C2 CHAPTER TWO

AWHILE since I’ve been to a party off ship.”

Well, you’ve come to the right one. Nikki helped pull it off.” Armris squeezed her. “Have you heard of her new event planning company? She just started it. It’s called Perceptions. A lovely name, if I say so myself.”

Nikki resisted rolling her eyes. Armris had thought up the name. He’d also called her up weeks ago and strong-armed her into starting the business, helping her file the right paperwork, and loaning her a generous amount of start-up capital.

“Tonight’s her inaugural event,” Armris was telling Philan Rivers .

“Is it?” Philian rumbled, his eyes crinkling as he looked down at her. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Nikki forced a smile. She was happy, she really was.

Or maybe not happy. Content. Happiness was a lie. It seemed to her that everyone was simply trying to get by the best they could. So she did, too. And she stayed busy. That was key. When she was busy, she didn’t have time to think. Which was why this event had been perfect.

She barely slept the past week and had almost had a heart attack when the caterers tried to change the menu on her at the last moment. But she’d called around to every fish market in the area and gotten them enough fresh salmon to make their piccata bites right in time. And then she had to fight with the florists to get the arrangements she wanted even though they’d agreed a week ago—

Nikki shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I should probably check on the buffet…”

She started to pull away but Armris shook his head. “Nikki, darling, the buffet is fine. Quit acting like Cinderella and enjoy the ball. Champagne!”

A waitress wearing little more than a purple bikini and headdress of peacock feathers sashayed by and offered her tray out to them. Nikki had a glass pressed into her hand before she could protest.

“

“To the hostess with the mostess. To Nikki,” Arm8 whooped. Nikki tried to shush him; if Mario didn’t know she was here before he certainly did now. She was about to extricate herself from Armris ’s embrace when Ophelia broke into their circle.

“Hey guys, what are we toasting to?”

“Ophelia!” Armris greeted her. “We’re toasting Nikki.”

“Roger that.” Ophelia was a hacker Nikki had befriended in the past few months and her friendship had turned out to be a lifesaver. Especially now since they were roommates after Nikki had moved out of Mario’s penthouse. Ophelia relieved Nikki of her glass and downed the rest of the champagne.

Nikki craned her head slightly and tried to scan the room to see if her husband was circling closer. Armris still had his arm around her shoulders and was doing introductions. If she moved now, she’d appear rude. At least Mario hadn’t approached them yet. Maybe there was still time for her to escape?

“Philian, this is Ophelia, resident tech genius who owns Aurum, the tech company. Ophelia, Philian runs a shipping business and owns—”

“A bunch of toys that can only be run on water,” Philian interrupted, capturing Ophelia ’s hand and kissing it.

“Awesome,” Ophelia said, looking down her sharp nose. Ophelia ’s face wasn’t unattractive but Nikki didn’t care for the way she wore her hair parted down the middle, black sheets falling to a blunt cut jaw. The whole hairstyle resembled a helmet. After two months of advising her friend to get her hair cut in softer layers, Nikki had given up, suspecting that Ophelia preferred to look striking rather than pretty.

Of course, that theory didn’t jive with the way Ophelia flirted. Right now Ophelia was fluttering her dark lashes at the shipping mogul. “Do you share your toys?”

“I’ll share mine if you share yours.” Philian smiled.

“Right on. I’m heading out of here soon, but I’ll look you up.” Ophelia looked Philian over, from his bald head all the way down to his wing tip shoes. “You’re what, six one?”

“Six two.” Again, Philian’s smile showed two rows of very white teeth.

“Nice. You know what they say about tall men.” Ophelia looked pointedly at the guest’s crotch.

“Ophelia,” Nikki choked out, but wasn’t sure why she was even surprised anymore. Ophelia was smart enough to realize her rudeness—she simply didn’t care. “Philian was commenting on how nice this party is.”

Even as she said it, her eyes were darting around. Where had Mario gone? Had he seen her?

“Oh, for sure. Great party,” Ophelia agreed.

Armris, now hanging on Nikki, had somehow grabbed a second champagne. He pointed with his new glass, dangerously close to slopping liquid onto Nikki. “See that guy in the corner? That’s Marco Mars, the movie star.”

They all studied the handsome blond holding court in front of the staircase, surrounded by an adoring audience five people deep.

“Hot. I’d fuck him,” Ophelia pronounced. Armris snorted in Nikki ’s ear, leaning more heavily on her until she was surrounded by the scent of his cologne. It smelled good but was a little overpowering for her taste. Philian ’s lips jerked briefly into what looked suspiciously like the start of a smile.

Nikki closed her eyes as Ophelia went on. “Didn’t Annabel say she was auditioning for a movie that he’s starring in? That would be, like, a huge break for her

“Yes,” Nikki said, focusing back in on the conversation at hand. “And she’s perfect for the part.”

“Where is that bitch anyway?” Ophelia frowned, looking back towards the entrance. “Annabelle is another one of our roommates,” she told Philian, and then winked at him. ”There’s only one bed, though. Good thing we’re such close friends.”

Nikki all but choked on a sip of champagne. “How about another toast?”

She