eyes incredulous. Are you hearing this?
And people are.
Bryce steps closer. “We should never have agreed to your deal. I might not have the company anymore, nor a vote on the board, but people still know our name. We can cause a lot of trouble for you.”
“Go ahead and try.”
Bryce shakes his head in disgust. “You can put on a suit all you like, but you’re no less trash for that.”
Nick’s eyes flash. For a wild second, I think he might actually punch Bryce. The violent tension in the air is flavored by the crowd’s horrified delight.
I take a step forward, not knowing what to do but needing to do something.
Nick sees me. Impassivity returns to his features, the fire in his eyes gone as quick as it had come. “I’d suggest you accept your fate gracefully,” he counsels Bryce, condescension in his tone.
And then he walks away, taking a sip of his brandy and ignoring the looks the entire room shoots his way. If they burn like arrows in his back, he doesn’t show it, standing straight and proud.
Bryce is panting like he’s run a race. I step forward, placing a hand with more gentleness on his arm than I feel. The bastard must have come here uninvited with the sole intent of confronting Nick.
“Come on,” I tell him, guiding him out of the living room. He lets me, eyes still furious.
“Can you believe him?” he mutters, as if he’s forgotten who he’s talking to. Nick and Cole’s friendship is well-documented.
“I can.” My voice is curt.
No one bothers us as we make our way out through the front door. I lift a hand for one of the waiting cabs, but Bryce barely notices me, he’s so lost in his own thoughts.
“Bryce, I think it’s time you head out,” I say.
His gaze finds mine. “Yes. But—no, you’re right.” He looks over his shoulder. “This is your brother’s party. I’m sorry for making a scene like that.”
“It’s all right,” I say, though I truly don’t feel like it is. “But in the future, if you have any grievances with Nick, you should take them to his office. Not in a place like this.”
Bryce’s self-assured smile is back in place. It’s tinged with bashfulness, his eyes pleading on mine. “You’re right. Can you ever forgive me?”
The nerve of the man, to flirt like this when he’s just… “I’ll think about it,” I say.
He meets my serious tone with playfulness. “I’ll be waiting.”
Behind him, my brother bursts through the door. The scowl on his face is familiar. If he comes out now, he’ll ruin my attempt at getting Bryce out without making more of a scene.
I give him a quiet shake of the head and watch as he reins himself in. I know he hates every second of it.
Bryce gets into the cab I’ve hailed with a final glance at me. “Goodbye, Blair,” he tells me. There’s speculation in his gaze and damn it, I should have told him I work for Nick. That would have put an end to that real quick.
“I didn’t invite him,” Cole says darkly by my side. “How he got past the event planners, I have no idea.”
“He’s a smooth talker.”
“Did you hear the argument?”
I sigh. “Yes. Nick took him down verbally, but everyone heard.”
“Damn.” The annoyance on his face lasts only a few moments before it clears, and he’s once again my composed big brother, ready to conquer and charm. “I’ll have to apologize to Nick later. If he’ll even accept it, that is. Perhaps he enjoyed it.”
I match his pace as we walk back through the house. Enjoyed the confrontation… Somehow, I doubt that. “I’ll check on him,” I say quietly. “I think you should reduce tensions in the living room. People are bound to gossip.”
Cole raises his eyebrow but doesn’t comment. “I will.”
And then I’m off again, trying to adopt the same breezy manner I’d had before, but finding that it’s slipped out of my grasp all together.
Nick’s not in any of the major party areas. He’s not outside, with the smokers, or together with the crowd around the hors d'oeuvres. He’s nowhere at all.
I pause with my foot on the staircase. The second story is off-limits for guests tonight. Both staff and security are on sight to help stop that. Glancing around, I give one of the security guards a smile more confident than I feel. Please, Cole, tell me you put me on the OK-list…
The guard gives a curt nod. I dart upstairs, and