"Carrie."
Her full name. No Carri-ba, no sparkle. Just Carrie. Damien's voice cut through the hum of the gala like a blade. He caught her wrist before she could slip past, his usual grin nowhere in sight.
The ballroom swirled around them, lights and music and chatter blending into a dizzying haze. Carrie felt her pulse hammer beneath Damien’s fingers, but her expression remained untouched, ice smooth, unbreakable. The scent of champagne and expensive perfume clung to the air, suffocating and sweet.
"Why," he said slowly, "did Andrew Lorenzo step out of the elevator right after you?"
Carrie's mask held, her glass poised elegantly in her hand. "Coincidence. That’s all."
Damien arched one perfectly groomed brow. "Coincidence? Honey, the only coincidence here is that my martini is still f
