The ballroom was a sea of silk and perfume, but Liza's internal compass pointed only one way. She found him near the balcony. Julian looked lethal in a custom black tux, his presence commanding the very air around him. When he saw her, his eyes darkened, roaming over her plunging neckline with a hunger that was almost predatory.
"Liza?", he murmured as she approached. He didn't shake her hand; he stepped into her personal space until she had to tilt her head back to breathe. He smelled of sandalwood and expensive Scotch. His hand found the small of her back, his palm searingly hot through her dress. "You look... malnourished", he whispered into her ear, his breath sending a shiver straight to her center. "I can see the hunger in your eyes. Are you being fed, little bird?" Liza let out a soft, involuntary moan at the contact, her hand fluttering to his chest, feeling the steady, powerful thrum of his heart. Before she could answer, a slender hand slid onto Julian's shoulder, and a melodic voice interrupted: "Julian, darling, they're asking for us."
The woman was Elena. She was young, vibrant, and her hand was draped over Julian's arm with a casual intimacy that made Liza's blood boil with jealousy. Liza watched as Julian leaned down to hear something Elena whispered, his lips nearly brushing the girl's ear.
The sight triggered a physical reaction in Liza—a sharp, throbbing heat. She remembered how Julian used to whisper commands to her in public, making her flush and squirm while they made polite conversation with donors. Seeing him give that attention to someone else felt like a physical blow to her stomach. She watched the way Julian's large hand settled on Elena's waist, the same way he used to steer Liza through a room. She had to leave. She turned and fled toward the gardens, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her skin feeling too tight for her body. She reached the fountain and collapsed onto a stone bench, only to hear the heavy, rhythmic crunch of gravel behind her. Someone had followed.