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didn’t know what he was talking about. If he’d known what I’d been through, he’d shut his mouth and stay quiet.
    Fortunately, the auction began and people bid on different bottles of wine, including a very special one that was two hundred years old. That sold for a whopping half a million. I was surprised people thought it was worth that much. At least it was going to charity.
    Cato kept his hand on my thigh but remained silent. He and I didn’t speak much because there was nothing to talk about. Perhaps he was just a good actor, but I wondered why he could be so pleasant to everyone else but me. Did he not respect me because I paid for his time? That would be hypocritical. I wish it wouldn’t bother me.
    But it did, for some reason.
    After the dinner was over and people began to mingle again, I grabbed another drink and walked around with Cato. I made a few more introductions, and by the end of the night, Cato seemed to have met everyone important.
    “That’s a lot of names to remember,” he said.
    “You get use to it,” I said vaguely.
    Cato remained by my side, being affectionate with me like a man deeply in love.
    I sipped my wine and looked around the room when I came upon a face, I knew so well I froze. Joey was watching us together, and he didn’t look happy at all. He was ghostly white and bloodless. His expression was blank but his eyes were full of disappointment.
    Should I talk to him? What would I say?
    “That’s Joey, isn’t it?” Cato said without looking directly at him. He was talented at talking about someone without making it obvious.
    “Yeah.”
    “Makes sense.”
    What did that mean?
    “Should we talk to him?” he asked. “How do you want to proceed?”
    Sometimes he behaved like a robot. “I guess we should. I don’t understand why he’s being weird.”
    The corner of his lip upturned in a smile. “You really can’t figure it out?”
    “Do you know something I don’t?” I snapped slightly, getting sick of his little comments coming at the most unsuspecting times.
    “All I had to do was look at him and I figured it out.” His voice carried his indifference. Offending me didn’t bother him in the least.
    “Then enlighten me.”
    He turned to me, coming dangerously close to my face. “When a guy doesn’t like seeing you with another guy, it usually means he wants to fuck you.”
    His crude words didn’t surprise me even though he’d never spoken that way before. “Joey doesn’t want to fuck me.”
    He released a sarcastic laugh. “Woman, you are blind.”
    “Don’t call me that.”
    “You’re blind no matter what I call you.” He kept his arm around me but the touch felt cold.
    I refused to believe that. Joey and I had been friends forever, and if he had feelings for me he would have said something by now. There was no reason to bide his time. “Let’s go. And be polite.”
    “Have I been anything else this evening?” he demanded.
    “To me you have.”
    An annoyed look came into his eyes and he turned away.
    Whatever . “Come on.”
    Cato held me close as we approached Joey.
    Joey didn’t look at me. His eyes were glued to Cato. He looked him up and down, sizing him up. There wasn’t that usual welcoming look on his face. Joey had the ability to make anyone feel welcome no matter how out of place they felt. But now he just stared at Cato like he was a nuisance at the party.
    Cato extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Katarina has told me so much about you.”
    Joey took it but he dropped the embrace quickly, like he didn’t want to touch him for a moment longer than he had to. “Likewise,” he said coldly.
    An awkward silence filled the room.
    We stared at each other, unsure what to say.
    I cleared my throat. “Having a good time?”
    “Yeah.” He didn’t elaborate or try to carry the conversation. It was completely unlike him. He glanced at Cato again before he turned back to me.
    There was clearly something on Joey’s mind but