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His crass, obnoxious tone piqued Arabella’s irritation and she narrowed her gaze his way She couldn’t deny that she’d conjured i at an opulent ht’s festivities, but she wasn’t about to ments until she arrived at the ball From pictures she’d seen of past events, the interior of wherever the event was held was always lavish and extravagant

“No need to be rude,” she snapped at hi his sanctihborhoods we drove by are clearly being rehabilitated and modernized to revitalize this district”

The corners of Gavin’sslasses, Ari Trust me, no matter what renovations take place, this part of the city has been and alill be unworthy of the more elite people of the world”

“That’s enough, Gavin,” her father said in a surprisingly stern voice in an attes over between them “How about the two of you put your differences aside and enjoy the evening?”

She gave hi to let Gavin taint anything about this special,him as quickly as an opportunity presented itself

The limo finally came to a stop, and a valet dressed in a tuxedo opened her passenger door He held out a hand to help Arabella and her huge, voluptuous dress out of the vehicle, followed by her father and Gavin A few steps later, they had to verify their credentials with security before they were escorted along the long length of red carpet that led into the building

Inside, the transforasp as she took in

the stunning, enchanting decor that had altered as probably a normal and plain open common area when it wasn’t in use for the yearly charity event She’d barely begun to appreciate her surroundings when Gavin grabbed her by the elbow, pinching just hard enough to make her wince

“Pay attention, Arabella,” he said iuests where her father was already conversing with a few of the men “Your head is always in the clouds and I don’t want us to get separated or you getting lost in this huge crowd of people”

Was he for real? She rolled her eyes over his idiotic coesture was lost on hiroenty-five-year-old woh that he was forced to let her go, and judging by the clench of his jaw, he didn’t like that act of rebellion “Not a three-year-old who needs a babysitter Besides, do you not see the security in this place? Nothing is going to happen to me if I decide to take a look around on my own”

He gave her a dark stare that was just shy of threatening “You’re uht”

It was an uner and resentment bubble inside her, which was not how she intended to spend this aht Since they were surrounded by a dozen other guests, she tamped down her temper the best she could for now because it was not the tiht on the fact that he did not dictate to her or the decisions she made

The , clearly all very well acquainted The wo next to their husbands or dates were dressed in thejewels They looked stunningand as bored as Arabella felt listening to business-related discussions

Not in the mood to stand around and strike up social niceties with the ladies, she rossed in theaway from him and toward the freedo on her own terht into the throng of other guests, a veritable sea of silk and satin and black tuxedos

Exhilaration swirled inside her as she accepted a glass of cha by with a silver tray of flutes The first sip of the expensive bubbly eet on her tongue and tickled her throat on the way down The second drink was just as smooth and decadent