyes. Evelyn let out a soft laugh. Her body relaxed, and I stopped planning Liam’s demise.

“Status check?” Adrian asked, his grip tight on the steering wheel as he guided us forward.

“Only one of the targets has shown up so far. Ryan Jacobs. No sign of the others yet, but they may be in the car line with you.”

Marcus growled when Evelyn stiffened. It was clear to me that whatever Marcus went through when Finch had taken him had changed his feelings towards Evelyn.

Well, it hadn’t changed them, as I knew they were already there, but whatever happened had gotten through his thick head that she wasn’t the enemy.

Their conversation the other night had definitely helped as well.

Evelyn was still cautious around him, though, and I didn’t blame her.

She had been hurt before, and her walls were high.

But he wanted to get through them. We all did.

“Danny and Grace?” Evelyn asked.

“They’re inside, along with Maya and Detective Patel. Everyone else is in place.”

“It’s showtime,” Marcus said grimly as we pulled up to the front.

I exited the vehicle first, holding my hand out for Evelyn to take.

She shimmied out of the car, and I stood in front of her, blocking the view of onlookers, until she had smoothed her dress down.

A red carpet stretched in front of us. The Mayor’s Gala was an extravagant event that let the rich and wealthy show off their “charity” in the form of lavish bids for various auction items. It was the business and social event of the year, and everyone who was anyone attended.

Adrian tossed the keys to the valet. The young man grabbed them out of the air.

He dipped his head at Evelyn. He must be one of the Archers who were around tonight.

Both the Archers and some of our SDS employees had embedded themselves as support staff.

We weren’t able to staff the whole event but having just a few of our people on the inside let me breathe easier.

I offered Evelyn my elbow, and she wrapped her hand around it as we headed up the stairs.

If I didn’t know her well, I would assume she was relaxed and confident as a small, regal smile played on her lips, but there was a minute tightness around her eyes.

The photographers on either side shouted questions at us, but we kept walking.

We would be giving plenty of statements to the press later tonight.

Sanders, SDS’s Alpha Team Leader, greeted us as we entered the large foyer of the convention center. “Evening, boss.”

“Sanders.” I nodded. “How is everything?”

“Quiet so far,” he said quietly. “But I don’t think it will stay that way.”

Evelyn stiffened beside me, and I placed a hand over hers and squeezed it softly. “We have the entrances and exits covered?”

“Most of them,” Sanders said. “What we don’t have a body on, we have cameras on. It’s a large place.”

That was the problem with convention centers. There were several corridors that staff used to move between rooms. The place was a maze, but I was confident we had it covered.

“Keep us updated,” I said to Sanders as I guided Evelyn past him and into the main room.

The theme of this year’s gala was “Starry Night.” The ballroom had been transformed into a celestial dreamscape, with midnight-blue drapery cascading from the high ceilings and shimmering strings of lights twinkling like distant stars.

The tables were adorned with deep indigo linens and centerpieces of crystal orbs that reflected the soft glow of scattered fairy lights.

A grand chandelier hung in the center, resembling a brilliant constellation as its lights danced along the walls like stars in the night sky.

Along the walls, projections of swirling galaxies and shimmering stardust brought the theme to life, while guests in elegant attire moved gracefully under the soft light.

“Good evening, Mr. Stone.” A woman in a black dress approached us. “You and your party are seated at table three.”

“Thank you, Linda.” Evelyn smiled warmly at the woman. I recognized her as the mayor’s assistant.

“Evelyn, I almost didn’t recognize you,” Linda gushed. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you,” Evelyn said, blushing. “You all outdid yourself this year.”

As Evelyn chatted with Linda, I scanned the room.

Ryan Jacobs was holding court near the bar.

He was surrounded by a group of men whom I recognized from our various business dealings in the city.

The dance floor opened up in the middle of the room, the lights on the ceiling reflecting on the dark wood surface.

Several couples swayed softly to the music coming from the string quartet on the stage.

Tables ran the length of the back wall, filled with the auction items for later this evening.

Linda excused herself to greet other guests. Sebastian glared across the room to where Ryan Jacobs was laughing loudly next to the bar. “I’m going to go get us drinks.”

Marcus followed his gaze, and his face darkened. “I’ll go with you.”

“Don’t do anything reckless,” I warned them, but they were already marching away.

Adrian sighed. “I’ll go supervise.” His tone was exasperated, as if he were watching over errant toddlers instead of full-grown men.

Evelyn’s lips quirked, and I wanted to kiss her. But this wasn’t the time or place for it, so I did the next best thing.

“Dance with me?”

Her hazel eyes studied me for a moment, then she nodded.

I guided her to the dance floor and swept her into my arms. I held her closer than was acceptable for a boss and their assistant, but I was past caring.

After tonight, the whole city would know who she belonged to and what happened when we were messed with.

We twirled around the dance floor. I knew we were working, but I couldn’t help but enjoy the feel of her body against mine. Evelyn scanned the faces of the couples around us, likely mentally cataloguing them against the guest list. I smiled, and she raised an eyebrow at me.

“What?”

“Does your brain ever shut off?”

“You’re one to talk,” she shot back, but the smile on her lips softened her words. “To my knowledge, you haven’t taken a day off in the last six years.”

“Touche,” I said, twirling her.

She let me guide her, trusting me to lead her, and my heart warmed. She bit her lip, looking up at me hesitantly.

“What is it?” I asked gently.

“I just wanted you to know…that I…” She trailed off with a groan.

I smiled, waiting patiently for her to find the words.

“I want to trust you. I do trust you. It’s just going to take time for me to realize I can lean on you, that you’re going to be there. So I guess what I’m trying to say is, be patient with me, please. I’ve been so used to being the sole decision maker for so long…”

“Hey,” I said softly, “Where is this coming from?”

She looked away. “I know I’m not the easiest to get to know. I know that I have… walls up, but I do want this, want you and them. I just… I don’t know how to be in a relationship. But I’ll try to change for you all.”

I chuckled softly, ignoring the affronted look she gave me.

“I’m not laughing at you. But none of us knows how to do this.

In case you didn’t pick it up over the last six years, none of us has been in a relationship in years.

Especially not one that included all four of us.

We’re going to have growing pains, but I’m confident that it will all work out. ”

“You are?” I noticed how she didn’t deny Marcus was part of this as well.

“I am. And as for the rest of it, we don’t ever want you to change. We fell in love with the strong, capable woman you are. I don’t think any of us are under the delusion that you’ll stop running into danger. Just let us run with you. That’s all we ask.”

She was quiet, but I could feel her muscles relax, and she became more languid beneath my hands.

Just how much had she worried about that?

I hated that she hadn’t come to me when she’d first had those thoughts, but I was going to have to be patient.

She wasn’t used to relying on us. Not yet.

But with time, we would prove that we would always be there for her and that she didn’t have to change to keep us.

In a flash, her muscles stiffened again as she caught sight of someone over my shoulder.

“Miss Harper. Mind if I cut in?”

I turned and locked eyes with Ryan Jacobs. An oily grin stretched his face, and he held out his hand to Evelyn. Over my dead body.