Chapter 5

The music in Valhalla was loud, a heavy bass that vibrated through the floorboards.

Gisele stood up from the leather booth, grabbing their empty glasses. "I'm going to the bar to get us another round. Don't move."

Kelsi nodded, leaning back against the cushions. She pressed her hand against her stomach. The pain medication was working, but the loud environment was starting to make her feel slightly claustrophobic.

She needed some air.

She stood up and navigated her way through the crowded room, heading toward a narrow, dimly lit hallway that led to an outdoor smoking terrace.

At the exact same moment, Augustus Russo reached the bottom of the staircase. His dark eyes instantly tracked Kelsi's movement. He saw her slip into the hallway.

He adjusted the cuffs of his vintage leather jacket and followed her, his strides long and deliberate. He kept a few paces behind her, watching the way the black silk dress clung to her figure.

The hallway was dark, illuminated only by small wall sconces.

Kelsi was looking at her phone, trying to lower the screen brightness, when the heel of her shoe caught on a thick fold in the vintage rug.

She gasped as her ankle twisted. She pitched forward, bracing herself for the hard impact of the floor.

It never came.

A strong, muscular arm wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her flush against a solid chest.

"Careful," a deep, resonant voice murmured right next to her ear. The breath ghosted over her skin, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

Kelsi's heart hammered against her ribs. She braced her hands against his chest to steady herself and looked up.

She crashed into a pair of eyes that were as dark and endless as a midnight sky.

The man was tall, towering over her even in her heels. His jawline was sharp enough to cut glass, covered in a light shadow of stubble. He exuded an intense, quiet power that made the air around them feel thick.

Kelsi blinked, her mind racing. She stared at his face. There was something incredibly familiar about the slope of his nose, the intense way he was looking at her.

"Have we met?" Kelsi asked, her voice slightly breathless.

The man's lips curved into a slow, devastating smile. He didn't let go of her waist immediately.

"We have," he said smoothly. "A gallery opening in London. About a year ago."

The memory clicked into place. Kelsi remembered. She had accompanied Jeb on a business trip to London. She had wandered into an independent art gallery while Jeb was in meetings.

She remembered this man. He had been one of the featured artists. They had spoken for maybe ten minutes about a particularly aggressive abstract painting.

"It's you," Kelsi said, her eyes widening in surprise. She took a small step back, and his arm finally dropped from her waist. "I remember your work. It was very... visceral."

Augustus let out a low chuckle. "Thank you. I didn't expect to run into you here, Kelsi Owens."

Kelsi was taken aback. "You remember my name?"

Augustus's gaze swept over her face slowly, taking in the slight paleness of her cheeks. "I have a good memory. Besides, you and your fiancé, Jeb Harrington, are frequently in the society pages."

At the mention of Jeb's name, Kelsi's body went rigid. The light in her eyes instantly died out.

Augustus didn't miss the micro-expression. He tracked the way her fingers curled inward.

"That's in the past," Kelsi said quietly, looking away.

Augustus raised a dark eyebrow, but he didn't push. He simply shifted the conversation. "Did you just get back from Europe?"

"No," Kelsi shook her head. "Did you?"

Augustus nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. "Yeah. The opportunities in London dried up. Figured I'd come back to New York and see if I could make something happen."

He delivered the lie flawlessly. His tone was casual, but laced with just enough self-deprecation to sound authentic.

Kelsi's mind immediately filled in the blanks. Opportunities dried up. He was struggling. He couldn't sell his art in London, so he had to move back to the States to try and survive.

Before Kelsi could offer a sympathetic response, the sharp clacking of heels echoed down the hallway.

"Kelsi! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Gisele appeared, holding two fresh cocktails. She stopped dead when she saw the man standing next to Kelsi. Gisele's eyes widened, scanning him from head to toe with blatant appreciation.

"Oh," Gisele purred, stepping closer. "And who is this?"

Kelsi suddenly realized she didn't actually know his name. "This is... I'm so sorry, I forgot your name."

Augustus pulled his right hand out of his pocket and extended it toward Gisele.

"Yannis," he said smoothly.

Gisele shook his hand, her eyes sparkling with gossip. "Nice to meet you, Yannis. I'm Gisele. But I have to steal my girl back now. Emergency girls' talk."

Gisele linked her arm through Kelsi's and began pulling her back toward the main bar.

Kelsi glanced over her shoulder. "Yannis" was still standing in the dim hallway, watching her walk away.