Kings of the Boardroom (SPECIAL EDITION HARDCOVER OMNIBUS)

The man had only been on the cover of Forbes three times in the last year alone. Pendragon Tech was at the forefront of cutting-edge prosthetic technology, and they’d gotten into the renewable energy game three years ago when he’d taken over as CEO.

I lowered the bottle. "You're not here to attack me or something?"

Even in the shadows, I could see the hint of a smile as he stepped forward. And this time, the step I took back was pure self-preservation.

One thing was glaringly obvious; the Forbes photographer should be shot. They hadn’t done the man justice. I didn’t have much else to go on because the man was usually a cipher. He attended these kinds of things, wrote a check, and vanished. You rarely saw him in a society page, and it was rare to see his name on any of the gossip sites.

Good Lord, even in the moonlight and shadow, I could tell the man was gorgeous. Like stupidly gorgeous, with a chiseled jaw that looked like it was cut from stone and the kind of cheekbones that would make any model jealous. He had deep-set, shrewd, ice-green eyes, a straight Roman nose that looked like perhaps it had been broken once or twice, complimented by a high brow only slightly covered by a curling lock of dark hair, and lips full enough to make you fantasize about kissing him. 

Sure, all of that made him handsome. On the verge of too handsome. But there was a rugged edge to him that made him intriguing. Still, it was a sharp-edged ruggedness that warned you to be wary.

Everything, save the thick, softly curling lashes surrounding his cold, shrewd eyes, was both a magnet and a warning beacon that cautioned while he was pretty, he was also dangerous.

“So you stood and watched? I might have saved my ritual for later."

"Casting a spell on the rest of the world?"

"If I thought casting a spell would work on the nepo babies and sycophants in there to make them donate more, I might try it.”

He smirked. "Nepo babies and sycophants, huh?"

Easy. He’s here, so he’s likely one of those nepo babies.

"Would you categorize anyone in attendance differently?"

His amused gaze swept over me. "Okay, so you're not enjoying the benefit then?"

Enjoying was the wrong word. My family had put on the Hearts and Hope Benefit every year for the last ten years to honor my mother. At seventeen, I had been placed on the board and put in charge of pulling it off. I loved this benefit. The fact that Becks Incorporated would no longer be able to afford to play host sliced through my already shattered heart.

I didn't tell him that though. Instead I feigned bravery.

"The benefit is great. It raised a lot of money for heart disease. I just don't like the song and dance. I wish that the people in there actually cared and weren't just here for an expensive meal, a tax write-off, and the see-and-be-seen aspect of it."

He cocked his head as he studied me. "You certainly have a strong opinion."

"I do have strong opinions. You seem surprised."

“Let’s call it refreshing.” The corner of his lips tipped up into what could only be described as a slightly insolent smirk. It was like he didn't give anything away without you working for it. I wasn't interested in working that hard. 

"I want to go back inside,” I said. “If you’ll excuse me."

The leash he kept on his oh-so-precious smile loosened, and one escaped, rooting me to the balcony. Christ almighty. It was better for the world that he didn’t release them that often. A smile from him was paralyzing.

"Oh no, you don't. You blasted me with glitter and then basically called me, what was it? A nepo baby and sycophant."

Way to insult the donors, Gwen. "I mean, I don't know you. So you tell me, are you a nepo baby or a sycophant?"

There it was again. Another smirk. "According to you, I probably fall under the nepo baby category. Can I ask who you are?"