Page 69 of Make Me Yours

Callie’s eyes widen, her body going rigid for a split second before she pastes on a polite, detached smile.

I honestly don’t know how she does it.

The blonde gives Callie a once-over, the kind of up-and-down scan that makes my hackles rise.

“I’m Gigi. It’s so great we could meet,” she says with a fake little smile, like she’s already mentally scrubbing Callie from her mind.

Zane chuckles and adds, like he’s tossing her a bone, “Callie runs a little bakery around the corner from the arena.”

“That is so adorable.” Gigi glances at the table. “I’d try one, but I don’t eat refined sugar or gluten.”

Callie’s brows draw together. “Oh.”

Gigi pulls out her phone and starts snapping selfies with Zane. She’s all staged smiles and sultry angles, as if she’s starring in her own personal photo shoot instead of attending a charity gala.

Zane turns to Callie and shoves his phone at her. “Hey, can you take a picture of us real quick?”

Callie hesitates before forcing a smile and taking the phone from him. Zane yanks Gigi against him and plants a kiss on her that’s so over-the-top it’s almost embarrassing.

“Ewww,” Rina mutters from beside me, scrunching her face in disgust.

Callie bites her lip, clearly mortified, but she snaps the photos anyway before handing the phone back.

Zane doesn’t bother thanking her.

“C’mon, babe,” he says to Gigi, sliding his arm around her waist. “Let’s mingle.”

And just like that, they disappear into the crowd, leaving the scent of expensive cologne and perfume behind in their wake.

Callie stands there for a second, staring after them with a strange look on her face.

“I really don’t know what I ever saw in him,” she says, her tone disbelieving.

Rina slips an arm around her shoulders. “Girl, as far as I’m concerned, you dodged a major bullet.”

I nod, offering her a small, supportive smile. “Seriously. He doesn’t deserve to be in the same zip code as you or Nora.”

Callie releases a shaky laugh, her shoulders relaxing just a bit.

As she turns back toward the table to adjust a tray, I catch a glimpse of someone watching her from across the room.

River.

He’s standing near the edge of the crowd with a frown etched on his face as his gaze tracks Callie with an intensity that makes my pulse skitter.

I nudge Rina lightly, and nod in his direction.

She follows my gaze and grins. “Nowthatwould be an interesting turn of events,” she murmurs.

And for some reason, that makes me smile more than anything else.

22

STEELE

The second we walk through the penthouse door, Waffles comes bounding toward us, her tiny paws skidding across the hardwood floors. With a laugh, Lilah kicks off her heels before crouching down to greet her. The hem of her silver dress pools around her, and for a second, I just stand and watch.

I haven’t been able to stop staring at her all night.