Page 30 of Pandora's Pleasure
No, he wasn’t going to continue ghosting me in front of all these people. Some of the guests might be watching, and they’d be given clear evidence that those rumors of our estrangement were true.
“Hi, Damien.” I forced a smile and turned it up a notch for the senators who flanked him on either side. “Will you both please excuse us while I talk to my fiancé?”
“We’re in the middle of something.” Damien followed that up with a glare.
Senator Rommel gave me a reassuring nod. “Spend time together. It’s what makes these things bearable.”
As the two gentlemen walked away, I was rewarded with another unkind stare from the man meant to be my boyfriend. Damien broke his focus away just long enough to read the room, suddenly realizing there were eyes on us.
He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “Hello, sweetheart.”
“Got a second?”
His dashing smile was disarming. “For you, anytime.”
“You blocked my number?” I whispered.
“Not here.” His tone was harsh.
Walking past him, I made a beeline for one of the many doors that led off the ballroom and found myself in an empty banquet hall. I stood there with my arms folded as I waited patiently for Damien to appear.
Eventually he did, sliding through the door as though trying to be covert. “What do you want?”
“Why are you ignoring me?”
“Maybe this isn’t about you.”
“I’m your fiancée.”
“Can I call you later?”
I narrowed my gaze on him.
He stared back. “You’re doubting my word?”
“Yes.” I sounded extra snobbish for some reason and I couldn’t put the brakes on.
There was just so much riding on Damien being reasonable.
He looked riled. “Quite honestly, Pandora, you’re a bad look on me right now.”
“Excuse me?”
“That issue with your father years ago just caught up with him. It could ricochet off us.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“You want to apologize on his behalf?”
“What? No. I want to make it go away.”
“You know what he did, right?”
“No, I don’t.”
Surprise flashed over his face. “Look, I’ve been told not to talk with you right now.” He paused, looking away. “Trust me, this isn’t easy on me, either.”
My mouth went dry with that revelation. “Are we still together?”
