Innocence (Tales of Olympus #1)(64)

Was this what he had been like when they were ‘dating’? But no, after twenty minutes of watching him, she realized it wasn’t. She didn’t know if she felt better or worse that he hadn’t taken the energy to be this full, false self to draw her in, or if it meant she’d been able to see slightly more of the real him from the beginning.

Or maybe she still had no idea who the hell the real him truly was.

After he’d met whatever quota of social engagement he felt was appropriate, he led her to view the auction items that had been donated for the charity gala. All sorts of things were up for bid: Paintings. Box seats for popular sports teams. Dinner with the mayor. A helicopter tour of the city. Theater tickets.

The theater tickets were the only thing to tempt Cora. She promised herself as soon as she had any disposable income, she’d go see a show.

“Anything catching your eye?” Marcus asked. “Maybe a handbag or two?”

She rolled her eyes and set the flyer down about the hottest show on Theater Row. “Nobody’s around now. You don’t have to keep up the act.”

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” The question was quiet and slightly incredulous.

Cora gulped as she looked up at him and her tongue snuck out to lick her lips. That zinging sensation was back in her belly at the intensity she saw on his face. Stupid girl. Stupid girl.

A gong sounded and everyone around them started to move out of the auction area but Marcus kept staring at her.

Cora’s hand went to the necklace around her throat, stroking the glittering gems. She pointed her chin at the retreating crowd. “I think that means dinner is about to begin.”

Marcus stood unmoving for another long moment before giving a sharp nod, taking her arm, and walking so stridently to join the flow of people that she had to lift her skirts in order not to trip as she followed him.

They were seated at a large round table with ten other people. Marcus glanced at their seating cards and at those beside them. His face went dark, and he promptly switched them with two from another table.

Cora wasn’t sure he was allowed to do that but who was going to stop Marcus Ubeli?

Cora sat down and smiled awkwardly at those already seated at the table but Marcus didn’t sit beside her.

“I’ll be right back,” he murmured before stalking off to the side of the room to talk to someone. Cora watched him go and get into a discussion with a man. That man called over another man. Marcus pulled out his phone and quickly texted someone.

Why was she staring at Marcus? She had her own agenda.

She looked around the table and smiled at the two other couples seated there. “Hi, I’m Cora. It’s so nice to meet you.”

The two women at the table exchanged a glance before looking back to her. “You’re married to Marcus Ubeli?” asked the one a couple of seats away from her, a pretty redhead whose male companion had to be at least forty years older than her.

Cora tried to keep her smile genuine. “Yes, two weeks now. Still in the honeymoon stage.”

“How nice,” said the redhead in a tone so patronizing, Cora gritted her teeth.

She glanced back at Marcus and saw that he was now talking with three people. Two men and a woman, a blonde who had her hand possessively on his arm, her body angled into his in a way that brought Cora’s breath up short.

It was an intimate touch. An invasion of space unless… Unless you knew the person very well. Intimately so.

“Cora, darling!”

Cora swung her head around in time to see Armand heading her way. He leaned down and gave her two kisses, one on either side of her cheek. He stepped back, beaming at her.

“Look at you. Absolutely stunning, my love. I must talk Marcus into letting you model the dress I’m working on. No one else could do justice to the signature piece. I designed it with you in mind.”

Cora flushed as Armand plucked the two seating arrangement cards beside her, handed them to an assistant who was trailing him and sat down beside Cora.

“So what do you think of your first gala?” he asked, raising his arms flamboyantly. “Does it live up to expectations?”

“I didn’t really have time to make any expectations,” Cora said, “I didn’t know we were coming here until we arrived.”

“That beast,” Armand said. “You look stunning.”

Cora glanced over at Marcus again. The woman was still there and she’d moved closer, if such a thing were even possible.

“Ugh, that woman is a witch.”

Cora jerked her head back at Armand who’d obviously noticed her looking at Marcus.

“You know her?”

“Unfortunately.”

When Cora stayed silent, Armand obviously took pity on her.

“She’s an executive at one of the big telecom companies in New Olympus.”

“They dated?”

Armand lifted a hand and waved it in a so-so gesture. “I’m not sure I would call it that.”

“For how long?”

“Off and on for maybe a year or two.”

“Then what happened?”

“The rumor mills said she wanted more. Apparently he didn’t.” Armand raised his eyebrows significantly.

“How long ago was it?”

“I guess they broke things off maybe two months before you got to the city.”