Page 41 of The Player + The Pact = I Do

I grin at her and we just stand there, facing each other and smiling like idiots. If I hadn’t had my ass handed to me by Nadia over the summer, if everything was different, I would have to kiss Jules right now.

Aesha interrupts. “Leo,” she calls, appearing just a second later. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but Tyler Groves is here and I thought you’d want to say hi.”

“Thanks, Aesha.” She’s right, I do want to say hi. He’s a dick, but he’s also one of the top agents in the city. I’ve known him since my bread delivery days. His father set up in competition with Caroline’s, and I remember Caroline being really cut up about it.

Jules slides her hand into mine and we head out. I glance down at the ring on her left hand and heatfills my chest. It’s a sense of possessiveness I’m not used to. I like seeing her wear the ring I bought her—a not-so-subtle message to the rest of the world that this woman is mine.

“Tyler,” I call as he spots me across the living space. His hair is slicked back and he has that year-round perma-tan. Some things never change. I drop Jules’ hand only long enough to shake Tyler’s. “Good to see you.” We greet each other and shake hands and his eyes slide to Jules.

“This is Jules Moore. My fiancée.”

“Whoa, congratulations,” he says, eyeing Jules up and down. “I didn’t know.”

He and Jules shake hands before Aesha calls me away to meet someone else. She asked me for names of people I wanted to make sure I spoke to tonight, and I gave her five. She said she’d make sure I saw them all, and so far, she’s being true to her word. She’s a good assistant. Jules did well recruiting her, not that I’m surprised.

I greet Andrew Feinstein, who is looking to invest in my next project in Harlem. I show him around and talk to him in more depth, but wherever we go, I’m aways aware of Jules. It’s like she’s my energy source or something, and I need to stay tethered to her in some way to avoid depleting my tank.

“Thanks for coming tonight,” I say. “I thought it would be a useful comparison to the development we’re talking about doing together. It’s similar, but with important differences.”

He nods, his gaze skirting the room. “It’s interesting. I haven’t been up in this area for a while.”

I’m so fucking lucky to get Andrew here tonight. He’s the kind of money man who doesn’t leave his desk, and I knew the idea of developing in this area didn’t sit comfortablyfor him. It was too risky. Being here will make all the difference.

My gaze catches on Jules. She’s laughing at something Tyler’s saying to her. I want her next to me. “Let me introduce you to my fiancée,” I say.

“You’re engaged?” he asks, a note of shock in his voice.

“It’s recent. We haven’t actually done any kind of formal announcement yet.” I lift my chin in her direction. “She’s the one in the red.”

“I should have brought my wife,” he says. “Maybe the four of us can go out to dinner?”

“Absolutely. Let me get her so you can meet.” Andrew could meet her at dinner, but it’s a useful excuse to get her away from Tyler.

I stride towards Jules and hear her talking to Tyler.

She laughs. “He’s actually very kind and thoughtful.”

He mutters something low and a little too close to her. She noticeably moves her body away from him. What’s that asshole saying? I bet he’s hitting on her.

Someone I don’t recognize stops me and shakes my hand, congratulating me on the development. I smile and thank them, but I’m listening to the conversation Jules is having with Tyler.

“No,” she says, a little more forcefully. “I don’t think that at all. He’s a good man.”

She looks up as I join the two of them, her eyes filled with relief and gratitude. Instantly I want to punch Tyler in the mouth. Jules is tough. She doesn’t need saving, so why is she so pleased to see me?

I slide my arm around Jules’ waist. “Excuse me, Tyler, I’m going to whisk my fiancée away.”

I don’t give him time to respond, guiding Jules away from him, my hand on the small of her back.

I lower my lips to her ear as we walk. “Are you okay?” I ask.

“That guy’s a dick.”

“Couldn’t agree more. Was he rude to you? Inappropriate? I can have him kicked out. Hell, I can kick him out myself.”

She shakes her head. “No, he wasn’t rude to me. I mean, he came on to me, which was?—”

“Came on to you?” I growl, glancing back toward where we left that absolute shit stain.

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