Kai paced behind one of the pillars near the far end of the event hall, jaw clenched, his eyes stormy. The hum of conversation, the clinking of champagne glasses, and the echo of polite laughter blurred around him, but he felt none of it. His focus was on one thing—Jamie.

She had disappeared into the crowd right after her little public stunt, leaving a trail of whispers and curious glances in her wake. He finally spotted her standing nonchalantly near a tall decorative plant, swirling a ...