Jaxxon was pretty sure she had never heard anyone say that before. As backward insults went, that one was crap, but whatever. “If that’s the best you’ve got in your locker your imagination can’t be up to much.”

“Face of Allure you might be, but remember this: you’ll always be a product of the failed social system.”

Jaxxon pinned the much-too-talkative snotty cow with a glare that she knew had to be shimmering with all the exasperation she was feeling. She guessed it was the same look that Richie, Ollie and Tony claimed put people in a thrall because the snob seemed mesmerised. Good, at least she would definitely be listening. “Here’s something for you to remember; you might have been born into money, but you came out of a vagina the same as everyone else. Popping out of one that’s rich doesn’t make you anything but lucky, or susceptible to being stuck up your own arse. Whichever.” With that, Jaxxon pulled Anna further into the crowd. Again her spine tingled and the skin of her back was almost burning. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could resist swerving around to see who the hell was staring.

“Bloody women,” grumbled Bruno as he very abruptly appeared at their side. “No offense,” he added quickly.

“What’s up?” asked Jaxxon.

“My ex.”

“She didn’t come,” guessed Anna, her voice sympathy itself.

“Oh she’s here alright. With someone else.” Anna gasped. Jaxxon winced. “They’re looking really cozy.”

“Maybe you should talk to her,” said Anna. “It might just be for show – you know, like Ollie wanted you and Jaxxon to play up to the rumors.”

“I thought of that, but after talking to her I learnt that it’s no so innocent at all.”

“Boyfriend?” guessed Anna.

“Fiancée.”

Again Anna gasped as Jaxxon winced. Jaxxon knew from experience that finding out someone you cared about actually cared for someone else…it was like being gutted.

“You can’t let her see she’s got to you like this,” insisted Anna. “Her or him.”

“I agree,” he said.

Anna spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. “You should find yourself a beautiful girl in here and flirt outrageously with her right under your ex’s nose. Show her she’s not the center of your world.”

“I was thinking exactly the same thing.” He cast a glance at Jaxxon, his expression a plea.

Jaxxon understood immediately. “You want to use me to make her jealous?”

“I just don’t think it’s fair to use someone who doesn’t know that I don’t really have any intention of acting on what -”

“I get it, I get it.” Jaxxon sighed. “Well I am pretty bored…”

Instantly Bruno threw an arm around her, but it was an embrace full of gratitude. Jaxxon managed to refrain from wincing at the physical contact. “So, I’m thinking that we basically just keep murmuring in each other’s ears and laugh now and then at absolutely nothing…?”

Anna giggled. “You two look so cute.”

The first thing Connor had felt on spotting her was shock. It was not at all an easy thing to shock someone who had seen the unexpected so many times in his life. It had just never occurred to him to even wonder if Jaxx would be at the event. He’d have to get used to the fact that she was now part of the celebrity world. A world that had him gritting his teeth and rolling his eyes a lot of the time.

It was an instinctive reaction to want to go to her, but he’d resisted – taking a moment to drink her in as she talked with that pain-in-the-arse actress and producer. Gorgeous. Entrancing. In that dress and with her hair gathered up, tendrils dangling around her shoulders, she had almost every bloke admiring her. Not that she noticed. So she still didn’t see how attractive she was. Still didn’t realise what she did to people. In Connor’s opinion, with her unique appearance and her incredible inner strength, there was no one to equal her.

Mine.

The thought came from nowhere and everywhere. He shrugged it away, wondering what was wrong with him. He wanted her, yeah, but only in the physical sense. In which case he had to ask himself how he could honestly have thought that he could have met up with her as a mate and expected not to want a little more. He didn’t have an answer. Apparently his brain was a bit scrambled tonight.

Just as he had been about to approach her, a bloke had appeared who was now touching and whispering to her. A feeling so black and unfamiliar that he didn’t at first recognise it travelled through his veins like wildfire – jealousy. He tried to shake off that odd feeling but couldn’t. At that moment he didn’t know what he wanted to do more; yell at her or fuck her within an inch of her life. He supposed that his anger over the situation was hypocritical considering that he hadn’t come alone either, but this intense feeling of possessiveness had driven out all rational thought.

