Page 5 of Hitched to My Enemy
"Senator, your presence honors us." I clasped her hand, maintaining eye contact just long enough to convey respect without deference. "I hope you'll consider the Jade Petal for your next campaign gathering. We have several private dining spaces that would be ideal for intimate donor events."
Her eyes sparked with interest, but before she could respond, I spotted a familiar figure across the room. Enzo Ricci stood near the bar, his silver hair gleaming under the chandeliers, dark eyes cataloging every detail of the evening with predatory focus. My jaw tightened imperceptibly. Enzo owned the Mirage Continental, one of the Strip's established properties, and he'd been publicly vocal about his opposition to new competition.
"Excuse me for just a moment," I murmured to the senator, already moving toward where a small group of investors had congregated near the panoramic windows.
As I approached, I caught the tail end of a conversation about "market oversaturation" and "reckless expansion." The speaker was Marcus Kellerman, whose investment firm had bankrolled three of my competitors over the past five years.
"Gentlemen," I said smoothly, inserting myself into their circle. "I trust you're finding the evening to your satisfaction."
"Hardwick." Kellerman's smile was polite but assessing. "Impressive spectacle. Though I have to question the wisdom of such extravagant expenses in an uncertain market."
A direct challenge, wrapped in conversational silk. I smiled back, projecting confidence without arrogance. "Excellence attracts excellence, Marcus. Our pre-opening numbers suggest the market was hungry for something transcendent."
Before he could respond, I sensed a familiar presence at my elbow. Liv Chen, entertainment reporter for the Las Vegas Tribune, materialized with her usual hungry smile and a recorder she made no attempt to conceal.
"Mr. Hardwick, could I get your thoughts on the regulatory hurdles the Jade Petal has faced? Sources suggest there's been some unusual political pressure regarding expedited approvals."
The investors' attention sharpened like bloodhounds catching a scent, and I felt the weight of multiple assessments as they processed this information. This was exactly the kind of minefield I'd anticipated tonight, but Liv's timing was particularly inconvenient.
"The Jade Petal has exceeded every regulatory benchmark," I replied smoothly. "We've maintained complete transparency with the Gaming Commission throughout our approval process. Any suggestion otherwise is pure speculation from uninformed sources."
Liv's eyes glittered with predatory anticipation. "And what about your personal history with the lead investigator? Some might find it curious that Harlow Clarke is attending tonight's celebration."
The question hung in the air like a loaded weapon. I watched Kellerman and the other investors recalibrating their assessments, weighing the implications of perceived impropriety.
"Investigator Clarke is here in her professional capacity," I replied, allowing just enough steel into my voice to discourage further probing. "The Gaming Commission takes a comprehensive approach to oversight, which we wholeheartedly welcome and support."
But even as I spoke, my attention was drawn to the entrance, where conversations seemed to pause and heads turned in subtle recognition of someone's arrival. And then I saw her.
Harlow stood in the doorway like a vision that had stepped from my most dangerous dreams. The champagne gold silk I'd chosen flowed around her curves like liquid sunlight, and her dark hair was swept into an elegant chignon that showcased the graceful column of her neck. The diamond earrings I'd selected caught the light with every subtle movement, and the entire effect was nothing short of devastating.
She was magnificent, and she knew it. But more tellingly, her posture betrayed barely contained tension—shoulders heldjust a fraction too rigidly, fingers gripping her clutch with white-knuckled intensity. She was as apprehensive about tonight as I was, which meant I wasn't the only one with everything to lose.
"Excuse me," I murmured to Liv and the investors, already moving across the room. I was drawn to Harlow like a man possessed, and I couldn't have cared less who noticed.
***
Harlow had positioned herself at the bar, and I watched as she ordered what appeared to be club soda with lime. Playing it safe, even here. The choice was so quintessentially her that I nearly smiled.
"You clean up beautifully, Investigator Clarke," I said as I approached, signaling the bartender for two glasses of our finest whiskey. "You look like you were born to rule Vegas society."
She turned to face me, and the full force of her attention hit me like a precision strike. Up close, the dress was even more perfect than I'd envisioned—it brought out the amber flecks in her hazel eyes and made her skin glow like warm honey.
"Mr. Hardwick." Her voice maintained its professional coolness, but I detected the slight breathlessness that suggested I wasn't the only one affected by our proximity. "Quite an impressive gathering. The commission will be fascinated to observe your crowd management protocols."
"Always analyzing, aren't you?" I handed her one of the whiskeys, gratified when she accepted it without protest. "Tell me, do you ever simply experience a moment? Or is everything a potential compliance issue in your universe?"
"My universe is about protecting people from establishments that prioritize profit over public safety." She took a measured sip of the whiskey, and I found myself mesmerized by the way her lips touched the crystal rim. "Speaking of which,I've been hearing fascinating rumors about your financing arrangements."
My carefully constructed expression faltered for just an instant—genuine concern breaking through before I could suppress it. Who had been spreading information? And more critically, what exactly had they revealed?
"Rumors tend to multiply exponentially in their retelling," I replied with measured caution. "Perhaps we should focus on verifiable facts."
"Oh, I always prioritize facts." Her smile could have cut diamonds. "That's precisely why I'm here, after all. To distinguish reality from carefully constructed fiction."
The challenge in her voice sent heat racing through my bloodstream. We were standing close enough that I could detect her perfume—something sophisticated and expensive that made me want to eliminate the remaining distance between us. Around us, I was acutely aware of other guests monitoring our interaction with varying degrees of fascination.
Senator Voss was observing openly, clearly weighing the political ramifications of whatever she was witnessing. Kellerman had repositioned himself, probably attempting to eavesdrop on our conversation. Even Enzo Ricci had shifted to gain a better vantage point of the unfolding drama.
