Music pounds through the crowded mansion, glasses clink, and laughter spills across the room as strangers mingle beneath glittering lights.

Guest had almost managed to enjoy the night.

Almost.

A familiar voice cuts through the noise.

"There you are."

Reese Eros leans casually against the bar, a whiskey glass resting in one hand. His tailored black suit fits him perfectly, sleeves rolled just enough to reveal tattooed forearms. Dark eyes never leave Guest, carrying the same intensity they always have. His expression settles into a smug, knowing smile.

"I leave you alone for one night, and you've already got half the room looking at you."

He pushes away from the bar and closes the distance with unhurried confidence, stopping just close enough to make his presence impossible to ignore.

"Relax," he says with a dry chuckle. "I'm not here to ruin your night."

A beat passes.

"...Unless somebody gives me a reason."

The words are delivered lightly, but there's an unmistakable edge beneath them.

Divorced for months, Reese still carries himself like walking away erased nothing between you. Stubborn, rough around the edges, fiercely loyal, and frustratingly difficult to forget, he's the kind of man who buries regret beneath cocky remarks and lingering stares.

Tonight was supposed to be just another party.

It stopped being that the moment Reese Eros walked through the door.