Page 56 of Meet Me In The Dark (Skeptically In Love #3)

Julian

The gala is the same as every other one. Overdone. Overpriced. Overpopulated with men who pretend they’re here for charity but are really just flexing the size of their portfolios.

I sip my whiskey and let the burn keep me awake, but my mind is already drifting elsewhere.

To Celeste.

I should have dragged her here with me. Let her glare at me all night.

“Blackwood.”

The voice cuts through the din. I turn toward a knot of men near the bar, some familiar, some not.

There’s one I still want to knock out cold.

Kingsley.

He steps forward, wearing that snake-oil smile, and offers his hand like we’re old friends. “Good to see you again.”

I glance at his hand and remember the last time he touched Celeste and the warning I gave him for it. Judging by the flicker of hesitation in his eyes, he remembers too.

Good.

Still, I take it, my grip crushing just enough to make his knuckles grind. “Kingsley.”

He gestures me into the circle, swirling his drink. “Passed your site this week. The progress is impressive. Celeste is doing a stellar job.”

My jaw ticks. “She’s the best.”

Kingsley studies me for a beat too long. Then, like he’s testing the perimeter, he says, “She’ll be a fantastic addition to our overseas projects.”

The whiskey in my glass suddenly isn’t enough to temper the heat curling in my gut. “Excuse me?”

He waves a hand, laughing as if this is all casual. “Relax, Blackwood. She’s already done the hard work for your project. I’m sure someone can take it from here.”

The fucking nerve.

Rumors have been circulating for the last twenty-four hours. Apparently, Kingsley has landed himself an investor with a term sheet that could save his business.

But there’s a catch: a key person clause.

Kingsley promised them Celeste, but since he doesn’t have her, there’s no investment unless he can secure an employment contract soon.

Which means he’s going to get desperate .

“She doesn’t seem keen on leaving Lilian Sinclair,” he adds. “But she’ll come around.”

It’s bullshit and he knows it. He’s performing for the other men, making himself look like a man who can snap his fingers and get whatever—or whoever—he wants.

The thought of him using her name like currency has my pulse pounding in my ears.

Then one of the other men mutters to Kingsley, grinning, “Lucky bastard. Having an ass like that walking around your office every day.”

The group chuckles.

“Watch your fucking mouth.” My voice cuts through the laughter. The sound dies instantly.

All eyes turn on me.

The guy who said it shifts under my stare, suddenly fascinated by his drink.

Kingsley tries to recover, clapping me on the back, his laugh too loud, too forced. “Come on, Blackwood. We’re just having a bit of fun.”

I should walk away. That’s the smart move. Celeste would tell me to walk.

But the stupid fucker goes and opens his mouth. “Lighten up. I’ll take care of her. She won’t be the first one I’ve had over my desk.”

The room goes white.

I don’t remember dropping my glass. I just remember the feeling of my fist connecting with his jaw. He stumbles into the bar and falls to the floor as glasses shatter around him.

Crouching, I grab him by the collar and yank him so close I can smell his drink on his breath.

“You ever talk about her again, you slimy piece of shit, and I’ll make sure you don’t have a desk to fuck anyone over. She’s not yours to speak about. She’s not yours to imagine. She’s not yours. Period.”

The fear in his eyes only fuels my fire.

I lean in just enough for my voice to cut straight through him.

“You so much as think her name again, Kingsley, and I will end you in a way money can’t fix.

You won’t lose your business. You’ll lose your footing in every room you walk into.

Every handshake will dry up. Every deal will fall through.

You’ll wake up one morning and realize you’re fucking invisible, and it’ll be because of me. ”

His throat bobs, but he doesn’t speak.

“Celeste doesn’t work for you, she doesn’t answer to you, and she sure as fuck doesn’t exist for you to picture bent over your desk.

If you want a fantasy, pick a different woman.

Because the one you just talked about?” I pause, let my eyes lock on his, unblinking.

“She’s mine, and I protect what’s mine.”

I release his collar.

Glasses clink. Someone gasps. No one moves to help him.

I stand and straighten my jacket.

At the edge of the crowd, I glance back at Kingsley just once. “Remember tonight,” I tell him. “It’s the only warning you’ll get.”