you’ll behave yourself,’ he added, in a no-nonsense tone.
Her stormy eyes cleared to flinty silver. She slid her hands down his chest and pushed, but he didn’t let go. ‘Don’t cause a scene, Alexa.’
She darted a glance around the room, then scowled up at him. They continued to dance while her eyes shot daggers. He grinned, though he was far from amused.
‘I have a business to run. I can’t drop everything and anyway, why should I? My dress is gorgeous. People have been staring all night.’ Her gaze dropped, but not before he caught the shame there.
He gritted his teeth. Men had been gaping all night at the silky skin on display. That was his point exactly. ‘Staring in disbelief, I imagine. I’m respected in these circles, Alexa and I’ve worked hard to gain that respect. Having a woman on my arm so scantily dressed lowers people’s opinion as Santos changing his mind proved. You will make it up to me.’
He spun her around. By the time she was back in his arms, her eyes flashed stormy black. ‘That wasn’t my intention, but I’m not going to apologise for being who I am. You asked me here. What did you expect?’
‘I expected more class from Robert Green’s daughter.’
‘I’m not, nor will I ever be, anything like my father.’ Steely resolve hardened her eyes.
Ric wondered why she spoke of her father with such barely contained anger. She’d been born into this life with everything. A family and the best start a person could ask for. Ric had been left on the streets, barely a child of five, with a bleak chance of survival.
The song ended and his frustration grew. He didn’t release her. Instead he loomed over her with a hard expression of his own. ‘You owe me for this, and you will work with me to organise the fundraiser.’
Her hands fisted in his jacket and she frowned. ‘No.’
‘Stop acting like a child and take responsibility for your actions.’
Alexa jolted back like he’d struck her. ‘I am not acting like a child.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m twenty-three. Not forty.’
‘At your age I started running Hotel Castillo.’
‘Explains why you’re so dull.’ She placed a hand on her hip, causing the cut down the front of her dress to gape wider. His gaze was drawn to the half globes exposed by the material. ‘It doesn’t explain why you want me working with you. Don’t you have a party planner?’
‘She’s indisposed for a while.’
‘The plot thickens.’ Her sarcastic tone grated on his temper. She glared at him. ‘And my lack of class was the perfect excuse to guilt me into working with you, but you can forget about trying to make me feel bad for losing Santos. I have a business to run back home and no inclination to spend any more time with you.’
‘I didn’t ask. You will work with me, and maybe even rid yourself of your wild-child reputation by doing so.’
She opened and closed her mouth a few times. Ric could see she was considering what he’d said. He resisted the urge to smirk and pulled her into another dance. Alexa’s brows creased, but she didn’t pull away. He smelled victory.
Alexa’s bravado had buggered off. Again he’d called her childish and again it hit her like a hard slap to the face—harder than when blondie had told her husband Alexa was trash. But she wasn’t going to be bullied into working with him, even though she could see what he said made sense. And she did feel a trickle of guilt about losing Santos and wearing the dress.
Not that she cared what everyone thought about her, but if she lost a major benefactor for a good cause, she had to try and make that right. Still, Alexa didn’t know what she could do to persuade Santos to attend. Maybe helping out would prove she wasn’t the spoilt little rich girl everyone thought she was.
She’d started her business, Together, two years ago, but she knew the money she made barely paid the cost of living in London and she wouldn’t touch her trust fund. It was just another reminder that she was her father’s possession.
‘What kind of coverage will your event have?’ She had to ask. If the media didn’t hit London with the news she’d helped organise such an event it was pointless.
Ric grinned down as he swayed her to the music. Still, she could see his eyes were tight with anger. Alexa straightened her shoulders.
‘It depends how much interest we can raise.’ He shrugged. ‘I came here tonight with the hope of convincing people like Santos to come. He’s well known in society and the more people like him who attend, the more media coverage.’ He frowned down at her. ‘And while telling men you meet in London clubs that you have no underwear on may score you a date, it won’t here Alexa.’
He scowled down at her. She was galled at his arrogant assumption and the suspicion that he knew exactly who she was grew stronger, but now at least she understood why he was angry. Ric was all about respect. Plus, if she was going to do this, she’d need as many people like that to attend the ball to benefit her—which meant hunting down Santos and charming him into changing his mind.
But organising a party this big and glamorous wasn’t something she’d done before. Still, she couldn’t let fear get in the way. She had planned lots of parties for her friends and herself, this couldn’t be much different.
‘For the record, I don’t make a habit of informing people whether or not I’m wearing knickers.’ His lips twitched. ‘If I agree to do this, I have a few conditions.’
He cocked an incredulous brow. Alexa smiled. If he thought she was going to bow at his feet he had another think coming.
‘For the next week I get to enjoy my holiday. After, I’ll have to spend some time on my work. I’ll need access to a landline and the internet.’
His expression smoothed out. Alexa thought she saw a hint of relief in his dark eyes. ‘All are reasonable requests, but I do need you visit a potential venue with me tomorrow since it looks like the new resort won’t be ready in time. A few hours should do it. You can meet me in the lobby at eight.’
She pressed her lips into a firm line. ‘Fine. Lobby at eight. But from midday I’m off the clock.’
‘Fine.’ His dry tone mirrored hers. Holding out his hand, he said ‘Let’s network.’
Alexa grimaced and he laughed. She knew she had to do this if she wanted the ball to gain international interest. Pulling herself together and remembering everything her father had taught her about how to act at places like this, she placed her hand in his.
Reluctantly, Ric admitted his opinion of Alexa wasn’t one hundred per cent founded. After their agreement, she’d been more than arm candy at the party, and even won over a few couples Ric never thought would attend one of his functions which almost made up for losing Santos’ respect. Usually he kept to himself and avoided social events like he avoided women looking for his ring on their finger. But it was long past time for him to start trying to make a difference
