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‘IS THAT EDIE, talking to Alexi Galanti?’ I barked at Joe Donnelly who had greeted me at the entrance to The Inferno as I spotted Edie’s slim figure displayed in a wisp of blue silk standing beside the Formula One owner on the far corner of the casino floor.
Anxiety and anger sliced through my gut. I’d stayed away from Monaco for three weeks. Three long torturous weeks. As memories of Edie and what we’d shared tormented me daily.
Her face, determined and tense on our first night together, as she played poker. Her lips, trembling but eager, as I kissed her in the moonlight. Her breasts, full and yearning, in that excuse for a bikini. Her arms soft and secure as we danced together at the investors’ ball. Her eyes, the deep green sheened with tears, as I forced her to accept the reality of who I was and how little I could offer her.
Every one of those memories slammed into me now as I stared at her like a starving man. Memories that had turned my temper into gelignite, ready to explode at a moment’s notice. Memories that bombarded me every time I closed my eyes. Then woke me up, hard and aching and empty inside. Memories which were the real reason I’d arrived in Monaco unannounced. Because after three weeks of staying away, of trying and failing to forget about her, I hadn’t. And now this is what I found.
The woman I’d initiated, looking at another man the way she’d once looked at me.
‘Yeah, Edie’s hosting the Millionaire Club game tonight; Alexi’s playing.’ Joe’s
voice murmured beside me but I could barely hear it through the buzzing in my brain.
Why was she smiling at Alexi like that? Was there something between them? Why hadn’t I listened to my instincts and returned sooner? She was an innocent and I’d let her loose among a sea of sharks. My friend—or, rather, my former friend—being the most voracious and ruthless of the lot.
‘Nice to see you too, by the way,’ Joe said, curtly enough to distract me for a second. ‘We weren’t expecting to see you for another week.’
‘My plans changed,’ I said, turning back to stare at the woman who had haunted my dreams. Alexi was standing too damn close to her. I didn’t like it. Any more than I liked the low neckline on her dress. He could probably see right down to her navel in that thing.
Joe’s fingers clicked in my face. ‘Snap out of it, Dante.’
‘What?’ I forced my eyes away.
‘You’re staring at her as if you want to devour her in a few quick greedy bites.’
Because I do.
I wetted my lips, trying to deny the errant thought as blood surged heavily into my groin.
‘Alexi’s got no damn business hovering around her like that. She’s an employee here.’
‘I know that,’ Joe said, searching my face in a way I didn’t like. ‘But do you?’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘You know damn well what it means,’ he shot back, only increasing my irritation. Joe was a friend, probably my best friend. He’d been my wingman since we were little more than kids. But no one got to speak to me like that, not even him. Before I could point this out though, he cut me off.
‘You’ve been ringing me every day to check up on her. And now you’re here, when you’re supposed to be in Paris. What the hell is going on between you two, because I thought you broke up with her?’
‘Alexi’s flirting with my employee and I’m not supposed to be pissed about that?’ I said, raising my voice as my gaze locked on Edie again across the casino.
Damn, but I had missed her. The sight of her, the smell of her, the feel of her body curled around me in sleep. When was this longing going to end? Why couldn’t I get a handle on it? And why did seeing her again only make all the memories worse, not better, the way I’d hoped?
‘Alexi flirts with everyone,’ Joe said, raising his voice too. ‘It never bothered you before.’
We were starting to attract attention. But then Alexi lifted his finger to tuck a lock of hair behind Edie’s ear. And Edie smiled at him, that sweet smile that had only ever been meant for me.
Rage exploded inside me, the same rage I had kept so carefully at bay... Ever since Edie had thrown her parting words at me.
I’ll be sure to use the lessons you taught me about how to pleasure a man when I take my next lover.
Those words had tortured me every night since. But I’d stayed away, determined not to give in to the need, the jealousy, the longing.
Big mistake.
‘Bastardo!’ I shouted and several people turned towards me.
‘Dante, wait!’ Joe said, trying to grab my arm, I shook it off as I strode through the crowd.
