Chapter 110

Kayla

I took a step back, my heart immediately beginning to race when I saw that familiar smile leering down at me.

Gray.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, somehow managing to keep my voice neutral. “I didn’t mean to bump into you.”

Mr. Gray’s cold gaze flicked over me, its gleam tinged with something dark and predatory. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he said, “It’s really no trouble. Are you alright, though? You look… upset.”

I hesitated, not really sure if Gray, of all people, was the man I wanted to reveal my frustrations to. But if I hurried away without saying anything, then that wouldn’t help the situation much, either.

Finally, I settled on a half-truth. “I’ll admit I’m a bit underdressed for this event,” I said with a tight laugh. “I feel like I’m embarrassing my husband by showing up looking like this.”

Once more, those eyes swept over me. I suppressed a shudder. It felt like cold fingers brushing across my skin.

“I own this venue, you know,” Gray said after a moment. “I happen to have a storage room with some extra costumes and such used for events. You’re more than welcome to borrow something to wear for the night.”

My eyebrows shot up before I could control myself. “You have dresses here?” And most of all, why are you suddenly interested in helping me? I wanted to ask, but I kept that part to myself.

Gray nodded. “Oh, yes. You can take your pick from the storage room, if you’d like.”

“Oh, um… I don’t know if that’s necessary,” I said quickly. As badly as I needed something more appropriate to wear, the idea of going to some storage room—likely in a basement or somewhere secluded—with a man who had basically tried to kill my friend sounded like one of those things that would get a girl killed in a horror movie. No thank you.

But, as if sensing my hesitation, Gray suddenly pointed to a door directly behind me. “It’s right here, actually. The main office.”

I turned, and sure enough, there was a nondescript wooden door right behind where I was standing with a brass plaque that read Main Office in bold letters.

Before I could say anything else, Gray brushed past me and unlocked the door with a key he had in his pocket. The door swung open to reveal, indeed, your typical office: a couple of desks, a computer, a standing lamp, some chairs, and a whole lot of filing cabinets.

Still, I hesitated in the doorway, refusing to set foot in there. If Gray noticed, he seemed unbothered by my decision, and in fact whistled a tune as he unlocked another door leading to a closet at the back of the room.

The closet contained nothing but dresses, suits, and other random costume pieces.

He rifled through the rack for a moment before pulling out a simple black dress, which shimmered slightly in the light. “This looks like it’s your size,” he said, holding it up. “What do you think?”

I cleared my throat awkwardly but nodded. “That looks perfect. Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

Gray grinned and strode over to me. He held the dress out between us, and I went to take it. But just as my fingers brushed the fabric, he pulled it back.

“Actually, Miss Sterling,” he said, that evil little glint returning to his gaze, “I was hoping to speak with you.”

I frowned, suddenly realizing exactly what was happening—why Mr. Gray suddenly seemed to be exhibiting a charitable streak. There never was one. He was just using a pretty dress as leverage for something, and I had a feeling I knew exactly what that was.

As if I were some kind of vapid child who could be swayed with pretty things.

But I didn’t reveal my thoughts. Not just yet, at least.

Gray hesitated, parting his mouth. At that moment, a racket seemed to rise up from the dance hall, causing us both to glance over. But whatever was happening, I couldn’t seem to see it. Besides, it didn’t involve me.

Finally, Gray said, “I’ve given you ample time to reconsider your relationship with Mr. Reynolds. I hope you’ve spent that time well.”

“Do you?” I retorted.

He nodded, and his eyes flashed once more. “Indeed I do. In fact, I’ve spent much time myself considering your relationship with that boy.”

I didn’t bother to hide the way my upper lip curled at that. “You seem to be quite invested in my personal life, then, Mr. Gray.”

“Oh, spare an old romantic,” Gray said with a throaty chuckle, as if he were no more than a doddering old man—which couldn’t have been further from the truth. “Fated mate bonds are sacred, you know. I’d hate to see one severed over a playboy with no scruples.”

“Noah volunteered to sever the bond,” I returned. “He said he didn’t want to pursue a relationship with me if I had chosen Nicholas during that little ‘test’ of yours. So it’s been settled.”

Mr. Gray’s eyes narrowed, and he said, “I’m sure the boy is still smitten with you. If you told him you’d have him, he would choose not to sever the bond after all.”

I stared at Gray incredulously for a moment, my mind reeling. I knew Gray’s true motive, of course—to keep Nicholas off of the guild. I also knew that the ‘fated mate’ bond with Noah was more than likely fake, made up by Gray to force Nicholas and me apart.

I also knew that I couldn’t show that I knew any of this, because it might make our investigation into the guildsman that much more difficult. And for all I knew, it might raise enough red flags on the guild’s part to start looking into us as the driving force behind Grace’s escape.

But I also couldn’t just stand here and let him walk away thinking that he had convinced me to do his bidding.

Finally, I managed, “You know, Mr. Gray, you call Nicholas a ‘playboy with no scruples’.”

“And he is.”

“Perhaps,” I replied, taking a step back, “and perhaps I’m also a low-class brute of a woman who beats up anyone who bothers me and shows up to a guild auction dressed like a tomboy. I guess Nicholas and I are both a mess, so we’re perfect for each other, aren’t we?”

Gray didn’t seem to know how to respond to that, not that I gave him a chance to. With a flip of my hair over my shoulder, I turned and said, “Keep the dress.”

And with that, I left him standing there.

However, by the time I returned to the event, I couldn’t find Nicholas anywhere and the other guests seemed to be in a tizzy. I was just about to pull out my phone to text him when Marcus suddenly rushed up to me.

“Kayla, there you are!” he breathed, looking flustered. “Nicholas left with Anna. She went into premature labor. Apparently he pushed her and it induced labor.”

My eyes widened, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. I glanced around, and sure enough, all eyes were on me, the other guests whispering amongst one another.

Surely they were waiting for me to have the meltdown of a lifetime after hearing that news.