Sergei gave a single nod. Ava could see that he wasn’t entirely on board, but for the moment, she felt as though they could trust that his motives and their motives were the same. At least for this one moment in time.
Chapter Seventeen
Nash hated parties. Of course, he wasn’t partial to social events of any kind to begin with, but parties were particularly foul, in his opinion. It was a chance for people you barely knew to come and drink liquor and eat food at your expense all while making blanket judgments about your taste and sense of style.
“I would have preferred a barbeque,” Quentin muttered as he passed Nash’s right shoulder on his way through the room.
Nash grunted. Quentin was right, but even the idea of this group showing up to a pig roast or some other such event was laughable. There had to be at least a hundred people in the ballroom of one of Brookline’s trendiest country clubs. This venue was apparently one of the most sought out in Boston. Thankfully, Ava knew people, lots of people, and the right ones when it came to last-minute party throwing.
With his hands clasped in front of him, Nash looked over the crowd as he circulated. He and Ava had come to the conclusion that it would be better if he and his team attended the party as security. It would emphasize the importance of Tegan and up the status symbolism if people thought Ava had gone so far as to hire a private security firm for her daughter’s engagement party.
Rich people.
Nash had a feeling that every woman in this room was wearing some kind of gown made by a list of designers with unpronounceable names. There were enough jewels in attendance to make a thief swoon with delight, and even the men were dripping diamonds at their cuffs and on their wristwatches.
Across the cavernous room, Nash could see Wrath looking simultaneously disgruntled and elegant in his eveningwear. Nash did not envy Wrath tonight. The man was going to have to watch his woman pretend to be engaged to someone else. It would not be easy, and yet Wrath knew how to be a professional.
“Soon,” Ava murmured as she approached. “Have you heard from Ralston?”
“Daddy took the bait,” Nash assured her. “In fact, he was gloating to Ralston that he had always known Tegan would get tired of your constant bitching.”
Ava’s smile turned brittle. “That bastard. Sometimes I actually have the urge to murder him myself.”
“Only sometimes?” Nash teased. “Should I be worried?”
He didn’t realize until the last second how his words could have been interpreted. It was disconcerting to think that he needed to watch everything that left his lips just to make sure there were no double meanings or subtle references that could be taken as erotic.
“Sorry,” Nash grunted.
“Don’t be.” Ava touched his arm. “We need to be human, Nash. I don’t know what the hell is going on between you and me. But I do know that we need to let it sit for a minute.”
“A minute?” Nash quirked an eyebrow. “How long is that exactly?”
She puffed a stream of air toward a few strands of loose hair that had fallen across her forehead. “I don’t know. You’re asking me to try and figure out something when I don’t even know what the goal is.” She made a frustrated noise and then walked off with energetic steps without saying another word.
Nash watched her go. He was momentarily distracted from the task at hand by the sway of her hips. The woman was gorgeous. She was wearing a lavender dress that swished around her shapely legs and bared most of her delectable back. She looked sexy and only half her age. How could a woman that looked that good be interested in a broken-down old marine like him? Moments like this, when he saw Ava in her element—inside the social whirlwind—he doubted their compatibility at all. How much better would her life be if he just finished this job and walked away?
“Incoming, twelve o’clock.” The voice in his earpiece belonged to Carson.
Since Nash had stationed Carson at the main doorway, that meant Carson was giving them a heads-up that Stedman Hyde-Pierson had just entered the party. The show was just getting started. It was time for Nash to get his head in the game or risk losing it.
Nash pressed his earpiece in order to respond. “Stay with him, but don’t make it obvious.”
“Junior is with him.” Carson wasn’t all that fond of Ralston. Truthfully, none of them were, but this wasn’t the time to worry about it.
“Stay with them both.” Nash remained in his vantage point.
He had commandeered a point in the center of one end of the rounded ballroom. There was a large and ornate pillar beside him and three steps down to the dance floor before him. From there, he could see the exact moment when Stedman Hyde-Pierson entered the ballroom with a broad, welcoming smile on his face. It was obvious that he was trying to make people believe that he had been in on the planning and execution of this party. Stedman couldn’t allow himself to be upstaged by Ava or anyone else. It must all be his idea or under his direction. Sometimes people were so predictable it was just a little sad. But since Stedman seemed to be following the script, Nash wasn’t about to complain.
AVA FELT STEDMAN’S presence before she actually saw him. The hair on the back of her neck lifted, and her skin crawled. Moments later, she heard his voice welcoming an acquaintance to “their little celebration.”
“So predictable,” she murmured.
Managing to catch Tegan’s eye, Ava signaled her daughter that the show had begun. Ava saw Tegan suck in a deep breath before linking her arm through Judson Politte’s. The two of them did make an attractive couple. They were both very attractive young people. That did not mean that Judson would have ever been a match for Tegan. Tegan was bright, sensitive, and driven to be more than just someone’s trophy wife. Judson was entitled, self-centered, and extremely into antiquated notions of a woman’s place in the home. Tegan would have pecked out his eyes before she let him try to turn her into a housewife.
“Deep breaths,” Francesca murmured. “Stedman is on his way.”
