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I grab the banister, mainly because I don’t want to trip and fall down the steps with my new red bottoms that I haven’t gotten the chance to break in yet. I descend and become one with the crowd.
When my brother told me that Papà approved this party at what they call just another vacation home, I already knew it was too good to be true. They have this house in my college town so they can come to keep an eye on me whenever they want…
I’ve always been shielded, protected, andcontrolled. It all comes with being a sheltered mafia princess. I am still trying to figure out their ulterior motives. They wouldn’t just let me have fun for the sake of it. Matteo DeLuca only cares about himself… So, how does this benefit him?
It’s probably so he can shove Leo down my throat some more. Since graduation is approaching in a year, my father wants us closer than ever before our wedding. It’s never going to happen. Even though Leo and I have an understanding, there’s still underlying hate on my part. He hurt me more than anyone. And I won’t ever forgive him for it. Him, on the other hand? He doesn’t care, but he’s also not nice to me. Not often, anyway. Back in high school, we were the best of friends for a while. As I got older though, I began to understand what being forced into marriage meant for me. I’d be nothing but an object to him to use, abuse, discard. As the Don, Leo will never hurt for women. In fact, they would throw themselves at him. And that makes him the kind of person who has been influenced by the men in our families. They’ve taught him how to treat a wife, how they all have treated their own. I swear they treat their whores better. And that’s why I could never love him, and I know in return, he would never care about me again.
My little white dress rides up my thighs, and I pull it down discreetly while searching for Annie. Everyone else is dressed similarly since my mother’s invitation said semi-formal/cocktail party. So, I’m thankfully blending in.
I finally spot Annie and begin walking over to her, bumping into a few friends and acquaintances who all wish me happy birthday, which only delays me further. It’s not like my best friend cares about how long it takes me to reach her. She’s a little busy at the moment. Deep in conversation with Ilya—looking ripped as fuck even in a button-down—who keeps smiling at her in a way that makes me weak in the knees. God, she’s so fucking lucky. But when did this happen? Just two days ago, they would barely look at each other in that club. Now they look like they’re in some kind of heated argument by the way she starts waving her hands.
Annie is thriving here, that’s all I know. She loves drinking and partying, at least ever since she and Josh broke up. She’s been a wild card since then, going to the clubs almost every weekend and getting drunk to forget about her pain. The last month has been better, though. Instead, she has focused more on ballet with me, wanting the role of Odile and Odette just as much as I do. But the weekends are still crazy. As far as I know, she hasn’t had sex with anyone.
She is the kind of girl who gets a lot of attention yet doesn’t usually return it. But something is different tonight. I can see her observing Ilya appreciatively. Her eyes roam from his face all the way to his shoes in a way that makes me blush for him. Something’s changed between them since I last saw him, and I want to know what it is. Just maybe not right now.
Fortunately for her, I’m not going to need her company tonight. So she’s free to make love eyes at that boy all night. It’s time for me to get fucking wasted, maybe even bump a line, to help me forget the fact that I’m going to marry a monster, and that said person is going to literally kill me when he sees that Nikolai has shown up to my party. If Ilya is here, then so is Nik.
No one would bat an eyelash if Leo showed up with someone, but I’d probably get murdered—or worse—if I fucked someone else. That’s why I need to get it all out of the way before I’m tied down to him,forever. I haven’t done it yet, but I want to.
The only reason I wanted this party in the first place was to use it as a distraction for my true purpose. With the number of people present and taking over every inch of this house, no one will bat an eyelash when they can’t find me. They probably won’t even notice I’m missing from my own festivities. I do have a time limit, though. I’m not wilding-out that damn much. If I make it too obvious and my family finds out, I could mess a lot of things up for myself. Like my freedom.
I head to Annie’s side, bringing my arm around her waist to pull her in and smile at Ilya. It takes him a minute to return the smile, except it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Honestly, I don’t care. She pinches my side, and I stiffen. This little bitch.
“Fancy seeing you again,” I say with a grin, not bothering to hide how I’m checking him out. Maybe I can convince Annie to have a threesome. Probably not. “Why are you acting like an asshole to me? It’s my birthday.”
“You’re off limits tonight.” He smirks. “I’d get killed if I so much as smile at you.”
“And why is that?”
Ilya looks away, seemingly done with me. “Annabella,” Ilya says with a Russian accent, tipping his head. “I’ll see you later.”
My friend looks on the verge of tears, but why? “Wait!” She grabs his hand, stopping him. “I’m not done talking.” Ilya searches her face, focusing on her tear-filled eyes, and his jaw clenches. She still hasn’t let go of his hand, and my confusion grows when he interlaces their fingers. Are they together? She’s my best friend, and she never mentioned this to me? When I’m about to ask her what the fuck is happening, we’re interrupted. But of course, not by just any person. No, my life can’t be that easy.
A hand slides from my lower back to cup my ass, and the scent of Leo—cinnamon—invades my nostrils. I would know because no matter how much I hate him, I haven’t always. The truth is, no matter how much I don’t want to marry him, he’s damn good at eating pussy. I’ve been fucking him regardless of how I feel. So yeah, there’s that.
I peer up at him, but just as I’m about to smirk and say something to piss him off, he already looks like he wants to rip someone’s head off. And that expression is directed right at the tall, blond, muscular guy across from us. Not that Leo is any less blessed in that department.
“What the fuck isD’yavolodoing here?” Leo’s honey-brown eyes grow dark with fury, and he pushes me behind him. I knew this wasn’t going to go well.Fuck.Papà would have a field day if he heard about this, undoubtedly the bloody kind. Even still, I feel like pissing him off a little, so I come to his side and grab his arm.
“Leo,” I say softly, and he turns to look at me. To be honest, it’s scary how his eyes soften for me, especially with what I’m about to do. Now I feel a little bad for being a bitch. But no, he rubs women in my face all the time. I’m not going to be weak. He hates me too.
Just as I’m about to talk, though, an equally tall man shows up at Ilya’s side. Only this guy is the complete opposite. Dark, brooding, with silver eyes that are looking right into mine.Nikolai.I don’t like how they narrow at me. In fact, I want him to look away. He seems poised for a fight, with his arms crossed over his chest and his body tense. “I invited them.”
Leo’s eyes turn to slits as they take me in from head to toe. He closes the space between us quicker than a flash. His hand comes to my jaw, gripping tightly, painfully. “What are you talking about,tesoro mio?”My sweetheart. I roll my eyes and smile through the pain, goading him on.
I can see the brooding, dark-haired man walking closer, and Leo smiles. I know that psychotic smile means he’s ready to inflict pain, and I try to shake my head at Nik, but the grip on my jaw prevents me from moving my head.
“Let her go.” His voice is deep, and tingles erupt over my body. “Or this is going to get fucking ugly.”
Leo grins, shaking his head. Nikolai’s hand squeezes Leo’s arm roughly, and I know he’s made a mistake. “Get your filthy hand off me before it’s no longer part of your body.”
“I’m not scared of you,Demoni.” Nikolai chuckles. “Get your hands offher.”
“She,” Leo firmly flexes his fingers against my face once more, which I’m fairly sure will have bruises tomorrow, and smirks, “is mine. I’m sure you still remember that, though.”
Nik’s jaw clenches, but he ignores Leo’s jab. “Yet you treat her like she’s garbage.”
Why does he even care? I hurt him.
