The acquisition was worth fourty billion dollars. The party sprawled across three floors of Meridian's downtown tower — champagne fountains, ice sculptures, a DJ spinning bass that vibrated through Aria's ribs.
She stood at the bar in a dress she'd borrowed from Jen, red and clinging to curves she'd usually hide, and knocked back her third martini.
Julian had been watching her all night. She felt his eyes from the VIP lounge above — storm-grey, burning and furious.
He'd spent the evening surrounded by executives, his posture impeccable, his words clipped and cold. But his gaze kept finding her, raking over her exposed skin, darkening when she laughed with the sales team, when she accepted a drink from the new analyst, when she danced, hips swaying, inhibitions dissolving with each coc