Ava spontaneously hugged her sister-in-law. “Thank you for everything, Frankie.”
“Oh, hush.” Francesca’s cheeks were turning pink. “Just do your part. You’ve got the first lines in this ridiculous play.”
“Yes, I do.” Ava straightened and wiggled her fingers at Francesca just as Stedman planted himself right in front of her. “Hello, Stedman,” she offered pleasantly. “I see you got your invitation.”
“Care to explain what’s going on?” Stedman said through his false smile.
Ava lifted one shoulder. “I love my daughter. When she decides something, I try to support her.”
“You’re such a liar.” The satisfaction in Stedman’s tone was enough to make Ava want to slap him across the face. She should not be angry about this reaction. She had anticipated it. In fact, they needed Stedman to act his part. The man gloated in silence for just one more second. “Tegan told you and that ragtag bunch of marines that she’s done, didn’t she?”
Ava tried not to flinch. It was disgust and not fear or embarrassment, but Stedman very obviously interpreted her discomfiture the way he wanted to. His smile got broader, and his teeth positively gleamed under the lights. He had to have bleached them right before he came tonight.
“That’s what I thought!” Stedman crowed. “I knew my little girl was too smart to be taken in by a bunch of losers. All of that drivel about a fulfilling job and work she can believe in.” He rolled his eyes and scoffed. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the bottom line. Tegan is a Hyde-Pierson. That’s just the way we’re wired.”
“Yes,” she reminded him. “And don’t forget how your brother was wired. He was a Hyde-Pierson too.”
His expression turned ugly. Leaning toward her, his tone was positively menacing when he spoke. “Don’t you dare bring Lyle into this. Those were lies. The whole court believed them, but they were lies.”
Ava had to admit that she had intentionally brought up a rather uncomfortable personal situation just to
take some of the air out of Stedman’s sails. Nobody liked to be reminded that their brother committed suicide because he had been tired of living a double life and keeping his gay lover and their adopted child a secret. To say it was a sore subject was an understatement of epic proportions.
Stedman shook his head. His smile returned, and he resumed his disgusting expression of pure sadistic satisfaction. “None of that matters now. My daughter is marrying that dolt Judson Politte. The family is worth millions.”
“Yes, and what good will that do you?” Ava almost held her breath as she waited for Stedman to show himself for the thief he really was.
The big man snorted. “Are you kidding? My daughter will run circles around those idiots. She’ll have them eating out of her hand in no time. Politte Investments will become a subsidiary of Hyde-Pierson Financial, and it will all be done.” He gave a low laugh that sounded just shy of mad. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Tegan gets herself on their board of directors within a week of starting there.”
“How is it that you only recognize that our children are brilliant when it somehow benefits you?” Ava put her hands on her hips. This was a total deviation from any script, but she couldn’t help it. This was one of those age-old arguments that often seemed to rear its ugly head in their interactions.
Stedman did not miss a beat. “Probably because I don’t give a shit about their brilliance unless it can do something for the company. It’s called duty, Ava. I know you’ve never been very good with that sort of thing.” His mocking tone grated on her nerves.
Ava opened her mouth to respond but managed to stop herself. This was not about her. This was about getting Stedman to reveal himself. It was about gaining safety for her family. It wasn’t personal. It was bigger than that.
“Fantastic party.” A very distinctive voice drew Ava very forcefully back to the moment at hand. “I wonder if I might get the name of your caterer. The food is certainly to die for.”
Stedman spun around and glared daggers at the elegant man in the custom-made suit. “What are you doing here?”
Sergei Yurevich held up an embossed invitation, which he then deposited into the pocket of his suit jacket. “I have an invitation of course.”
“You,” Stedman snarled at Ava. “You invited him. But why?”
Ava gave an airy wave of the hand. “I don’t know the man myself, but he’s an acquaintance of Tegan’s. At least he was in her contacts. That’s what I used to make my list of invitations. I assumed he was some kind of business associate. The two of you certainly seem to have history.”
Stedman advanced on Ava with an ugly expression on his face. “You’d better watch yourself, woman!”
Ava raised an eyebrow. “Careful, Stedman. You want everyone to believe this party was your idea, right? You want the credit. So, you should be smiling and cooperative. It’s just how things go.”
“You’re jealous,” Stedman decided. He drew himself up and straightened his jacket over the paunch that seemed to have been expanding over the last several months. No doubt because he was stressed out. “You know that Tegan chose me instead of you, and now you’re trying everything you can to get in my way. Well, it won’t work.” Stedman turned to leave them. “Your attempt to stay ahead of me is pathetic, Ava. It always has been.”
Chapter Eighteen
Nash’s gut tightened with apprehension as he watched Stedman finish his conversation with Ava and Sergei. The man moved with a purpose as he strode across the ballroom. This kind of operation was always tricky. They had brought Sergei in to keep Stedman off balance even though they were making him believe that he had “won.” If it was too easy, Stedman would smell a rat. With players like Sergei on the board, there was a chance he would be too off balance to realize that Tegan would have never swapped sides on her own. Tegan might have been a Hyde-Pierson, but she wasn’t motivated by money.