Almost as if she had felt Connor’s gaze boring into her, Jaxx turned her head. The second her eyes met his, a raging need slammed into him with the force of a freight train. What passed between them as their eyes locked was a frighteningly fierce and primitive need. He felt stripped bare under that powerful, smoldering glare, but he didn’t try to hide anything; not even his feelings of possessiveness or jealousy. He doubted that he could have anyway, it was all too potent.

He picked up on her surprise, and something he hadn’t expected to see: anger. There was something else as well but she had suppressed it too quickly for him to process it. She was holding back? Oh she had a lot of explaining to do.

Neither Jaxxon nor Connor was aware that the people in close proximity to them were caught up in the spell as they watched the intense, silent exchange. They all felt much like voyeurs and yet were too mesmerised to look away. Cameras were soon clicking as the sexual tension just kept on increasing.

His eyes still holding hers, Connor slowly made his way toward Jaxx, doing his utmost best to contain his jealousy-induced-rage. He could have sworn she looked a little nervous for her ponce of a boyfriend. Good. So she remembered exactly what he liked to do to any male who went near her. On reaching her he stood still for a few seconds, just breathing in her amazing scent and enjoying the simple fact of being close to her. Then he leant in and gently kissed her cheek, not hesitating to invade her personal space; communicating to both her and her ponce that he had every right to. A small part of him pointed out that he actually didn’t have such a right, but again the possessiveness drove out the thought.

“Alright Jaxx,” he said in a low, intimate voice. He didn’t acknowledge the ponce or it would have given him the impression that Connor thought him important enough to notice.

Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Jaxxon inwardly moaned as a profound yearning rushed through her. Everything about the bloke was dark; his eyes, his hair, his masculinity. Still it all called to her. The good Lord had been having a very creative day when he made Connor McKenzie and, to her annoyance, she was more susceptible to his appeal now than what she was before. The young teenager in her who had been infatuated with him thrilled at his presence and wanted to fling herself in his arms. But Jaxxon quickly shut the door on that traitorous part of her and withstood the power of the caress in his voice, which was helped along by how annoyed she was that he spoke so intimately. It was a clear message to anyone close enough to hear that they were already well-acquainted. More specifically, it was designed to encourage Bruno to back off. “Connor,” she greeted simply.

Yes, she was angry, Connor realised. There was no hint of it on her face or in her tone, but it was made apparent by her indifferent reaction to him. A reaction he knew to be faked. Connor gave her a look that said she looked good, knowing better than to give her a verbal compliment as they made her feel uncomfortable. “How’ve you been?”

She shrugged a little. “Alright.”

Noticing that the ponce was still lingering too near her for his liking, Connor hovered over her a little, bringing them both into their own private cocoon. “I never thought you would ever be interested in modelling. You don’t even like cameras. But I can’t say I’m surprised that you’re good at it.”

“Thanks.” She wondered if Connor was aware that she knew what game he was playing. What she didn’t understand was why he was playing it. She didn’t need a big brother to chase away the boys anymore. Equally confusing was the undisguised lust in his eyes, a lust that had intensified with every step he had made towards her. The sexual tension was so thick it was almost visible. But it wasn’t real on his part, she knew that. Maybe he was still intent on playing his other game of leading her to believe he wanted her. The stupid sod obviously didn’t know that Leah had told her all about the two of them. And to act like this when he had a fiancée for God’s sake!

Her one-word answers were starting to rile him but Connor held himself in check. Clearly if he wanted to snap her out of her attempt at indifference he would have to skip straight to the point, give her a push. “I left you a message.”

“Yep.”

“You didn’t phone me back.”

“Nope.”

“Why?” She shrugged again. He allowed a small amount of his frustration to leak into his voice. “Jaxx, why?”

“I’m trying to make a fresh start, forget about my past. You’re part of that past.”

Connor smirked. “That’s bollocks.”

“What?”

“I said, that’s bollocks.” He only leant forward very slightly but the level of sexual tension rocketed. “You’ve never run away from what you’ve been through. If you don’t want to see me, you must have a reason for it.”