Ari hated fancy events. She hated the crowds and the lights and just about everything about them.

If it hadn’t been for Luc needing her, she never would have been there.

She walked into the Barratt-Austin on her eldest brother’s arm and prayed the rest of the evening went quickly. And that it was effective.

Luc had needed her tonight. That’s what had mattered.

Payton hadn’t been feeling well and was going to stay upstairs in the suite. Luc had arrived at Ari’s apartment with a dress and a plea for her to join him tonight. He’d told her the only way Payton had agreed to rest was if he had someone to go with him tonight to act as moral support.

He’d needed her, and after everything he’d done for her, Ari had been more than willing to help her big brother.

But…it had taken some work of her own to pull it off.

Ari had spent most of her teen years in a small private junior high and high school that had focused on the performing arts.

She had been one of the lucky kids to receive a scholarship based on musical talents. It had a few side benefits—she mixed very well with the evening gown crowed, no matter how much she didn’t enjoy it.

Ari knew how to dress well, thanks to performing in symphonies and other venues. Even though she far preferred tee shirts and jeans to elegant ball gowns.

Ari still knew exactly how to make herself look the part, even if she didn’t want to be a part.

Jillian was superfast with the alterations needed to make the dress fit perfectly, and Mel had met them in the suite next to the one Luc and Payton had reserved. Mel had had her personal maid-slash-assistant Lucy with her to help with Ari’s hair.

She felt beautiful, but her knees were quaking. If it had been anyone else asking she’d have run for the hills, but Luc made a real difference with the fundraising he did. Mostly for women and girls. She couldn’t not help him do that again tonight.

“You look gorgeous, sweetie. No one will be able to take their eyes off you.” Luc gave her a proud smile. They hadn’t grown up together, but he was her brother and she had grown to love him so quickly.

“Don’t say that.” Her brother was the beautiful one. Luc was made for tuxes. Every female eye would be on him. She was definitely proud of this brother. “I don’t want them looking at me.”

“And why not? You are beautiful. Own it, Ari,” Mel said. She walked directly behind Ari and Luc, clutching her husband’s arm. Mel was the beautiful one; she looked all perfect and sophisticated in the black gown she wore. Diamonds encircled her throat. “Beautiful, graceful, elegant. Cool and mysterious. Use that to your advantage.”

Ari wore the small silver disk that held Brynna and Gabby’s latest tech experiment. It was all she’d had short notice and it set off the gown rather well. She touched it nervously. She had gotten used to walking around with a three-hundred-thousand-dollar prototype tracking device on her neck. She didn’t quite feel comfortable wearing someone else’s jewels, even Payton’s, but she’d had to wear something. The prototype was unique enough and well-designed to look like jewelry that it fit the bill.

“Of course she is,” Houghton said. “Our Ari is just very shy. Look, there’s Banks Claireson. I know he’s got it bad for her. What do you say, Ari? Want me to wave him over for you? He’s got to be a better escort than your own brother.”

“Oh, please no. I’ll pay you every penny I have to avoid that man.”

“Why?” Luc’s eyes turned serious. Just like that, from teasing big brother to rabid protector in an instant. Intense men like Luc really could make the world shake sometimes. “Did something happen?”

“He’s grabby, Luc. Very, very grabby. Ask Jillian about him sometime. And Lacy.” She winced inwardly, thinking about the last time Lacy and the other man had been alone together. The guy had been drunk and had forgotten the basics of reason. Lacy had had to almost break the guy’s fingers to make her point.

“I see. Houghton and I can take him out back if we need to teach him some better manners.” Her brother sounded like he was joking, but Ari suspected he meant it. She’d never expected to form such a close attachment to the brother who was more than a dozen years older than she was. Ari was used to younger brothers—not an older one who liked to meddle in his younger sisters’ lives.

She inwardly winced, imagining what it was going to be like when Luc met Pen. He was old enough to be the teenager’s father. And if she was receptive to him, he was going to go all ridiculously big brother. Of that, Ari had no doubt.

But Zoey was going to be a totally different story.