Stedman snatched the microphone away from the live band’s lead singer. The man did not necessarily look pleased, but he gave way for the bride-to-be’s father. Stedman tapped the microphone and made a big show of clearing his throat and pretending that he didn’t already have a speech worked out.
“Ladies and gentleman!” Stedman’s voice boomed through the ballroom. “Thank you so much for coming to celebrate my lovely daughter’s engagement to the wonderful, young Judson Politte!”
There was a smattering of polite applause. Apparently, it wasn’t enough, because Stedman was raising his hands and asking for more. Soon there were yells, whistles, and catcalls.
“That’s better!” Stedman shouted. “I want you all to know just how proud of my daughter I am.”
Nash snorted and watched this farce of a show continue. There was literally no mention of Tegan in the man’s mind. It was as if he had birthed Tegan without any help from a woman at all. The pompous ass was up there absorbing the good wishes and congratulations from all quarters as though he had been the one to make it all happen.
In other words, Ava’s plan had worked beautifully.
“He most certainly took the bait,” Ava whispered from just beside Nash’s shoulder. He could feel her pressing her arm against his. The contact made him feel better somehow. As if everything was going to be all right no matter how it turned out.
Nash barely parted his lips when he spoke. “It’s hard to understand someone who will buy a load of shit like that.”
“He believes that everyone is like him. Why would I not try to pretend like this was all my idea even if my daughter basically threw me over and turned her back on me to be with Judson? It’s what Stedman would have done if it came down to a choice between looking good or bad.”
“Then, why didn’t he accept Wrath?” Nash wanted to know. People like Stedman made no sense to him and never would.
“The status went the other direction with Wrath,” Ava murmured. “For Stedman, it made him look more high and mighty to not accept Wrath.”
“Like Wrath wasn’t good enough to date a Hyde-Pierson,” Nash said bitterly. “The same way that I’m not really good enough for you.”
“What? Where did that come from?” She swung around to look at him with a frown. “That’s not fair, Jason, and you know it.”
“Never mind.” Nash gestured to Stedman’s impromptu stage. “Our performer is up there like a trained monkey. Don’t forget to play your part.”
Ava walked away, but the look she cast over her shoulder told him in no uncertain terms that they would be having another discussion about this very soon. Nash cursed himself for a fool. Why did he bring that up anyway? It didn’t matter right now. Maybe it didn’t matter at all. Once this job was finally over, he would be leaving with his team.
Except the team all has ties here in Boston now.
He shook his head. Not now. He could not deal with this now. Ava was making her way toward Stedman. She had a warm smile and a kind word for just about everyone she passed. Her grace and posture were things of beauty. Ava Harte was one of those women that Nash’s mother would have described as an honest-to-goodness classy lady.
“Oh, look.” Stedman gestured to Ava. “Here’s Tegan’s mother. Ava, did you have anything you would like to say to the happy couple?” He waited barely a second. “No? All right, then.” Stedman snatched a glass of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray. “Then, I would like to make a toast to the happy couple!”
There were several shouts and a few catcalls from some of the prospective groom’s friends. Nash wondered how Judson was going to manage the aftermath of this bullshit arrangement. No doubt the entitled man would come up with some acceptable excuse that would make him seem like the victim of a selfish woman.
“To Judson and Tegan!” Stedman shouted.
Could the idiot not tell that Tegan was struggling not to squirm away from Judson’s wandering hands? The guy was all over her. She had already very pointedly moved his hand from her butt to her hip. Now she was essentially pulling so hard to the opposite side of him that if Judson were to
remove his arm, Tegan would have toppled over.
Stedman continued his toast. “I wish the two of you all the happiness that money and privilege can offer!”
From his earpiece, Nash heard every single one of his men snort with disgust. The fact that the audience was laughing as though it was the grandest joke of all did not raise them in Nash’s opinion. These were Ava’s people? These were the men and women that populated her world. How could a woman like her and man like him ever coexist or be in a relationship?
“I wish you good interest rates and better returns than even I have experienced!” Stedman continued. “All of the warmth and happiness of a home and the bank account to make it a beautiful place to raise your future family. Best wishes!”
“Best wishes!” The assembled group shouted in unison.
Nash curled his lip with disdain. He could not help but wonder if all of those millions would make Stedman’s jail cell just a little more tolerable.
AVA HAD TO bite back her scathing reply to Stedman’s toast. It had to be the most asinine speech she had ever heard. It was as though the man had never had to work a moment in his life. Did he really believe that just because people had money they were better than those around them?
It was really no wonder her marriage to Stedman hadn’t lasted. There could not be two people with less in common. Ava looked around the room and saw a mixed reception for Stedman’s speech. Unfortunately, there were plenty of people who shared Stedman Hyde-Pierson’s narrow-minded view of the world. There were just as many that thought he was an imbecile though. She knew it from their polite and very brittle smiles.
“I’m going to kill him, Mother.” Tegan managed to get the whispered words out from between her forced smile.
Ava glanced over and realized what Tegan’s gripe was. Boys or men, it didn’t matter, because they were all the same. Pasting a broad smile on her face, Ava very deliberately moved to Judson’s other side as though she were wanting to get closer to her future son-in-law.
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