He grinned. "She wants to research BDSM for a role."

I shook my head, amused. "And how did she find out you're connected to Enthrall?"

"Through a friend of a friend apparently. I'll find out who and ban them."

"What did you tell her?"

"For a woman who's used to getting whatever she wants, I left her shell-shocked. Her assistant Sienna's more my type. Pure sub material."

"Sounds intriguing."

We both stared back at the house.

"Mia will be fine," I said. "She can look after herself."

"Sure."

I took a sip of champagne.

Richard slapped my arm with the back of his hand. "Let's go find her."

"Probably a good idea."

He shook his head in amusement.

We made our way in and nudged through the crowd. I set my glass down on a side table. There were the usual players. The suited up agents and managers. The industry types who even here couldn't be separated from their phones. A landscape of people, the screens of their phones glaring back. Perhaps some were tweeting about being at the party. A few took selfies. Others knocked back drinks and laughed in what looked like the joy of reuniting with old friends.

After a few minutes of scouring the house and not finding Mia, I pulled out my phone and texted her: "Where are you?"

Mia's icon blinked away on my phone. She was writing a text. It stopped. She didn't send it.

Richard peered over my shoulder. "Something wrong?"

With three quick scrolls on my phone, I watched the small red dot beating Mia's location.

Richard rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

"Don't judge me." I waved the phone. "Comes in handy for moments like this."

The blinking light led us up the staircase and we walked along the hallway following the signal.

A knock at a closed door went unanswered.

I pushed it open and went in, looking around at the sparse furniture of this spare bedroom.

Richard followed me in. "Is that thing right?"

I yanked open the closet door.

And let out the breath I'd been holding since I'd lost her.

"Cameron." Mia's arms were folded across her chest. "Did you stick a bug up my ass when I was sleeping?"

Richard burst out laughing.

"Please be more selective with your choice of words," I scolded, tucking my phone away.

"Then how did you find me?"

I glanced down at her Louboutins. "Why are you in here?"

She really did look harried.

"Mia," I said. "Don't let these people intimidate you."

"I'm not intimidated."

"Good." I glanced over at Richard, who was enjoying this.

"Mia, he's not handing you back to me," he said.

She lowered her gaze. "Where's the bug, Cameron?"

"It's the magic of love. I felt your presence and-"

"Cameron," she snapped.

"Enough of this."

She balled her fists on her hips. "I knew it."

"Mia, trust me, a man in my position-"

"Is it in my shoe?"

I glared at her. "One more word and I'll forbid you to speak for the rest of the evening."

"Seriously Mia," said Richard, "we were looking forward to the hors d'oeuvres you went to get us."

"She who cannot be named is here," Mia blurted. "I needed a moment."

I blinked my reaction.

"McKenzie Carlton?" said Richard.

Mia watched my reaction, which I was currently trying to hide, not least because I'd refused to tell Mia my ex- fiance's name.

"She must have seen us arrive," said Mia. "Because McKenzie took me aside and told me who she was."

My thoughts ran off trying to work out what Zie was doing in Los Angeles. She'd always moved in these circles but this was uncanny.

"Mia," I said, "you two talked?"

"Yes."

"What about?" asked Richard.

Mia's gaze rested on me.

"Out of there," I snapped. "Now."

She hurried out and stood by my side, her eyes wide and full of caution.

"Let's go find Zie," said Richard, earning himself a glare from me. He shrugged it off. "Or not."

"How about this?" I said, "Let's see the new year in somewhere more..."

"Your place then?" said Richard.

I agreed with a nod.

"I'd like that," said Mia, her cheeks flushed.

Taking her hand firmly in mine, I led her out.

We navigated the guests who sat on the stairs. The party was in full swing. The music grew louder. People were pulling poppers already. Annoying screams of delight sliced through my head. Knowing Zie was here tainted the mood.

The front door was in our sights and we headed toward it.

A tug on the back of my jacket.

That familiar scent of amber wafted; Hermes.

Zie hadn't aged at all and I put that down to an easy life full of privilege and luxury brands that held back the years. Her pale blue chiffon halter dress brought out her feminine curves and emphasized her tall, lean frame. Shiny auburn locks spiraled over naked shoulders. Zie's timeless beauty and razor-sharp cheekbones had always placed her firmly in the spotlight. Her green iris's sparkled with mischief.

The last time we'd been this close we'd been arguing. It had been ugly. Until I met Mia, I'd not loved anyone as much as I'd loved her.

Though my affection for Mia felt different-pure, untainted. The advantage of a new relationship. No cruel history to haunt us.

Zie forced a grin. "Nice to see you too, Cam." She flashed a glance over my shoulder. "Hello again, Mia. I so enjoyed our little chat. Very informative." She gave a crooked pout.

The same one I'd once found endearing, only now it oozed bitchy.

Zie's allure had always been her demure sexuality, her ability to use those overly rouged lips to get whatever she wanted. Whoever she wanted. Whenever she wanted. Zie ran her tongue along her lips to moisten them and rested the tip in the corner of her mouth suggestively. That used to be her way of getting my cock's attention.

Trying to push away thoughts of what this woman was capable of in the bedroom, I peered over her shoulder, pretending to scour the other guests.

I reached back and grabbed Mia's hand to reassure her.

"Richard," said Zie. "You still working at that place."

His back stiffened. "Yes, if you're referring to Enthrall." He didn't care who heard. "How's the upper east side? All the happier for you not being there, I imagine."

"We were just leaving," I said.

Zie's eyelids lowered. "Congrats on your engagement."

Yeah, great, my family suspected Mia was now my fiance, as did the Board of Psychiatry, after that debacle of a hearing to ascertain if I'd mistreated a patient. Only Mia had never been a patient, merely a sub in training. That detail was no one's business.

A polite smile was called for.

"Willow broke the news." Confusion marred Zie's face. "We had coffee last week."

I regretted coming here now.

"Your sister didn't mention seeing me?" she said.

"No, we haven't spoken recently."

"I'd heard on the grapevine that Mia was your submissive, Richard."

"How do you know Andrea?" asked Richard, changing the subject.

"Through Megan Banks. She's Andrea's publicist. Megan and I were in the same sorority."

Zie's days at Yale were legendary, not least because she excelled in her chosen field of art and had been hailed by the Huffington Post as a young Picasso.

There'd been a time when McKenzie's sassy brilliance had set my world on fire. Though now it felt like I was standing in the ash drenched wreckage of what we'd once been.

My gaze drifted toward the door.

"How are your parents?" she asked.

"Fantastic. Yours?"

"Same. That's a pretty choker."

Mia's fingers traced the edge of the rubies and her gaze swept from me and back to Zie.

"You tried to put one of those on me once," said Zie. "Remember? You got a kick out of me refusing to wear it."

"Long time ago," I muttered.

She raised her chin. "Still, I wore it for you in the end. Remember? You were very persuasive. I loved that about you."

"Different choker," I told Mia, wondering what words had been exchanged between them.

Zie glared at Mia.