Beneath This Ink (Beneath #2)(13)

“Well, hopefully between your speech and the open bar, people will give generously. It makes sense to have the tech guru sell it.”

His smile broadened. “I’ve yet to leave my nerd days behind.”

My face must have shown my surprise at his admission. “I would’ve never guessed. The nerds from my youth weren’t quite so suave, nor did they wear black tie quite as well as you do.”

A dimple I hadn’t previously been aware of winked. Damn, the man really was attractive.

“My growth spurt and tuxes came late in the game, Ms. Frost. It’s much easier to know who your friends are when you’re the least popular kid in school than when you’re sitting on billions.”

I nodded. I knew all about people befriending you for reasons other than your sparkling personality.

“I understand completely.” Wanting to move off that uncomfortable subject, I added, “I’m sure your keynote will be interesting.”

“Well, I’ll try to keep from putting you to sleep anyway. And it’s short, which is probably the best quality any keynote can have.”

I lifted my wine. “Cheers to that, Mr. Titan.”

He clinked his highball with my glass, and his eyes dropped to my shoes and made a lazy perusal up my body. “You look stunning tonight, Vanessa.”

I waited for the flash of heat I’d felt when Con’s gaze took the same path. And I got… a warm breeze. It was pretty much the same reaction my body gave when Simon complimented me. Here was a gorgeous man, richer than Croesus, and my body decided it wasn’t interested.

It was probably for the best. Despite his money and business prowess, my father was firmly in the Lucas Titan is the spawn of the devil camp. It had something to do with Lucas’s sustainable energy agenda and the lobbyists who were pushing it in the state legislature. As a steel man, my father didn’t want anyone telling him how he needed to power his mills.

“Thank you,” I replied.

He looked down at my drink. “And you need a refill. Would you like me to get you another?”

My polite smile smoothed across my face. I didn’t like to explain my one glass limit, so it was easier if I just got my drinks myself. I’d be switching to club soda with lime after this one.

“How about we head that way together?”

His hand somehow found its way to the small of my back, and I wasn’t sure how to graciously remove it. After a long wait and small talk in line, I had my club soda, and our impending dinner service was announced.

“I’m assuming you’re also at the head table?” I asked Lucas.

“Indeed.”

“Would you mind taking my drink? I need to excuse myself for a moment.”

Lucas accepted my glass. “Of course. I’ll be waiting.”



I pushed open the door to the powder room and stepped into the lobby. A large hand wrapped around my upper arm.

I turned and opened my mouth to protest, but was silenced when I saw the tattoos peeking out from beneath the shirt cuff.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, shocked that Con would manhandle me in public, although maybe I shouldn’t have been.

He tugged me toward an unused coatroom, and shut and blocked the door.

“Are you crazy?” I’d wanted to get him alone, but not like this. This was dangerous.

Con stalked toward me. I backed away, feeling very much like a rabbit facing off against a wolf.

“I decided I’m not done with you yet.”

The words were so low and quiet; I felt them more than I heard them. I tried to keep my breathing steady as I asked, “So you accost me outside the ladies’ room and drag me into a coat closet?”

“Would you rather I’d approached you while Lucas Titan was eye-f*cking the shit out of you?”

So that was what this was about. “First, that kind of language is unnecessary. And second, Lucas is an acquaintance. He’s on my board of directors. And… I don’t even know why I’m explaining myself to you. It’s none of your business.”

“Always good to know where I stand.”

Con trapped me in the corner between the empty coat rack and the wall.

I needed to get out of here before I did something stupid.

“What do you want? I have to get back.” I hoped my tone sounded unaffected.

“Same thing I’ve wanted for two damn years: another taste of you.”

I sucked in a breath and fought the shivers of anticipation coursing through me. No. Absolutely not. Can’t happen.

“Why would you want another taste of the stuck up bitch you threw out of your gym?” I crossed my arms, ready to block any verbal blows that might be coming. Turns out, I didn’t need to.

Con looked up to the ceiling and cleared his throat before speaking. “Life doesn’t give us many second chances. If this is mine, then I’m not going to waste it.”

My mind reeled as my heart kicked into a gallop. “I don’t even know what that means.”

He dropped his eyes back down to meet mine. The intensity of his stare pressed me into the wall. “It means this is how it’s going to go down: You want that property. I want a shot with you. I get what I want, then you get what you want.”

My entire body stilled. Well, everything except for my mouth dropping open. Was he seriously expecting me to whore myself out for the deed? My temper flared, but I held back the imminent explosion. I wanted confirmation before I shoved him away and slapped him across the face.