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She presses her lips together. “And you’ll be thanking me for helping convince Bill this marriage isn’t a sham.”
“This isn’t up for discussion.” I reach for my whiskey as I signal to our security head that his team can take a break while we’re in here. “We’re not taking any more photos tonight, and we’re done with all the displays of affection.”
“Right, so because you say so, it is?”
“On this, yes. I indulged you, but I’m done now.”
She holds my gaze, unflinching. “No.”
“No?”
She stands. “No, we’re not done. I take a lot of photos and share them to social media. People expect that from me. If I stop that, and if I don’t share you in them, it’ll give Bill reason to doubt us.” She pauses before adding, “I’m going to the bathroom. Please order me champagne while I’m gone and figure out how you’re going to get on board with all of this. I refuse to give Bill any reason to question this marriage.”
With that, she walks away from me, making sure to swing that ass of hers from side to side exactly how I fucking like.
Jesus Christ.
The hostess comes and I order a bottle of champagne.
Ten minutes pass in which I check my emails.
Adeline doesn’t return to the room.
Another five minutes pass and I go in search of her. It pisses me off to have to leave the quiet hush of the private room to go back out into the club.
I find Adeline talking with a woman. Her eyes meet mine when I draw close, and her mouth spreads out in a dazzling smile as she slides her arm around my waist.
“Jameson,” she says, her voice full of affection I know she doesn’t feel. “Lucia was just telling me about this amazing little restaurant we should check out.” Her body turns toward mine and she brings a hand to my stomach as she gazes up at me. “She said their salmon is to die for.”
Adeline’s hands on me are the last thing I need because even though I’m annoyed with her, my body never fails to respond to hers. Something she’s more than aware of because I’ve never bothered to hide it.
Keeping up our marriage charade, I put my arm around her and smile at the woman she’s been talking with. “Thank you for the recommendation.”
Adeline presses herself against me, allowing her hand to travel down my stomach. “I told her how much you love salmon, darling.”
I place my hand over hers, halting her progress down my body, and gripping it hard enough to warn her against this course of action.
“I do.” I shift my gaze from Lucia to Adeline and am about to let her know we’re done with this conversation when a voice comes from behind me.
“Jameson. I didn’t think clubs were your scene.”
I turn to find an old business acquaintance of mine running his eyes appreciatively over Adeline.
“Ian.” I introduce him to Adeline, my attention firmly on the fact he’s leering at her.
Lucia leaves us and Adeline smiles at Ian. “It’s lovely to meet you. How do you know Brax?”
Brax is the owner of the club, and since tonight is invite only, everyone has a connection to him. My research into Adeline months ago let me know Brax is a man she had a short relationship with after her marriage ended five years ago. It was obvious when I met him earlier that he still wants her. My research also let me know Brax is a man with a reputation for sleeping with married women. To Adeline’s credit, she made it clear she’s not interested. If I was actually in love with her, I wouldn’t hesitate to find my own way to make it clear to him that a married woman is off limits. I’ve made a mental note to have Gabriel, my fixer, keep an eye on this asshole.
Ian keeps his eyes glued to Adeline. Desire blazes from him but that’s not something new for her. Most men she’s met while in my presence have had the same experience. “I met Brax through an old girlfriend,” he says. “We barely know each other. How about you?” His gaze drops to her breasts. “I imagine you know him much better than me.”
My arm tightens around Adeline as a surge of unexpected possessiveness hits me.
Her eyes meet mine and she arches a brow. Fleetingly, just for me, before glancing back at Ian. “I dated Brax years ago. Only for a short time. We’ve stayed friends since.” The easy friendliness has disappeared from her tone, but I doubt Ian would notice. I only note it because I’ve had the time to learn the nuances of her voice, expressions, and body language.
Glancing at me briefly before looking back at Adeline, he says, “He must be disappointed you’re married now. Although, from what I’ve heard about Brax, he doesn’t let a husband get in the way of his time with a friend.” He says this suggestively while eye-fucking her.
I fist my hand by my side, doing my best to let Adeline handle this because the one thing I know for sure about her is that she’ll want my balls if I dare attempt to assume control of this situation. If she were my real wife, we wouldn’t still be standing here. There’s no way Ian would have made it past his first leer.
