The Determining (7 page)

Charlie knew Mason could see right through her mother. She had to put a stop to it before Margaret got out of hand.

“Unless I decide to make myself useless.” Charlie looked her mother in the eye, noting the color rising in her cheeks. She turned to Mason. “Thank you for coming by. If you will excuse me, I need to freshen up.”

She stood and marched out of the ballroom. Margaret called her name but didn’t dare chase after her. That would cause too much of a scene.

Cornelia passed her on her way. She grabbed Charlie’s arm, holding her in place. “Where are you going?” Cornelia’s eyes flicked nervously to someone just over Charlie’s shoulder.

“Excuse me.” Charlie tried to pull her arm from the woman’s grasp, but she just tightened her grip.

“The auction is starting any minute. You can’t disappear now.”

Cornelia’s odd behavior peaked Charlie’s curiosity. But not enough to keep her in the ballroom with the likes of Margaret and Mason. “I’m going to powder my nose. How will I attract a husband when it’s all shiny? Cover for me.” She smiled. Cornelia shot her a questioning look as she released her arm. “Thank you.” Charlie made her escape.

She walked up the flight of stairs that lead to one of the club’s many lavish bathrooms. Frustration propelled Charlie farther down the hallway, through a set of French doors, and out onto a balcony overlooking the lake. The crisp fall air sent shivers dancing across her skin. She wrapped her arms around herself and walked to the edge of the balcony.

A light breeze caused the candle flames to flicker, making the surface of the lake look like a sea of dancing light. The sight took Charlie’s breath away. Surrounded by the still darkness, away from all the expectations and probing eyes, she could relax for a moment.

“Hiding from your guests?”

Charlie whirled around. Her eyes searched the darkness, only seeing the tip of a cigarette glowing red in the shadows. “Who’s there?”

“You can’t be absent from your own party, Miss Grey,” the deep voice said.

“It’ll keep while I’m gone.” She could almost make out his outline in the darkness. His sheer size intimidated her.

“Yes, but I need you inside, not out here.”

His words made her pause. “You’re Nemo,” she said with certainty.

“I told you it wasn’t over.” His tone was even and cold. “This won’t end until you go inside and entertain your guests. I need you to keep them out of my way.”

“What are you going to do?” She imagined all sorts of violent things this man could accomplish with nothing more than his own strength.

“Don’t worry, Miss Grey. I won’t harm anyone. Go back inside and play your part. By the time your first dance is bought, I’ll be far away from here and you won’t hear from me again.”

“You never answered my question.”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” A chuckle. “Or so they used to say in the Old World.”

“That isn’t an answer,” Charlie hissed.

“It’s all the answer I’m willing to give. But, like I said, I won’t hurt anyone.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Trust is a virtue you are sorely lacking, Miss Grey. Unfortunately, in this situation, it is a necessity.”

“I—”

“Charlotte? Are you out here?” Cornelia squinted from the doorway, searching the dark balcony. “The auction is starting.”

“I’m coming.” She shot one more glance in Nemo’s direction. He’d put out the cigarette, making it impossible for her to place him in the shadows. She lowered her voice, careful to keep Cornelia from overhearing. “You have until the first dance is over. After that, I can’t promise you anything.” She started backing toward the door, but a hand clamped around her wrist.

“Play your part well, Miss Grey.” With a little squeeze, he released her.

Charlie didn’t waste any time in hurrying back inside.

Cornelia stood in the hall, her arms crossed under her breasts. “You said you were going to powder your nose,” she accused as they strode back to the ballroom.

“I needed some air. Anyway, it’s not a big deal. I’ll be back in time for the auction. No harm done.”

“It
is
a—”

“There you are.” Ruth exclaimed as she exited the bathroom. “Your mother looks like she’s about to explode. You need to get back to the party. Come on.” She grabbed Charlie, pulling her down the stairs. Charlie looked back at Cornelia. She stood at the top of the landing, watching them, but not following.

“Aren’t you coming?” Charlie called.

Cornelia shook her head. “You’re in good hands. I’ll be in when the dancing starts.”

Charlie narrowed her eyes, but followed Ruth as they rounded a corner. “Cornelia is acting weird,” she told Ruth. She couldn’t help wondering if it had to do with Nemo, but kept the thought to herself.

