I almost laugh. Clearly, Alexander has endured enough of my gruff mood in the last half hour.

I turn to him with a harsh glare. “Are you really asking me what’s wrong?”

He balks. “What? Jesus, I just got to New York this afternoon—how have I already messed up? Or wait…is this work shit? Did I miss some email? Forget to Zoom in on a conference call? Is it really that big of a deal?”

The fact that he’s having to ask me this pinpoints my exact frustration. He’s the irresponsible one. He should be in my position, shackled to a future he doesn’t want.

“Don’t you have Google Alerts set for the family?”

He looks disgusted by the idea. “No. Why would I want to do that? My phone would be dinging every five seconds.”

He takes a sip of his drink as I casually reply, “Yes, well, it would save me the trouble of having to let you know I’m engaged.”

He chokes and then starts to hack. I glower at him as I wipe away the few drops of his spittle that managed to land on my tuxedo jacket.

“You’re fucking kidding, right?”

I don’t answer.

“Did you… I’m sorry.” He shakes his head, his eyes taking on a newfound focus. “Have you been dating someone and I didn’t know about it?” He doesn’t even let me answer his first question before he’s on to his second and third. “Wait, who is it? Does Father know?”

“He arranged the entire thing,” I say with a bitterly twisted smile.

His eyes widen in horror. “What?”

“Oh yes. You thought he was going to allow me to choose my wife? No. That’s apparently been done for me. I’d watch your back—you’re likely next.”

“Fuck no.”

I chuckle. “Yes, that’s what I said too.”

“Tell him you won’t go through with it. Tell him it’s bullshit.”

“Do you honestly think I haven’t tried that?”

“Fuck,” he murmurs under his breath as he tugs his hand through his hair, pulling at the ends. “And who is it? Do you even know the girl?”

“It’s Lainey Davenport.”

His eyes widen in shock. “You’re kidding! Does she know?!”

“Of course. She helped orchestrate it with her grandmother.”

“Lainey?” He shakes his head in disbelief.

“Yes, yes. The shy quiet mouse from St. John’s is actually whip-smart and cunning. What a shock.”

“Will she be here tonight?”

“She’s already arrived.”

She got here before me. I walked into the packed ballroom and spotted her right away. For once she wasn’t playing the wallflower act. She was entertaining a group of people, all eyes on her as she spoke.

I’ve kept a careful watch on her. She hasn’t looked at me once, but I’ve had her location pegged this entire time. Now, she’s only a few tables away, talking to a man I don’t recognize.

Her rich dark hair is swept up off her neck, though a few tempting strands spill out of her up-do. She wears nothing around her neck and only small diamond studs in her ears. I’m all too aware of the allure of her décolletage, the subtle shadows beneath her collarbones, the small hint of cleavage, erring on the daring side, especially for her. She has a small emerald ring on her right hand and her left ring finger is bare, as it will remain.