The Billionaire's Princess - Ava Ryan Page 0,13

the corner of his mouth before sliding into his most charming social smile for the benefit of some of our hosts, who stand at the other end of a receiving line in the huge foyer. “Because I invited Percy tonight. Thought it might give you lovebirds the chance to reconnect.”

And there in the archway, blonde and handsome in his dark suit and tie, a whiskey in hand and a bright and hopeful smile on his face, stands Percy.

I freeze, my entire face and body slowly turning to concrete around my pleasant smile and my outrage.

“For fuck’s sake, Daddy!” I cry out of the side of my mouth. “What did you do?”

“You’ll thank me later,” he says airily.

I proceed, dazed, through endless greetings with people I don’t know in the receiving line, managing what I hope are socially appropriate responses to all the well-wishers.

And then, way too soon, I find myself face to face with my former fiancé.

“I’ll leave you to it, Perce,” my father says with a hearty shake and a bracing clap on Percy’s shoulder. “I did what I could on your behalf, but you’ve got your work cut out for you tonight.”

I do my best to incinerate my father with the strength of my malice, but he seems impervious and zooms away like a rat doggy-paddling away from the Titanic while she sinks to the bottom of the Atlantic. Leaving me alone with Percy and the knot of dread lodged deep in my belly.

“Hello, darling,” he says.

I privately bristle at the use of the endearment, but I have more pressing concerns as he leans in to kiss me on both cheeks. I pull back as quickly as possible and keep my expression as bland as possible, mindful of any roaming photographers.

“Percy. Didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”

“I wanted to see you. Plead my case again.”

“Percy…”

“You look amazing, by the way.” His appreciative gaze sweeps me. “You always do.”

“Thanks,” I say uncomfortably, determined to extract myself from the situation immediately. “I don’t mean to be abrupt, but there’s really no point—”

“Is that you, Carly?”

I turn, delighted at the interruption and even more delighted when I see who it is. It’s Damon’s brother Ryker, smiling and handsome in his dark suit. I can’t help but scan the crowd behind him, hoping against hope that Damon is also here tonight, but no such luck. Still, something inside me soars at this renewed connection with Damon and that magical night, no matter how slight. No matter what Damon may or may not have told him about me.

“Ryker.” I smile and kiss him on both cheeks, determined to get his last name if nothing else. “Aren’t you a handsome devil tonight? So wonderful to see you again.”

“You too,” he says, turning to Percy with speculative interest as he extends his hand. “Ryker Black. Slight acquaintance of Carly’s.”

Black! Damon’s last name is Black, I realize with a delicious flush of pleasure. I could find him again if I wanted to.

Which, I now realize, I desperately do.

“Percy Wilson. Delighted.”

“Won’t you join us for a drink?” I ask, ridiculously eager to keep Ryker here for as long as possible.

“Love to,” he says, a disquieting glimmer of mischief sparking to light in his eyes. “I’ll be back in a few. There are some people I need to speak to first.”

With that, he strides off into the crowd—still no sign of Damon—and consigns me to more of my private discussion with Percy.

“How do you know him?” Percy asks, a vague note of suspicion in his voice that sets my teeth on edge. In addition to its being none of his business at this point in our relationship, I have no intention of opening a discussion about what may or may not be going on between me and any member of the Black family. “I wasn’t aware that you had any connection to the Black family.”

“You know them?” I asked, startled.

“Who doesn’t? They own half of the city with their real estate empire.”

A bell belatedly rings in my brain.

“Hang on. That Black family?”

“Of course. Who else?”

I file this fascinating tidbit of information away for later and focus on the issue at hand.

“Percy. I’m sorry, but I have to be honest. I didn’t expect to see you here tonight. And as far as I’m concerned, we’ve already discussed everything we needed to discuss.”

“We’ve been together for years, darling. You don’t just scuttle that. We can work things through. No reason why we can’t when we haven’t told your grandmother