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“Well played, Miss Torrisi,” he thought, speeding off toward her family’s estate.
“Damn,” Mars exclaimed as the two stepped into the packed mansion. “It ain’t nothing but money in here. I’m trying to be living like this one day.”
“More money, more problems,” Cassius sang, pushing through the thick crowd in search of the woman consuming his every thought.
“You ain’t ever lied about that.”
The two made it to the packed ballroom, and despite the number of people milling around, Cassius’ eyes landed on Aella almost immediately. She stood out in her floor-length, royal blue gown that hugged her body like a glove.
With a glass of champagne in one hand, she placed the other on the shoulder of the gentleman she was conversing with, laughing at something he said. A red haze clouded Cassius’ vision as he watched the two of them.
Following his friend’s line of vision, Mars laughed. “From the way you look ready to rip that nigga’s head off his shoulders, I think it’s important to do my duty as your friend and remind you not to show your ass in these white folks’ house. Now that the mature shit is out the way, if you wanna fuck the nigga up, I’m here for it.”
Inhaling deeply, Cassius shook his head to clear it. “Nah. I ain’t even on that type of time tonight.”
“So what you gonna do?”
Waiting until he was sure his temper was entirely under control, Cassius patted Mars’ shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t do nothing stupid.”
He wouldn’t. At least, he didn’t have any plans to.
Typically, Cassius was a master of self-control, but there was something about Aella that effortlessly unraveled him. He’d known it from the night she’d rejected her father’s suggestion that they marry and left him doubting and second-guessing himself.
Aella Torrisi was a danger to him, yet he couldn’t find the will to stay away from her. Hence, he was about to make himself look like a fool over her again because he couldn’t stand the thought of another man existing in her space.
“What’s up, Elle?” he butted into the conversation without a greeting.
Aella’s face was a mask of surprise as she looked up at him. “H-hi. What are you doing here?”
“I told you earlier today I’d be here when I asked you to be my date. Only when I pulled up to your crib to pick you up, you weren’t there.”
Her face flushed as the man she’d been speaking with watched them amusedly. “Elle, you need a minute?”
Cassius’ face darkened. “Don’t a—”
“Alright,” Aella intervened, stepping between them. “Before you go on another one of your rants and embarrass me again, this is Smoke, my security detail. There’s no need for all that.”
“At all,” Smoke chuckled. “But I’m a man, so I understand. Elle, you know where to find me if you need me.”
With that, Smoke disappeared, leaving Cassius and Aella alone.
Shifting her weight, she offered a sheepish grin that dissipated his anger as quickly as it had risen.
“That cute-ass smile ain’t finna save you,” he barked, trying to keep his annoyed exterior.
Tilting her head, Aella pursed her lips. “You mad at me?”
“You had me pull up to your crib looking like a damn fool, knowing you wouldn’t be there. Hell yeah, I’m mad at you.”
“In my defense, I didn’t believe you would show up.”
Palming his face, Cassius released a frustrated sigh. “A’ight, look. How about we just start over? Come dance with me.” When she raised an eyebrow, he added, “Please?”
Aella wrinkled her nose and placed her empty glass on a tray carried by a passing waiter before reluctantly allowing him to lead her to the dance floor.
“You know you had me looking crazy tonight, right?” he inquired, enclosing his arms around her.