“I’m sure she’s fine. I have something more important to talk to you about.” Ruth’s face flushed with excitement.

“What is it?”

Entering the ballroom, Charlie glanced at her mother. Margaret really did look seconds away from a complete meltdown.

“He’s here.”

Charlie’s head snapped around, her eyes zeroed in on Ruth. “Who?” She sounded nervous and breathy.

A look of confusion passed over Ruth’s face. “The guy I was telling you about when we met for lunch. Who did you think I was talking about?”

“No one.” She almost smiled. The whole Nemo encounter had set her on edge. She needed to calm down.

“Well, do you want to know who he is or not?”

Charlie took a deep breath, hoping her heart would stop racing. “Of course I want to know. Where is he?”

“There, he’s standing with his brother. He’s the taller of the two.”

Charlie followed Ruth’s gaze across the room. The man’s broad shoulders and straight posture struck Charlie as militaristic. He wore his dark brown hair short and brushed loosely back. He smiled and his whole face lit up.

“I can see why you like him.” As Charlie watched the two brothers, she noted the family resemblance in their faces.

“He has an amazing body.” Ruth’s eyes traveled over the taller brother like she was trying to memorize every detail before devouring him whole.

“I was talking about his smile.”

“Oh, that’s nice too.” Ruth winked.

“They look familiar.” Charlie observed, still watching the two brothers.

“Their father is Councilman McLean from the Texas Province. Logan is twenty-six and Thayer is twenty-eight.” Ruth’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Either of them would be quite a catch, but Thayer is mine.”

“You won’t have any competition here. I’m with Drew.” Reminding everyone of her committed relationship was getting tiresome.

“Speak of the devil,” Ruth murmured as Drew approached. “I’ll let you two chat.” She wasted no time in sashaying over to the McLean brothers.

Alone, Charlie turned her full attention to Drew. When she had been sitting twenty feet away at the head table, Drew looked like he belonged at the party. Up close, she took in the details— the ill-fitting rental suit, dull shoes, and hair carelessly brushed back— she realizes how misplaced he was. She didn’t care. It was all part of his charm.

“I’ve been looking for you.” He leaned down, his lips brushing a kiss across her cheek. “Where did you disappear to?” His breath tickled her skin.

“Just escaping my mother and the latest prospective husband she threw at me.”

He frowned. “He seemed like a pompous ass.”

“Most of the men here are pompous asses.” Charlie nudged him playfully.

Unexpectedly, Drew turned serious. “If I could compete with the rich snobs here, I’d be your first dance.” He shot her a somber look from behind his glasses.

“You don’t need to buy my dance. I’ll give you the second one for free.” She tried to lighten his serious mood and failed.

He slouched, running a hand through his hair, making the blond locks stand on end. “Still, I wish I could prove I was worthy of you.”

“You don’t need to.” Charlie brushed his hair down and leaned in to kiss him.

“Charlotte!” Margaret barely kept herself from shrieking. She grabbed Charlie by the wrist, pulling her away from Drew.

“Evening, Mrs. Grey.” Drew offered his hand, but Margaret ignored him.

She prodded Charlie toward the center of the room. “The auction is about to start,” she hissed, careful to keep a smile on her face. “The man who buys your first dance might very well be your future husband. Stop trying to make a mess of tonight by throwing yourself at that useless boy.” Margaret pulled Charlie into a hug as the gathering crowd watched. “When the bidding starts, look pleased.”

Charlie fought a scowl as Margaret stepped back, presenting her with a flourish and a bow before exiting the dance floor. A spotlight found her as the rest of the room went dark. The conversations surrounding her tapered off as the crowd turned their attention to Charlie. Her palms began to sweat.

“Gentlemen, the time has come.” The auctioneer stepped forward, stopping next to her in the circle of light. “You’ve had a chance to see the beautiful Miss Grey. Now let’s find out who can acquire her first dance. The bidding starts at one thousand credits.”

Charlie couldn’t follow all the shouted offers. Her mind reeled as number after number pushed the bidding up. Rather than attempting to follow the frenzy, she looked into the darkness surrounding her. She could make out the people closest to her. She spotted Drew at the edge of the dance floor.

