The Woman He Bought

Three days later - At The Gala

The first thing Victoria Laurent did was look at my dress.

Then she looked at Adrian.

Then she smiled like she'd caught him doing something he shouldn't.

“Adrian, darling. You didn't tell me you were bringing someone.”

I wished I could disappear.

Everyone wore expensive clothes, and everyone seemed to notice everything. I'd barely greeted Adrian's aunt when Victoria came over.

She was beautiful, with a perfect dress and not one hair out of place.

She looked at me again.

“So,” she said slowly, “who's your friend?”

“Elena,” Adrian said. “She's here with me.”

Victoria waited for him to say more.

He didn't.

I almost admired him for not rushing to explain.

“How interesting,” she said. “I didn't know you were bringing guests to family events.”

“I don't remember needing your permission.”

Her smile grew tight.

I swallowed. This was going badly already.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, hoping being polite would help.

Victoria looked at me as if she'd just remembered I could talk.

“Likewise. And what do you do, Elena?”

Before I could answer, Adrian spoke.

“She's my companion.”

The word hung between us.

Victoria looked at him, then at me, then back at him.

“Your companion?”

“That's what I said.”

“Oh.” She smiled again, but this time there was no warmth in it. “I see.”

I wasn't going to explain myself to someone who already disliked me.

“Adrian, can I speak to you for a moment?” she asked.

“Whatever you want to say, you can say here.”

Her face flickered.

There was clearly some history between them. Victoria acted like she still had a place in his life, and Adrian sounded tired of it.

She glanced at me again.

“Fine. I was going to ask if you'd changed your mind about dinner next week.”

“I haven't.”

“You haven't even checked your schedule.”

“I don't need to.”

Her smile finally disappeared.

“Right. Of course.”

She turned to me, and I wished she wouldn't.

“Enjoy the evening, Elena.”

She said it like she wanted me gone.

Then she walked away, her heels clicking across the floor.

I let out the breath I'd been holding.

“Well,” I muttered. “That went nicely.”

Adrian looked down at me. “You think so?”

“No. I was being sarcastic.”

“I noticed.”

I couldn't tell if he was teasing me.

“Is she always like that?” I asked.

“Like what?”

“Like she's picking where to bury someone.”

He let out a short laugh.

I blinked. Adrian usually looked like smiling was a waste of time.

“Victoria doesn't like surprises,” he said.

“Then maybe you should've warned her.”

“Why? So she could prepare a speech?”

I pressed my lips together to hide my smile.

For a moment, I relaxed. Then I remembered where I was.

“Does she think we're together?” I asked.

Adrian looked at me.

“I didn't introduce you as my girlfriend.”

Girlfriend?

The word caught me off guard, even though he'd only said I wasn't one.

“That isn't what I asked.”

“Then what are you asking?”

I looked away. “Nothing. Forget it.”

Someone called his name before he could answer.

“Excuse me,” he said. “Stay here. I'll be back.”

I nodded.

He left me beside a table full of drinks and strangers.

I took a sip of water.

This was fine. Smile, answer questions without saying too much, and get through the night without being noticed.

Simple.

Then I saw him.

The man by the tall windows had his back partly turned to me. He spoke to an older man with one hand in his pocket. His hair was shorter, and his shoulders looked broader.

But I knew the way he stood and how he tilted his head when he listened.

My fingers tightened around the glass.

No.. it couldn't be him.

Five years was a long time. People changed. Then he turned, and the room seemed to move under my feet.

Nicolas.

My first love. The man I'd once thought I'd spend my life with.

The man who'd disappeared when my family fell apart.

I couldn't move.

He looked older, and the easy look I'd remembered was gone.

Still, it was him.

I'd spent years trying not to think about how he'd left. I'd told myself I was over him, that we belonged to another part of my life.

Maybe my heart hadn't got the message.

He spoke to the man beside him, then looked across the room. His eyes found mine, and he froze. My mouth went dry, and I looked away.

Someone walked between us, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were running too fast.

Why was he here?

How could he be here?

And why hadn't I known he was connected to the Blackwells?

A hand touched my elbow.

I jumped.

“Elena?”

Adrian was beside me, frowning a little.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes.” The answer came too fast. I made myself smile. “I'm fine.”

He followed my eyes toward the windows.

“Oh. There you are.”

My stomach dropped.

Adrian lifted his hand.

“Nicolas! There you are.”

No.

Please, no.

Nicolas started walking toward us.

I wanted to leave. I wanted answers. I wanted to ask why he'd let me think I meant so little to him.

Instead, I stood beside Adrian, holding my glass so tightly I thought it might break.

Nicolas stopped in front of us.

I noticed the small scar near his eyebrow, the one he'd gotten years ago in a stupid fight.

I hated that I still remembered.

His eyes moved over my face, as if he couldn't believe I was standing there.

Adrian, not knowing what was going on between us, gave a small smile.

“Elena, meet Nicolas. My stepbrother.”

The glass nearly slipped from my hand.

His stepbrother.

Of all the people in New York, it had to be him.

Nicolas swallowed. He didn't look away from me.

“Elena,” he said softly.

Hearing him say my name brought back too much.

I forced myself to breathe.

“Nicolas.”

Adrian looked from him to me.

“Wait. Do you two know each other?”

For a moment, Nicolas said nothing.

Neither did I.

I could've lied. I should've lied. But the words wouldn't come. I couldn't pretend this man was a stranger when he was the reason I'd spent years trying to forget how it felt to be loved and then left behind.

Nicolas finally turned to his stepbrother.

“Yeah,” he said. “We know each other.”

Adrian's face changed a little.

“From where?”

Nicolas looked at me again.

I knew he was about to answer, and I wasn't ready to hear what he would say in front of Adrian.