I’d never looked at my father quite the same after that night. Did any girl look at her daddy the same way after he backhanded her?
An hour later I’d found myself wandering the French Quarter. I’d lost myself in the revelry, and while, at first, it had been comforting, I’d started to panic as the crush had become overwhelming. Con had been a lone familiar face in a crowd of strangers. I’d tripped over a curb and crashed into him. Instead of being the too-good looking punk with a chip on his shoulder I’d remembered from high school, he’d been drunk and charming. His arms had been strong and steady when they’d wrapped around me and kept me from face-planting onto the dirty sidewalk.
His teasing had made me smile, when all I’d wanted to do moments before was cry. I’d needed more of that—more levity and lightness to smother the horrible darkness that had stalked me all night. I’d needed to forget.
So I’d taken an insane leap and let him lead me back to Voodoo and up the stairs to his apartment. Being laid out across Con’s bed and catching an eyeful of what he was packing in those ripped up jeans had sobered me up pretty damn quick. Good God. Even intoxicated, Con was… an experience. My cheeks burned just thinking about him.
The unforgettable night had given way to my hangover and the harsh light of morning: If my father ever found out… that backhand would seem like a love tap. My father’s judgment of Con had come down early—just after he’d arrived at the Leahy's as a foster and decided to test their boundaries. My father had found Con passed out drunk, lying against our fence, and their interaction hadn’t gone… smoothly. My father had thought he was trouble then and had never missed an opportunity to comment over the years about what a disgrace Con was to his adoptive parents.
“Vanessa, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” a smooth, deep voice said from a few feet away.
I jerked my gaze away from Con’s direction and looked up into the face of Lucas Titan.
Several inches over six feet, with thick, inky black hair cropped close to his head, Lucas Titan was an attractive man, especially when you added in his mossy green eyes, wide shoulders, and narrow hips. A diagonal scar slashing upward through his left eyebrow into his hairline gave his face character and kicked it from being classically handsome to dangerously gorgeous. His billions and philanthropic nature had made him a darling of the New Orleans charity scene, even if the old money crowd almost universally hated him. He didn’t play by their rules, or anyone else’s.
It was one of the things I admired most about the man.
He’d also bought himself a seat on the board of directors of the L.R. Bennett Foundation about six months ago.
“Mr. Titan, I didn’t realize you’d be here tonight.”
After all, the only name on the guest list Elle had bothered to mention had been Con’s.
“Then I’m guessing you didn’t read your invite beyond the plate price.”
I laughed politely. “You’re probably right about that.”
His smile revealed perfectly straight, white teeth. “I’m the keynote. I’ll be talking about the importance of getting technology into the hands of underprivileged youth at early ages to help level the playing field, and how organizations like this one are perfectly suited to accomplish that goal—if only it had the funding.”
“Well, hopefully between your speech and the open bar, people will give generously. It makes sense to have the tech guru sell it.”
His smile broadened. “I’ve yet to leave my nerd days behind.”
My face must have shown my surprise at his admission. “I would’ve never guessed. The nerds from my youth weren’t quite so suave, nor did they wear black tie quite as well as you do.”
A dimple I hadn’t previously been aware of winked. Damn, the man really was attractive.
“My growth spurt and tuxes came late in the game, Ms. Frost. It’s much easier to know who your friends are when you’re the least popular kid in school than when you’re sitting on billions.”
I nodded. I knew all about people befriending you for reasons other than your sparkling personality.
“I understand completely.” Wanting to move off that uncomfortable subject, I added, “I’m sure your keynote will be interesting.”
“Well, I’ll try to keep from putting you to sleep anyway. And it’s short, which is probably the best quality any keynote can have.”
I lifted my wine. “Cheers to that, Mr. Titan.”
He clinked his highball with my glass, and his eyes dropped to my shoes and made a lazy perusal up my body. “You look stunning tonight, Vanessa.”