Chapter 2 - The Serpent in the Room
Nadia stopped breathing entirely, the freezing air trapped painfully in her lungs.
The grand, opulent ballroom buzzed loudly with the sound of a live string quartet and clinking crystal champagne glasses.
Darian immediately noticed her sudden, terrified rigidity and stepped slightly in front of her to block Arthur's view.
"Is there a problem here, Arthur?" Darian asked, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl.
Arthur Pendleton simply laughed, a dry, rattling sound that absolutely did not reach his dead eyes.
"No problem at all, Darian, my boy."
"I was merely admiring your exquisite, unparalleled taste in beautiful companions."
Nadia forced her lungs to take in a desperate, shaky breath of the perfume-scented air.
She had never known her real mother, having grown up bouncing through the brutal foster system after being abandoned in an alley.
Was it actually possible this billionaire monster knew the dark truth about her hidden past?
She masked her rising panic with a cold, blank, emotionless stare.
"Thank you for the kind compliment, Mr. Pendleton," Nadia said smoothly, betraying nothing.
Darian glanced at her in genuine surprise, impressed by how incredibly steady her voice sounded under pressure.
Arthur smiled a terrifyingly wide smile and gestured toward the main dining area.
"Your table is right near the front, exactly where you belong."
Darian guided Nadia away swiftly, his large hand resting firmly on the bare, goosebump-covered skin of her lower back.
His unexpected touch sent a confusing, hot jolt of electricity straight down her spine.
"What exactly did that old snake say to you?" Darian muttered angrily under his breath.
"He just told me I was beautiful," Nadia lied effortlessly without missing a single beat.
She knew she could not afford to let Darian know she was rattled by a rival boss.
They took their assigned seats at a lavish table filled with corrupt federal judges and rival crime bosses.
Nadia played her part flawlessly, sipping her sparkling water and maintaining an aura of aloof, untouchable silence.
Darian watched her out of the corner of his eye, the cruel joke he had planned completely forgotten.
He realized the other powerful men in the room were not looking at her with disdain or pity.
They were looking at her with dangerous, unbridled, starving envy.
A tall waiter approached their table carrying a polished silver tray covered in expensive drinks.
He leaned down awkwardly to pour a glass of red wine for Darian.
Nadia noticed the waiter's hand was shaking so violently that the bottle rattled against the crystal rim.
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She also noticed the dark, heavy shape bulging noticeably beneath the waiter's crisp white tuxedo jacket.
Before she could shout a desperate warning, the waiter dropped the wine bottle and reached violently inside his coat.
