Finn Fuller had set the dinner for eight o’clock in the evening.
Moira Sloan arrived at eight-thirty.
The driver had co to pick her up, but she took her sweet ti doing her makeup in her hotel room.
By the ti she erged from the hotel, the smile on the driver’s face was uglier than a grimace.
Moira Sloan chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Been waiting long?"
The driver didn’t dare say yes. "It’s fine, not too long."
He didn’t ntion that Finn Fuller had already called him seven or eight tis in a row and sent five or six ssages urging him on.
But what good would rushing him do?
’If the emperor isn’t worried, it’s useless for the eunuch to be anxious.’
On the way to the restaurant, the driver drove as if his life depended on it, pushing the car right to the verge of the speed limit.
The car arrived at the designated restaurant, and Moira Sloan got out and went inside.
The driver, smiling obsequiously the whole way, escorted her to the door of the private room. He knocked lightly, then pushed the door open and said, "Miss Sloan, please."
A smile blood on Moira Sloan’s face. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," the driver replied.
As soon as the driver finished speaking, Moira Sloan stepped inside.
The mont she entered, she saw Shane Jennings sitting in the host’s seat, along with two unfamiliar n.
Moira Sloan’s expression was indifferent. Her gaze swept over the three n’s faces before finally landing on Finn Fuller, who was sitting in the lowest-ranking seat.
Finn Fuller jolted under her stare and quickly stood up to greet her. "Moira, you’re finally here."
As he spoke, Finn Fuller stepped forward, reaching out to put an arm around her waist from behind, intending to guide her to the table in a half-pushing, half-embracing manner.
But before his hand could even touch her, Moira shot him a cold glare.
Finn Fuller’s hand froze mid-air. He barely managed to pull it back and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don’t get the wrong idea. Your second senior brother has no intention of setting you up with President Jennings. He’s the investor for our current project."
Moira Sloan gave him a look that was not quite a smile, her voice chilling. "You’d better hope so."
"We’ve been fellow apprentices for years," Finn Fuller said. "Would I lie to you?"
"Hard to say," Moira replied.
Half a minute later, Moira Sloan walked to the table and sat down.
Seeing her seated, Finn Fuller breathed a sigh of relief. He undid the top two buttons of his shirt, walked over to the table, and began the introductions. "This is my junior sister, Moira Sloan. I’m sure you three presidents have heard of her. She’s my master’s most favored disciple. Her skills, and I’m not just bragging, are second to none in our circle."
As Finn finished, one of the n at the table teased, "How does she compare to your eldest senior brother?"
Finn hesitated. "Well..."
Finn drew out the word, about to say sothing ambiguous, when Shane Jennings, from the host’s seat, spoke up. "They each have their own strengths."
Shane Jennings had co to his rescue. Finn quickly picked up the thread, "Right, right, they each have their own strengths."
After that, Finn started introducing the two n beside Shane to Moira. "Moira, on President Jennings’ left is President Murray. Over half the nightclubs in Atheria are his. On President Jennings’ right is President Alden. He’s in dia. The female lead in that hit palace drama from a while back is an actress from his company..."
Finn Fuller continued his enthusiastic introductions, and Moira Sloan nodded politely but remained silent, a faint smile on her lips.
After the round of introductions, Finn Fuller sat down and began calling for the waiter to serve the food.
The atmosphere in the entire private room was being single-handedly propped up by Finn Fuller.
Moira swirled the wine in her glass, watching his strained performance and scoffing inwardly.
’People will always bend their backs for a bit of bread.’
’Things like integrity are worthless in the face of desire.’
Just as she finished her thought, Moira looked up and saw Shane Jennings staring at her without blinking.
She narrowed her eyes, the mockery in them plain to see.
Shane Jennings’s hand, holding his glass, froze. His Adam’s apple bobbed.
A strange tension between the two spread through the room. Miles Murray, sitting to the side, watched them, then clinked his glass against Shane’s, snapping him out of his trance. He teased, "So, this is Miss Sloan. Is she that unforgettable ex-girlfriend of yours?"
Shane Jennings took a drink of his wine, neither confirming nor denying it.
Miles’s tone was playful, his expression roguish. "I gotta say, she’s not bad looking. Great face, great figure. And..."
Before Miles could finish his "and," Shane Jennings abruptly stood up and walked out of the room.
He looked up just in ti to see the swaying hem of Moira Sloan’s dress disappearing through the doorway.
Miles Murray raised an eyebrow. ’Old flas rekindling?’
anwhile, Moira had fully expected Shane Jennings to follow her out.
So after leaving the room, she hadn’t gone far at all. Instead, she waited for him, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
When Shane Jennings ca out, Moira Sloan arched a delicate eyebrow. Her eyes were sultry, but the words that ca out of her mouth were utterly scathing. "Shane Jennings, have you no sha?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)