Page 97 of Hacking His Code

“And might I add that you look amazing in the clothes Neon picked out for you?” I take a small step closer, so I’m a breath away. “I could barely take my eyes off of you tonight.”

Her chest rises and falls like a piston. I can tell because so much of it is on display from the corset, blouse combo—thank you, Neon.

She bites her lower lip, and I have a feeling I’ve done a good job of winning her affection. All I have to do is break through the final barrier she has erected, and I can win my girl back.

“Can I have your attention, please!” Gabriel says, tinging his fork against a glass.

Dammit!

I look over to see Remi standing with Gabriel on one side and his mother, Scarlet Primrose, on the other.

“Oh, what ever could this announcement be?” Fiona says sarcastically.

“Thank you all for coming back to the tower tonight. It’s always good to be around friends, old and new.” He tips his head towards Ari and me. “Mother, I’m sure you’d like to do the honors.”

Scarlet puts a protective arm around Remi, who looks like a hostage. “I am excited to announce that Remi Icor is carrying my first grandchild!”

It’s the oddest pregnancy announcement I’ve ever heard, but I’m fairly certain my mother would do no better.

“I knew it!” Fiona shouts. “You can’t just show up at ladies’ night when you have a driver and drink only water.”

“It really was the lamest ladies’ night I’ve ever been to,” Sari Heartshire says. “Instead of going to a bar, we would have been better off going to tea time with Remi, Sadie, and that new girl.” She waves her hand in Ari’s direction.

What is that supposed to mean?

Ari’s reaction tells me everything I need to know. At first, a deer in headlights look crosses her face, but it’s quickly replaced with anger.

Ari doesn’t trust people, so the last thing she’d want is people knowing her business, and right now, people are staring at her in curiosity.

I guess I’m going to be a father.

“When are you due?” Fiona asks Remi.

Remi chuckles. “Actually…we just found out. We haven’t even seen the doctor yet. We only decided to tell you guys now because Scarlet would literally explode if she had to hold it in.”

The room breaks out in laughter.

Arinessa looks down at her feet.

Don’t fuck this up.

The girls descend upon Remi, except Ari, who is lost in her own world. Even Sari is congratulatory.

The guys are punching Gabriel in the arm, telling him ‘nice aim’ and ‘girls just love a dad bod.’ I say my own congratulations before turning to Ari.

Now I just need to figure out how to make everything right between us.

Snapping out of her shock, Ari joins in the revelry, embracing Remi and giving her well wishes.

A tug on my arm averts my attention.

“Someone told me that you’re Hunter Davies,” says Scarlet Primrose.

Her beauty rivals my mother’s, though I would never admit that to a soul. She’s dripping in diamonds and gold, a bit too flashy for my mother’s taste, but a stunning sight all the same.

“You’ve heard right,” I say with a charming smile.

She moves to embrace me, but I put my hands up and back away.