He stopped by an installation. Sixteen shrouded figures clustered around a single oversized daisy. What would Fin make of this one?
After they’d fleeced the fourth or fifth person, he’d almost told her Halsey was a plant to build her confidence. That unlike the rest of the family, all dark haired and blue eyed like Cal, Halsey took after their mother. He had Katrice’s blond hair and green eyes. He’d decided it would throw Fin’s rhythm off.
His own could do with a shake-up; he should’ve kept moving, but he’d allowed himself to be ambushed.
The beringed hands that snaked around his middle from behind and the firm breasts that pushed into his back could only belong to one person.
“Madeline.” He tolerated her touch less easily tonight because Fin was here. He could see Zeke at the other end of the room and knew Fin would be at his side.
“Are you avoiding me, lover?”
They weren’t lovers. They’d never be lovers, but after the drama with Rory, Madeline Ashton-Ashby had made it her business to tempt him into her bed. After Rory, women were either scandalized by his presence—see note under reputation as an abusive asshole—or too busy trying to hit on him, see same note: people were strange creatures. There was much more of the latter than the former, which was disturbing. He’d go a long way in the service of a grift, especially with his own private wealth at stake, but his cover story wouldn’t survive philandering; it would only prove he was everything Rory had said about him.
He shifted to disengage from Madeline as she whispered in his ear, “Who is she?”
Ah. Fin’s fame was spreading. Excellent, but he couldn’t resist his, “Who?” before pulling away.
“Don’t play the fool. She doesn’t belong here, and that dress is last season’s color.”
“Don’t play the jealousy card, Maddy. Her name is Finley Cartwright. She has a charity we’re supporting, and you’re married.”
She was married in the way being married to a man thirty years her senior who’d had two strokes was married. Which meant, available for dalliances with appropriate, discreet suitors.
“Doesn’t explain why you had to haul her around by the hand all night.”
Bitter before she was thirty, but Maddy wouldn’t leave Bennet Ashton-Ashby because she wouldn’t walk away from the life of luxury she lived with multiple homes, a team of personal staff, and hundreds of ways to use her leisure that burned through a generous allowance. Of course, she would be poor, because Cal intended to quietly take her husband for every liquid penny he had.
“Are you using this girl to get over Rory? Stupid man. You could’ve been using me.”
“Finley’s not a girl.” She didn’t kiss like a girl, argue like a girl, or want like a girl. And they were using each other.
“Caleb Sherwood, you have a thing for the little charity worker. I should’ve guessed you’d fall for someone you could stage manage.” Maddy cut off his protest. “You can’t keep your eyes off her, and it’s all over you like cheap perfume. She’s far too innocent for you.”
He’d corrupt Fin, that was for sure. That’s why she could never know the truth about what Sherwood did, what he did, and what he felt not a shred of remorse for. Change the topic. “Zeke is here.”
“You’re pimping out your own brother.” Maddy laughed.
Pimping Zeke out to make sure he didn’t set his heart after Fin. Cal pushed a hand through his hair. Now, that was screwed up. He couldn’t have Fin, and he didn’t want his brother to have her either. Fuck.
Maddy leaned forward and kissed his check. “Zeke is a little too wild, and Halsey is a little too geek. You were just right, but it’s not to be.”
He watched her go and then went to flatter, cajole, and con the most powerful, entitled, and unethical men in the room. He made his way around the various groups, inquiring after health, whispering investment tips, some real, some speculative, making comments about the art he’d read up on, telling jokes. He was in fine form he was told, and he knew that had to do with Fin, pride in her achievement, the frisson of knowing he’d see her again before the night was over. The wanting to have her so badly he felt like drinking, and he never drank when he was working, just made it look like he did.
When his path accidentally crossed Fin’s, she broke away from Zeke and walked right into his space. He should’ve stepped back, should’ve sent her home. He took her hand. “Had enough?”
Her eyes glittered, and her smile was brilliant, but she shifted uneasily from foot to foot making the skirt of her dress brush his legs. “Never. This is addictive.”
She’d discovered the secret of life. Making money was a high stakes game of risk and reward whether you did it legally or not, and it was heady.
“Best not to stay too long at the ball, Cinderella. I’ll call your car.”
She shook her head. “I want to show you something first.”
It would be amusing which installation had caught her eye enough for her to want to share it with him. He let her lead him across the room, but instead of choosing one of the sculptures, she headed for a concealed door in the wall, and before he could stop her, she’d pushed it open and they were on the other side.
Service corridor, dark, unused. Stacks of chairs and folded tables, and as his eyes adjusted, Fin looking like she might burst out of her skin.