PROLOGUE
BIANCA BELL
Somethinglikethedevastationof a hurricane’s winds and the power of a tornado’s unstoppable spiral swiftly overtook me while watching this man bend a knee in…proposal. A proposal that wasn’t to me!
Antonias Diamante Suarez wore a soft smile as he looked up at his girlfriend, Katrelle. She looked down at her man, shock written all over her porcelain face.
And here I sat, shocked, mortified,seething, and dying inside at the sight of them.
This could’ve all been avoided.
Oh!Shut the hell up, I told myself. Antonias had been bringing Katrelle around since Quilo’s graduation party this past summer. In my mind, I thought Katrelle was like the rest of the women Antonias flaunted around. Then again, I should’ve known better.
Katrelle High was beautiful, educated, and powerful in her own right. She was the CEO of Niceville Shores News Station and Paper Company. Her family had owned the network for decades, and she was responsible for taking the station to even newer heights.
My stomach rolled as Katrelle shrieked with joy after shouting, “Yes!” The crowd, gathered inside of Seas and Shores Steakhouse, clapped for the newly engaged couple while I wanted to dash across this room and demand that Antonias take back his proposal.
Why?
Because… Because…He belongs to me!
My mind and heart roared with what was before me. Tears that I didn’t know I possessed for this man welled up in my eyes. Quickly, I blinked them away and joined everyone else in clapping for the couple.
Then, Antonias’s eyes collided with mine and held fast. Although a smile rode his handsome toasted brown face, his eyes said something totally different. He was disappointed. Breaking eye contact, I needed something else to do.
“You okay?” Heir asked me.
Feeling like I was about to regurgitate, I fled and practically ran to the bar.
At the bar, I let the noise of everyone congratulating Antonias and Katrelle drown out the voices in my head telling me to flip all this shit over.
“What can I get you, mama?” the bartender asked. He was so fine, my lips parted in awe. I didn’t recall seeing him the last time I came over here for a drink.
“Something fruity. I don’t want to taste the alcohol,” I stated.
“Aight.” He quickly and efficiently made my drink, then held it just out of reach. “Before I give this to you, I’ma need you to bless me with that gorgeous ass smile I peeped a lil’ while ago.”
Although I wasn’t in a smiling mood, I needed this drink, so I gave him one.
“Naw, now. That’s fake.” He chuckled. “Gimme a smile you would give ya man.”
I bit my bottom lip and surveyed the way his large fingers held the glass I so desperately needed.
“Seeing as I don’t have a man, I can’t give you a smile I would hypothetically give him.”
His eyebrows lifted as he handed me the drink. He dried his hands as I took a sip of the concoction.
“This is pretty good,” I praised.
He stuck his hand out to me. “Torro. It’s nice to meet you…”
“Bianca,” I replied.
“Bianca, there’s no way I can leave here without giving you my number. Is that cool?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say no, it wasn’t cool. Then, I heard Katrelle’s laughter seemingly mocking me.
“Sure,” I stated.
