Worth Everything (3 page)

The few photographers hanging around didn’t look at her twice.

A pretty hipster-type woman who looked barely legal and like she played in her mama’s make-up drawer waited behind the hostess’ counter, a cool smile faintly curving her ruby red lips. “How may I help you?”

“I’m here for the Intermix party.” Stasia unwound the scarf from her head and stashed it in her satchel bag. Intermix was a well-known fashion public relations company and were having their annual bash to celebrate their clients.

“Ah, the event is located upstairs.” She waved a pale hand toward the stairwell to the right. “Someone will be taking names at the door, so do be prepared.”

Snobby little bitch
, Stasia thought after she left the hostess without a thank-you, carefully taking her time as she walked up the stairs. The muffled sounds of the party reached her, indicating it was in full swing, and she wondered how the hell she would slip past the bouncer at the door.

Crashing parties wasn’t her style, but damn it, rumor was Rhett Worth and his perfumer girlfriend, Gabriella Durand, were going to be in attendance this evening. That she’d resorted to such desperate actions didn’t thrill her, but Stasia didn’t have a choice. She was tired of roadblocks constantly thrown in her face at every turn. She needed answers.

She had a feeling Rhett would be the easiest one to get them from, especially since they had already spoken once. He knew her plight, as did his girlfriend. Perhaps she could elicit sympathy from them.

Whatever it takes…

At the top of the stairs, she spotted the open double doors, the people mingling within. Most everyone clutched a cocktail in one hand, nearly all of them dressed in black. The room was filled with varying levels of conversation, and her head throbbed just thinking of making her way through the chattering throng.

Squaring her shoulders, she ignored her potential headache and approached the doors, her steps determined, her gaze averted just enough that she couldn’t make eye contact with the young woman holding a clipboard, a headset curled around her sleek, bright red hair.

“Excuse me, ma’am? I need to check your name against the list,” the woman said, her voice weak.

“I’m sorry, my boyfriend is waiting inside.” Stasia flashed an apologetic smile over her shoulder as she hurried toward the open doors. “I need to find him. I’m sure he’s mad at me for being so late.”

“But, ma’am, no one is allowed in unless they’re on the list.” The girl glanced around in obvious irritation before she started inside the room, following Stasia.

Shit.
The girl was way too close to lose her, even in this crowd. Stasia was going to get kicked out. And even worse, people were already starting to notice the commotion.

“Your name, please?” The woman tapped Stasia on the shoulder and she had no choice but to turn around. Stasia found the short woman stopped just before her, clipboard poised and ready for her perusal.

Stasia parted her lips, her brain scrambling for some sort of lame excuse when strong, warm fingers curled around her upper arm, jerking her close to an equally strong, warm body. “She’s with me,” said a familiar deep voice.

Her arm tingled at the man’s possessive touch, even through the fabric of her sleeve. She glanced up, shock coursing through her despite knowing it was Gavin Westmore who’d somehow swooped in and saved her. He studied her like some sort of hawk contemplating his prey, his mouth firm, his green gaze blazing with ire.
 

“Uh…” The man’s nearness had robbed her of words, something that had never happened before.

“You’re on the list, right, sir?” The girl glanced at her precious piles of paper with an endless string of names.

“I am. Westmore is my last name.”

She flipped through the stapled papers, trailed her index finger down the last page, skimming her black painted nail across his name when she spotted it. “It doesn’t show you were bringing a guest. There’s no plus one here.” Her questioning gaze met Gavin’s with a mocking smile.

“It was a last-minute arrangement.” He slipped his arm around Stasia’s waist, drew her so close her body collided with his. “As she mentioned, she knew I would be upset if she didn’t show up.”

God, the nerve of the man. Holding her to him as if he owned her. His big hand settled on her hip, his touch seeming to brand her as his. She stiffened in his embrace, his grip tightening as if to dissuade her.

She beamed up at him, trying her best to ignore the buzz of electricity coursing through her. “I’m so sorry I’m late,
honey.
Work kept me extremely busy and I lost track of time.” She hoped she didn’t sound like she wanted to choke on her words.

His intense gaze met hers, his handsome face stoic, but his green eyes had gone wide. She smiled blissfully at him as if she hadn’t a care in the world. And she leaned her cheek against his shoulder for the briefest moment, cuddling him, for the love of God.

Not that he didn’t feel good. The fine fabric of his suit jacket rubbing her cheek, the spicy masculine scent of him, it all went straight to her head. Damn it.

Hopefully she was putting on a convincing show for the woman who watched them with shrewd eyes. For someone so small and who appeared so young, it looked like she’d been given a false story more than once.

“Hmm, well, I guess I’ll let you in.” The woman sniffed, whipping the wrinkled papers of her list back into place. “Next time, though, I advise you to leave your girlfriend’s name when you RSVP.”

“Noted.” Gavin nodded, his fingers caressing Stasia’s side. She barely restrained the shiver that moved through her. Hopefully he didn’t notice. “I appreciate you giving us no trouble.”

“Anytime.” She shot him a flirtatious look before she flounced away, her overly red hair swinging as she walked.

“Get your hands off me,” Stasia muttered the moment the woman was gone, trying her best to extract herself from his grip.

He tightened his arm around her, guiding her toward the bar nearby. “What the hell are you doing here?” he muttered out of the side of his mouth.

“What’s it matter to you? Not like I’m your client.” It still hurt, his rejection of her. No one had rejected her the first twenty-four years of her life and now all of a sudden it was all she dealt with.

“Well, at least I was invited, which I can’t say for you.”

She winced, hating that he was right, that he had the upper hand. And was clearly enjoying that fact too. “Just let me go so I can be on my merry way.”

“And what’s your purpose for crashing this party anyway, hmm? I’m surprised you’re not invited. I know Intermix has handled Renaldi advertising in the past.”