Their eyes met and she gave him a sad smile. She hated this tradition because it made her feel like a possession, but Drew hated it because he had no way of participating. It was a game for the rich and he didn’t fit the bill.

As the minutes ticked by, she felt more and more uncomfortable. The bids rose higher and higher until only two people remained in the bidding war. Charlie couldn’t make either of them out, but she thought one of the voices sounded like Mason Novack. She hoped he wouldn’t win; she didn’t want to spend any more time with him than she already had.

A minute later, the bidding began to slow down. “We’re at four hundred thousand. Do I hear four fifty?” Silence. “Four hundred thousand going once, twice—”

“One million.”

A gasp traveled through the crowd. Charlie could see heads turning as people craned their necks, desperate for a look at whoever made such an outrageous bid.

“Sold!” The auctioneer cried.

The lights came back up. Charlie saw every head turned in the same direction. He stood at the back of the crowd with his hands in his pockets and that captivating smile on his face. Thayer McLean had won her first dance.

Charlie’s stomach dropped. Although grateful Mason hadn’t won the bid, she couldn’t help but think of Ruth. She searched for her friend in the crowd and found her standing next to Logan. The shock on Ruth’s face made Charlie’s heart sink. Ruth’s eyes were trained on Thayer as he approached the dance floor. It took a moment, but Ruth finally looked at her. Her eyes glistened with an unmistakable sheen. Charlie tried to convey her sympathy with a look, but Ruth glared before whirling away.

“Miss Grey.” Thayer stood before her, offering his hand. “Shall we?”

Up close, Charlie noted his piercing ice blue eyes, strong jaw, and muscled arms. The spicy scent of his soap tickled her nose. He shot her a charming smile that she returned with a pointed glare. She disliked him immediately, for Ruth’s sake.

She took his hand without a word, allowing him to pull her into his arms. The warmth of his touch on her waist radiated through the thin fabric of her dress, making her hyperaware of his proximity. Charlie couldn’t help comparing his forceful touch to Drew’s tender caresses. Music filled the room and Thayer guided her with ease. He watched her closely as they swayed, but she couldn’t make herself hold his gaze.

He spoke after a minute of awkward silence, forcing her to look up at him. “I should introduce myself. I’m—”

“Thayer McLean,” Charlie cut him off. “I know.”

“Funny, I don’t remember meeting you.”

“Your father is a member of the Council, like mine. Of course I know who you are.”

He ignored her terse response. “How are you enjoying your party?”

“Not at all,” she snapped.

Thayer’s brows shot up. “Why is that?”

There were too many answers to that question. If she had to choose one, it would be Margaret. She resented her mother for selling her off like a prized animal. It left her feeling dirty.

“I don’t like being paraded about and shown off for all the willing buyers.” She shot him a piercing look as he executed a perfect turn. “It’s degrading, no matter how much someone thinks I’m worth.”

“It is a rather appalling tradition, the more I think about it.” His expression remained impassive, but his eyes sparked with mischief. “I’m sorry you’ve been subjected to it.”

“Not sorry enough to keep from bidding,” Charlie challenged before he dipped her.

“No, not that sorry.” When he lifted her back up, their eyes locked. Charlie felt like the temperature in the room had gone up a few degrees. “Your disdain for our boorish traditions isn’t the only thing that has you on edge.”

Her heart thudded. “What do you mean?”

“Mason Novack.”

She laughed in an attempt to cover how uncomfortable his keen observation made her. “What makes you think Mason Novack has anything to do with my enjoyment of the party?”

“Everyone knows your father wants you to marry him. Anyone watching the two of you could tell you despise the idea. Then, you disappeared.” The accusation in his question could not be mistaken. “Where did you escape to, Miss Grey?”

Her temperature spiked again under his appraisal. He knew something, but she couldn’t tell what or how much. Lacking information, she deemed lying as her safest course of action. “I went to freshen up. We women need to look beautiful if we’re to catch a husband.”

“A woman like you doesn’t require help in that area.” Her breath hitched at the unexpected compliment. She searched Thayer’s eyes for any sign of insincerity, but found none. She stumbled and his grip on her tightened, keeping her from falling. He continued like he hadn’t noticed the blunder, “Which begs the question …” He trailed off, leaving his implication hanging in the air between them. If his penetrating gaze met hers again, she worried he would see right through her lies.