The crowd thinned slightly as they approached the mahogany bar, but the air suddenly turned cold enough to frost the champagne flutes. Killian’s hand on Raya’s waist tightened, his entire posture shifting from possessive to purely defensive. He tried to pivot, his eyes scanning for an exit strategy, but a sharp, polished voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Running so soon, Killian? And here I thought we were past the stage of hiding behind the catering staff."
Simone Saunders stepped out from the shadows of the lounge area, looking every bit like the woman who had once shared the Blackwood name. She was draped in midnight-black lace, her blonde hair pulled into a knot so tight it looked painful. She didn't have Miss Langley’s desperation; she had the calm, calculated arrogance of so
