Page 80 of Reckless Seduction
Bold.
My gaze lingers just a second too long as I try to make sense of it. The shape is familiar in a way that makes something tighten in my chest, like a memory brushing just out of reach. There’s a curve to it, something angular woven through, a design that feels deliberate.
I’ve seen it before.
I know I have.
But the context won’t come.
“Enjoying the view?”
The voice pulls me back, and I blink, turning to find Drew watching me, his expression edged with something sharper than amusement.
“Of course,” I say lightly, letting my gaze drift back to him as if nothing had caught my attention. “It’s… impressive.”
His hand returns to my waist, firmer this time, fingers pressing just enough to remind me where I stand.
“Careful,” he murmurs. “You don’t want to look too interested.”
A chill slips down my spine, but I keep my smile in place, my posture relaxed.
Across the room, movement draws my eye again, but this time it isn’t subtle.
Liam.
He stands near the bar, his presence quieter than most but no less commanding. He doesn’t need to draw attention to himself—it comes naturally, in the way people shift around him, in the way conversations pause just slightly when he looks their way.
He’s watching everything.
My pulse picks up at the opportunity.
I lean in closer to Drew, letting my fingers trail along his sleeve in a soft, almost absent gesture.
“I need to use the restroom,” I murmur, tilting my head toward the corridor.
His gaze flicks over my face, assessing, weighing the request against whatever calculation is always running in his mind.
Then he nods once.
“Don’t take long.”
“I won’t.”
I slip away before he can change his mind, careful to keep my pace even, unhurried. Not too fast to draw attention. Not too slow to seem uncertain.
Just another woman stepping away for a moment.
At the edge of the corridor, I shift direction, letting my path curve subtly until I’m no longer heading toward the restrooms but toward the bar instead.
Toward Liam.
He notices me before I reach him.
Of course he does.
His conversation slows, then stops entirely as his gaze settles on me, sharp and assessing. I don’t hesitate, closing the distance with quiet confidence until I’m close enough to speak without raising suspicion.
“Enjoying the party?” he asks, his tone smooth, polite.