They stood in line for the bar, Stasia keeping her head down for fear of anyone recognizing her. She hadn’t thought of that, her only focus on getting into the party and getting to Rhett. “Since I’m not considered a part of Renaldi any longer, I wasn’t invited.”

“What about your brothers? They couldn’t get you in?” He sounded incredulous.

“Of course not.” She lifted her head, met his confused gaze. Didn’t he read the gossip mags? They were filled with Renaldi secrets, every last lurid detail. “They can hardly speak to me for fear of being disinherited like I was.”

He glanced around before he spoke again, his grip gentling on her though he didn’t let go. “That’s fucking ridiculous,” he muttered.

She laughed. The polished, indignant lawyer was angry. And she liked it. “Indeed it is. But they’re not here. They’re all in Italy at the moment. And Renaldi hasn’t used Intermix for over a year.”

“Hmm, but Worth uses Intermix.”

Whoops, he caught on. No surprise, the man was too smart for his own good. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She lifted her chin, extracted herself from his grip and stepped away from him.

Though she didn’t leave the line for the bar. She was desperate for a drink. Maybe it would calm her frazzled nerves.

“Don’t lie. You’re not very good at it.” He stepped closer, leaning into her so his mouth rested just above her ear. “I should toss your pretty little ass out of here.”

Was it wrong that she warmed at the compliment wrapped into the threat? “I’ll make a huge scene.”

He cocked a dark brow and she looked away. “Oh, really?”

Nodding, she kept her gaze focused on the very busy bartender mixing drinks at an incredible speed. “I’ll make like the bad girlfriend and call you all sorts of names.”

“I’ve been called every name in the book, sweetheart. You can’t shock me,” he drawled like the cocky ass that he most likely was.

She glared at him. “I’ll boldly declare that you’re a terrible lover.”

He shrugged. “It’s a lie, but go ahead.”

“I’ll scream you have a tiny dick too.” She smirked when his gaze hardened. “Oh, and I’ll also say that you come too fast for a girl to get her turn.”

“You gotta take it personal, hmm?”

“It’s the only way to shut you up,” she said gleefully, thankful when the people in front of her grabbed their drinks and left. She stepped up to the bar. “A glass of wine, please. A chardonnay.”

She could feel his gaze burning as he watched her, the waves of anger that vibrated off his rigid body. Well, good. He got to her, now she got to him. Seemed like a fair trade in her screwed up mind.

The cute bartender handed her the glass with a wink and a smile and she took it from him, dropping a dollar in the tip jar before she walked away. “Thanks.”

Gavin followed behind her, not bothering to grab a drink. “If you think I’m going to stand by and let you approach Rhett Worth without intervening, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“Why do you care?” She sipped from her glass, the cool liquid sliding down her throat.

“I don’t want you to disrupt the party or the Worth family.”

“If you didn’t want me to disrupt the family, then you should’ve taken me on as a client. You could’ve handled this entire situation the way you wanted to.” She smirked, though within nerves jangled.

“You were trying to bribe me so you could meet with them. That’s not how I would’ve done it.”

“Really?” She turned on him. “And how would you’ve done it?”

“I would’ve scheduled a meeting. Something a little more dignified than this sort of fiasco, you crashing a party so you can chase him down and ambush him.” Gavin shook his head.

“Me? Ambush Rhett Worth? Give me a break.” She downed half her wine, ignoring the little buzz from the alcohol that went through her. She could do this. She could confront Rhett and convince him she wanted to talk with him about the family, nothing more. “Have you seen the size of that man? He could take me, no problem.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it.” He stepped in closer, so close she could feel the warmth of his body radiate toward her. Towering over her, the glower on his face, those beautiful eyes sparkling from behind the glasses he wore, he was beyond intimidating. The slightest bit sexy too. “You don’t need to make an ass out of yourself, Stasia. Downing a glass of wine and cornering your long-lost brother at a business cocktail party isn’t the way to go about this.”

She froze at his words, hating the fact that he was right. And that he had no qualms calling her out on it.

Closing her eyes briefly, she swallowed hard, desperate to stave off the tears. She refused to cry. She’d shed enough tears to fill an ocean. “Then tell me,” she croaked, her voice thick with emotion. “Tell me how I can make this right. Tell me you’ll help me figure out how to get to my newfound brothers so I can talk to them without all the worry over me possibly trying to sue them and take them for all they’re worth.”

In different circumstances, she would’ve laughed over the unintentional pun. But now was not the time for laughter. There was no joy in her life. Only confusion and pain.

He was quiet for so long, she knew he was going to reject her. Again. She couldn’t give him the satisfaction of doing so to her face. Again. Whirling on her heel, she started to leave, gave a quiet little yelp when he clamped his fingers around her arm and jerked her back to him.

“Let me go,” she said again, fighting against his firm hold.

“No.” He turned her to face him. “I’ll help you.”

Stasia’s jaw dropped open in apparent shock, her glassy-with-tears gaze meeting his. She looked ready to cry, and the very last thing he wanted to deal with was a crying woman. “Are you serious?”

Slowly, Gavin nodded, releasing his hold on her. This was probably a huge-ass mistake, but he had to do it. Had to help her out and guide her through this mess her two families had become. If no one untangled this disaster it could end up destroying her. “I’ll help you. It goes against my better judgment, but I will.”

She narrowed her eyes. Not the right thing to say, but he couldn’t help it. She had to know he was still reluctant about this entire situation. “If you’re not going to be on my side one-hundred percent, then it’s probably best you not represent me.”

He blew out a frustrated breath. They were going round and round in circles and it was getting damn irritating fast. “I said I would take you on, I’m taking you on. But first things first.”

She frowned. “What?”