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Fuck, now, doesn’t that sound ridiculous?
Instead, I glance at the other woman who coughs awkwardly. “Um, we’re just going to go get some wine. We'll be back."
Ava turns. “You don’t have to.”
"No, it's fine," the woman says “I have a feeling you need this. Come and find us later, okay?”
And then they shuffle together away, leaving us alone.
But Ava is not ready to give up.
Because she instantly turns around and walks away.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ava
Maddoxstaresatmeas the small crowd flutters away, Diana giving me a comforting squeeze of the hand before she leaves.
He raises his eyebrow as if to sayNow can we talk?
I’m more pissed off than I could remember being in my life. I almost want to stick my tongue out like a child, but I don't. Instead, I storm away.
I know he'll come after me. I knew from the moment that he saw me talking to Damon that he would come here. Not because of me. He doesn’t give a damn about me, but he’s a possessive man who hates to share his toys with others. Hypocrite. No matter he just had Cali Barbie all over him, but a man looks my way and he has to stake a claim.
“You’re not going to outrun me,” he says from behind me, his footsteps steadily catching up even though he's walking half as fast. Damn his long legs. I reach a clearing with a thicket of trees, far away from the party or anyone. I walk into it, but he still follows me. It irritates me even more because I can’t get away from him and I know it.
"Who says I’m running?” I snap. "Why don't you go back to your little friend? I'm sure she's wondering where you've run off to."
A hand snags around my elbow.
“Is that why you were smiling at that guy?" Temper heats his voice. "So you can get me jealous?”
No, but I can’t say it wasn’t a perk. I poke my hand into his chest. “Get over yourself. "
Maddox pivots me around to face him. Fire is burning in his eyes, the same one that is probably burning in mine.
“Then why are you trying to avoid me?” he asks.
“Who says I’m trying to avoid you?” I shoot back. “I met a friendly face in the bathroom and decided to have a conversation with her. That has absolutely nothing to do with you.”
“So, you’re saying it’s in my head that you haven’t even done so much as wave at me the entire time?”
I roll my eyes. "I was too busy like I said. We were talking about business and how she started her own company from the scratch. How difficult it is to be a woman in this business. Not that you would know any of that." I raise my chin and add, "Besides, I didn't think you would notice since it looked like you were busy with a friend of your own.”
The last is uttered with more heat than I would like. More revealing.
And he knows it, damn him.
He smirks. “Jealous?”
“Hardly.” I attempt to smile back. “I just didn’t want to interrupt you and what’s her face.”
“Nina,” he responds. “And if you had stuck around long enough, you would have known that she is exactly the woman I’m trying to avoid. That’s the reason I hired you. Or did you forget our little agreement?”
The reminder of our fake relationship stings. I tell myself it’s because he’s essentially still revealing that I wasn’t hired based on merit but only because of our stupid deal.
“Didn't look like you were avoiding her to me." I shrug. "Not with your tongue down her throat.”
