Christian stood at the edge of the great hall, a glass of bourbon in his hand, watching the crowd with a detached air. The gala was in full swing, laughter and conversation swirling around him. It was supposed to be a social event, but he wasn’t interested in doing so at the moment.

His mind was currently elsewhere, scanning the room for Camille. He had to make sure she was holding up her end of the bargain.

Finally, he spotted her approaching, moving gracefully through the crowd in her lavish dress.

In that moment, he found himself a little mesmerized by her beauty. Although he had never been completely swayed...