ed, flashing shots faster than Aria coul

ht like a disco ball on steroids. Her cheeks ached fr

of strangers pretending to car

o the seams of a thousan

rs and socialites with perfectly curated Instagram aesthetics. Aria had been dressed in a flowing cre

ominic Blackwell's glam

felt like a mann

inic whispered beside h

. "It's the dress. I

Dominic wore a three-piece navy suit that looked custom-made-because, of course, it

this as flawle

the other a fashion mogul and his very bored-looking date. The conversations swirle

ne and kept nodding

billionaire's wife said to her. "

to trap him with my charm

ouched her thigh under the table-a gent

it her

used herself and stepped into the garden path behind the event.

our little s

and grinning like he knew something she didn't. He was handsome i

o ask about my dress or m

interested in how someone like y

. Su

"I'm Liam. Dominic'

d. "He has

ing, I know. I'm the

en know he h

ikes to erase things that don

you saying you don

ually against the stone railing. "But I know fake when I see

ed. "You don

whatever deal you've ma

espond, a voice ca

mi

aw tight. Aria turned to Liam, who winked and walked

c asked the moment she

brot

nostrils flaring. "

he's not und

ead, he took her elbow, gui

y. Aria stared out the tinted wi

it?" Dominic

ed. "Reg

ing

guard. For a second, she tho

ered who she wa

he said softly. "But I

wly, as if her ans

the deeper we go, the hard