Page 40 of King of Pride

“And the worst part?” Terrence continued. “You still don’t see anything wrong with it. That’s how you’re going to ruin your relationship with Rose—especially when you’re already supposed to marry her.”

Ivan slowly rose from his chair.

His heart was pounding for some reason he couldn't put into words. A strange pressure had settled in his chest, growing tighter with every second.

Yet his face remained calm.

“That’s not going to happen,” he said dismissively. “And as I told you, slapping her was a reaction in the heat of the moment. She wasn’t even sorry for breaking my things.”

Terrence threw his hands into the air.

“What the fuck, Ivan?”

His voice echoed through the room.

“Why are your things more important to you than Rose? Don’t you understand that whatever your ex left behind shouldn’t matter more than the woman you’re supposed to marry?”

He stepped closer.

“It shouldn't have mattered enough for you to hit anyone, let alone Rose.”

Ivan frowned.

“Rose has had a crush on me for years. That isn’t going to change.”

His voice was almost matter-of-fact.

“That’s why we got together in the first place. You know how much she loves me. She’s not going anywhere.”

Terrence stared at him.

Ivan picked up his phone from the desk and turned it over in his hand.

“Whatever happened last night happened. I’m putting it behind us. She hasn’t even apologized for breaking my things, so she can take some time to get her head straight.”

Terrence looked at him in disbelief.

“That’s true. She’s loved you for years. She’s not going to stop loving you overnight.”

He shook his head.

“But that doesn’t mean you can take her for granted. You really, really need to get your shit together.”

Ivan waved him off.

“She’s going to stay in my life whether I want her to or not.”

Chapter 6 He’s A Pervert

He said it with such certainty that Terrence could only stare at him.

Then Ivan’s phone began to ring on the desk.

His hand immediately reached for it.

For a fleeting moment, he expected to see Rose’s name on the screen. A faint smile had already begun to form at the thought of her finally calling him.

But the smile vanished the moment he saw the caller ID.