Luc was one of the most kind-hearted men she knew. After they’d first met almost two years ago, she had felt so broken and confused. Terrified of everything, thanks to what had happened when a colleague of Paige’s had taken her from her car one night after orchestra practice.

Henry had kept Ari locked in a basement for three days. He hadn’t harmed her, but she had never lost sight of the fact that he could have. Instead, he’d been protecting her from an enemy of Paige’s.

It had been the first time since she’d been a young girl that she’d felt that vulnerable. It had shaken her to her very foundation.

And led to what she was doing now.

Luc had shown up at her father’s home a week after and introduced himself to her family. He’d smiled and said he’d always wanted little sisters to pester. And he was so kind to her half-brothers on her father’s side.

Luc had gone way overboard with Christmas presents for them, too.

He had protected her and opened his arms to her. He’d changed her life in so many ways.

And she loved him. She and Paige would probably never be extremely close, but Luc was everything a girl could want in a big brother.

“No. I’ll just avoid him.” And half the rest of the men in the ballroom. Ick. Ari really hated crowds, especially with this social set.

Far too many times over the last two years people had sought her out because of her connection to Luc. If he hadn’t needed her last minute, she never would have come tonight.

They found their table easily—it was near the front. In the midst of the crowd. No surprise that their table experienced such high traffic. Everyone wanted to be friends with Luc and Houghton.

But the two men were extremely selective in their chosen company. Thank goodness.

She made it through half of the meal portion of the evening before someone put a warm hand on her exposed back. Ari turned sharply, and brown eyes met green. “Marc!”

The governor of Texas smiled his perfect smile down at her. Ari smiled back. It had been a week since the abduction attempt. And Marc’s flu.

He looked ten times better.

If she’d thought Luc looked good in a tux, she’d been wrong. The black and silver was made for Marc.

“Hello, Ariella. You look beautiful, as always. Mel, if Houghton isn’t careful, I’m going to spirit you away for the weekend. To Mexico, perhaps? Think he’d like that?”

“Copycat,” Houghton snarked right back. “Get your own material.”

“Mexico with handsome men always interests me.” Mel laughed after she said it. Even Ari smiled—everyone knew Houghton had abducted Mel and taken her to Mexico. “I saw you were on the guest list.”

“I barely made it tonight. The kids...well. Let’s just say they are as grounded as can be.” His hand lingered on Ari’s shoulder. Ari felt the touch against her skin like fire.

Marc had nice hands. She’d noticed before. They were more calloused than she’d have expected and so very strong. “What did they do now?”

“I’ll tell you later. If anyone overhears, they’ll think I’m insane.” He smiled again, and settled into the seat next to hers. He slipped into an easy conversation with both Luc and Houghton about the jobs they were planning to bring to the Finley Creek area. Ari just sat back and listened.

The three were extremely intelligent men—and they believed in what they were talking about. They didn’t agree on everything, but they were good at compromising, too. Mel finished her conversation with the women who’d stopped by to talk to her and focused in on what the men were saying. Mel had definite opinions, too.

A dark-haired man she recognized as the new lieutenant governor hunted Marc down a few minutes later. Every time she looked at him, she shivered. Not because of anything he had done, but because of the man who had occupied the position before him.

She would never forget Lt. Governor Justin Albright and the pain he had caused the ones she loved.

Her hand rubbed against the scar on her chest. It would always be a visible reminder. She tugged the strap of the black gown she wore up a bit higher to cover the top inch of that scar.

Lt. Gov. Lawton was not Justin Albright. He wasn’t there to hurt her, or anyone else she cared about. He was there because of Marc. Period.

Marc was a good governor for their state. The changes he had implemented in his six years of office had greatly improved everything.

His new lieutenant governor had been elected by the Texas Senate in the weeks following Albright’s death.

Calvin Lawton was tall, good-looking, and former military. The news sites made a big deal out of his special forces work in Afghanistan. He was another favorite of the Snotty Garlic.

Ari listened with half an ear, as the gala swirled on around her.