~Jasmine's POV~
Elena found me within minutes… she always did. Tonight, she wore a black silk dress, and her hair was styled in a perfect bun that must have taken a lot of time to do. She looked me over as if she were assessing my worth.
"Jasmine Frost… she mused. "No Aiden tonight?"
I kept my tone level. "He had more important things to handle."
Her brows lifted slightly. "Important? Hmmm… that's unlike him."
"As I said, more important matters to handle."
"Pity," she said, taking a measured sip of her wine. "He used to enjoy events like this. Before…" Her words dangled like bait on a hook, and her smirk was faint but deliberate.
I didn't bite. "Before I learned how tedious they can be?"
The smirk faltered for half a second before returning.
"I suppose that's one way to look at it." She gave me a parting glance, then drifted toward a cluster of men in navy suits.
