Chapter 5: New York Annual Business Gala

*Rosie Fay-Donovan*

Even though I wasn’t one to brag about my looks or anything, I had to hand it to Logan this time. He made the perfect dress. Sienna didn’t even let me try on another one after seeing me in this one, saying there was no way another piece would fit me as perfectly as this one. And she was right.

It was a long red dress, and even though I thought it’d be cliché to wear a red dress, it felt like it was made for me. It complimented me in the right places, making my curves stand out without looking vulgar.

It was made of the softest, most beautiful satin I’d ever seen. It had a halter strap neckline and a slit that went all the way up to my thigh. There was no need to wear anything else to make it better, but Sienna suggested I wear my emerald necklace with it, so I trusted her.

And damn, wasn’t she right? I curled up my long bob hair, letting it loose since I wasn’t really in the mood to do anything more elaborate. The red lips and eyeliner did the rest, and I was more than satisfied with my look for this event.

What I wasn’t expecting though was that Sienna was right when she said Archie would be drooling over me. At first, I thought I was imagining things, but ever since he laid his eyes on me as I walked down the stairs, I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t seeing him watching me during the entire night.

“You look dazzling,” he said as soon as I stepped off the staircase.

I thanked him, immediately feeling self-conscious and a bit shy. He made me feel like a teenager being complimented by her crush. Archie had done it other times before, but the way his eyes went up and down my body tonight made me feel different somehow—more vulnerable, but in a good way.

We arrived at the venue and it was already swamped, buzzing with excited conversations everywhere. As we entered, we greeted everyone we recognized, stopping here and there to make some small talk with people we hadn’t seen in a while.

Networking—that was the whole purpose of tonight. And even though I liked these parties, I needed some champagne to help me through it. There was no way I would be able to listen to these boring conversations while being sober.

“If that isn’t my beautiful daughter-in-law looking stunning in a design of my own.” Logan’s voice carried through the room and I turned on my heels to look at him. My smile instantly widened when I saw him.

I missed having him around. It was bittersweet to see Logan since he reminded me so much of my father. But his presence was also reassuring and he was always fun to be around.

“Logan, it’s so great to see you,” I said as I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him. He smelled and looked nice, something Archie learned from him.

“It’s great to see you,” he replied, pulling away from me and checking my dress carefully. “You look stunning, darling. This was made for you.”

“Well, I have you to thank for that.” I smiled at him.

“Dad,” Archie said from beside me, reaching out to hug his father. Their interaction was brief, but even though they weren’t very touchy or emotional, I knew they loved each other.

Archie always showed a lot of respect toward his father. I wouldn’t say he was afraid of his old man, but he did everything he could to make Logan proud and satisfied.

“Son, how have you been?” Logan asked, his eyes roaming over Archie’s face. The wound through his brow had healed, but there was a small scar that was still visible if you really searched for it. I was sure Logan didn’t miss that, but he decided to keep quiet.

Archie was incredibly handsome tonight, wearing a tailored tuxedo, his hair combed back with some gel. I personally liked when he let it loose, and since it was a bit long, it usually covered his eyes making him look even more endearing. But I had to admit, Archie looked very sexy and manly like this too, as if he had just stepped out of a 60s movie.

“All good, Dad. It’s good to have you in town,” Archie muttered. “How long are you staying? Rosie was hoping you could have dinner with us.”

“Oh, I would love that. But unfortunately, I have a lot of things to prepare for the anniversary of the company, so I have to go back to Ohio tomorrow morning.”

“That’s a pity,” I added. “You need to take some time off and visit us.”

“I promise I will. As soon as this whole celebration is over, I’ll have some free time before I prepare for next year’s collection. We could travel together as a family, maybe visit Liam in Italy.”

“That'd be lovely, Logan,” I added excitedly.

“Rosie!” a soft, singing voice called me from a distance and I didn’t have to look to know who it was.

Audrey Gibbs had been my personal assistant ever since I started my company, and she was a little bubble of light and sweetness. She looked beautiful tonight, her curly brown hair styled in a bun and a yellow dress that lit up her tanned skin. Her thick brows and her sparkling brown eyes made her look fresh and young.

“Audrey, good evening.”

“Good evening, boss. Oh…” She seemed to notice Logan and Archie and bowed at them dramatically. “Evening, gentlemen. Do you mind if I steal my boss from you for a few minutes? There’s the owner of this hair salon franchise that’d like to talk to her.”

Archie and Logan nodded at her, and I excused myself for a while to follow Audrey. After she took me to the woman she referred to, we met with several other business owners and billionaire heirs who were trying to expand their client lists.

I lost count of how many champagne glasses I drank, but at some point, Archie showed up by my side and didn’t leave. I had no idea why he decided to stick by my side while he could be having important deals sealed, but I did not argue or question him.

I liked having him beside me. If anything, it made me feel even more powerful. I was used to being someone people paid attention to when I walked into a room. Not because of my looks, but because of who I was and what I represented.

My family was famous, and even though it was only a rumor that my father had been a mafia boss, I was certain people knew that it was true. And having Archie be the head of the family now made me feel like we were the talk of town whenever we were together in a room. I would be lying if I said it didn’t feel good somehow.

“I don’t think I can take too much more of this,” I mumbled to myself as I stepped away from the crowd and walked to a set of couches set up in the corner of the ballroom.

Archie and Audrey followed me, and I tossed myself onto the couch on the left, not caring to be too polite as I sat down. No one was looking at me, so I could drop the formality for a second.

Audrey sat by my side but Archie remained standing, glancing around and analyzing the surroundings. I got lost in the view for a moment. He was so f*cking gorgeous, it was breathtaking.

His green eyes traveled around the room as if he was a predator. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his jaw was tense, looking sharper than normal. He crossed his arms and I tried to ignore the way his muscles rippled under the fabric of his blazer.

I swallowed hard and shook my head to get back to my senses.

“Oh, look who’s here. Henry, hi!” Audrey cooed, waving excitedly from her spot on the couch. I followed her gaze and saw Henry Lowe coming toward us.

I had no time to study him or his looks though, because I felt a burning stare on my face and I automatically turned to look at Archie instead.

He wasn’t looking around anymore. Instead, his eyes were now on me and Henry, who was approaching us with a wide smile on his face.

“Good evening, ladies,” Henry greeted, his arms wrapping around my waist, pulling me to my feet, and hugging me before I had the chance to say anything.

I knew he was only being polite. It was just Henry’s way. He did the same with Audrey, but for some reason, I knew Archie didn’t care about that.

By the way he was looking at Henry, I could swear he wanted to murder the man in front of everyone just because he had touched me, let alone hugged me in such an intimate way.

Henry seemed to realize Archie’s presence as he approached us, sticking his clenched fists in his pockets and shooting daggers with his eyes.

The champagne was already making its way up to my brain because I had to fight the urge to laugh at Henry’s expression as he stared at Archie. He seemed terrified.

“Henry Lowe, what a surprise.”