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We follow him to the back of the locale to a more private area, dodging the curious looks some of the patrons give us—or me. Talking of terrifying, Vincent Sinclair is right there, sitting next to Maddox at a dining table. He’s dressed in all black from shoes to shirt, matching his hair and eyes, and a chill runs down my spine at the sight. I have no idea what to make of him. I can’t hold his gaze for too long. If Carter’s is empty, devoid of humanity, Vincent’s is filled with promises of peril. I don’t think he trusts me either.
I did steal his money—albeit I did return it, but still.
I take a seat next to Hanna as Maddox pushes toward me a matte black menu with foiled gold accents. The attention to detail in this place tickles all my artistic senses.
We fall into chatter, talking amongst ourselves as the guys seem to have been getting more comfortable having us around, since we returned from the island. I’ve been more intrigued by Ronan; observing him in this environment has given me a different perspective on him. His shoulders are more pulled back, his head held a little higher, his features more stern. Even now, in what’s supposed to be a familiar and comfortable environment for him, he doesn’t carry himself the same as he does with me in private, or how he did on the island. I like this side of him. I like both, but seeing him so stern and serious, goddamnit if I don’t lo—like him even more.
Christ.
“Excuse me,” he says, kissing my forehead before he rises, disappearing behind me.
Maybe five minutes pass, and Hanna interrupts our conversation, leaning in.
“Jesus, who are those two talking to your man?”
I turn my head to the bar, trying to be as discreet as possible, but failing miserably when my eyes land on two of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Both of them are tall, gorgeous, and elegant. They’re a true vision. Ronan is in a fairly intense discussion with the older one of the two, a stunning redhead with a short bob haircut, while the other has turned her attention to the bartender.
“I don’t know,” I finally respond to her.
I wish I did though, because there’s this burning sensation in my chest, and god dammit if it doesn’t feel dangerously close to jealousy. But my insecurities are the ones that are more prevalent right now—I look nothing like her. I’m close to asking myself—and him—what the fuck I’m doing here.
He looks so comfortable and familiar with her. She belongs. In this world, in this space, next to him. I don’t.
When she turns her head, her gaze lands directly on me, like she knows my thoughts are of her. Her expression is blank, utterly unreadable, but in such a natural way that it’s chilling. It doesn’t falter when she sees me watching her, unable to stop. With a woman as beautiful as her, I expect the air of superiority, but it never comes.
She briefly brings her attention back to Ronan, nodding her head once, before they both turn and start walking. In this direction.Mydirection.
I’m slightly nauseous. I can’t explain why. Maybe because this could have just been a beautiful dream, and I’m about to find out he has a wife at home who’s about to kick my ass out of his life. She has that look about her that tells me she might not be above slitting my throat here, in the middle of this bar.
Finn catches my attention as he slides next to Hanna and says something that seems to go right past my ears.
Ronan and the mystery woman, who looks even more stunning up close, are right in front of us now. They look so comfortable together. Like they’ve been around each other for years.
“Ekaterina, this is Annika. My girlfriend.”
My… what now?!
She extends her hand to me, a prim, elegant smile pulling very gently at the corners of her lips. I push the chair back and rise, capturing her hand and giving it a gentle shake.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Annika. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”
The expression in her eyes is warm in such a strange, rigid way. I would have thought she mocks, but no… she looks at Ronan in the same way.
“Oh… it’s nice to meet you too.”
“Ekaterina is our associate. If you remember our conversation from the car.”
It takes me a minute, but eventually, the wheels click into place.
“Associate, yes. Sorry, Ronan didn’t mention your name then.” Or the fact that their associate who runs the escort service is a woman.
I guess it makes sense. But there’s still a tinge of jealousy pulling at my heartstrings. She just smiles, shaking Hanna’s hand now as Finn introduces them.
A conversation starts, but I’m not talking. I hear none of it. Ronan doesn’t speak either. His head cocked, a questioning gaze aims right at me. He holds it, yet neither of us speaks. It’s intense, growing its own heartbeat I can hear inside of me. Thumping from his blue eyes to mine, grazing my skin with goosebumps from the inside out, my nipples turning to sharp points, my belly fluttering, my core clenching on itself.
A flush heats my cheeks when he leans in, his lips against my ear, the heat of his breath traveling into my soul.
“I’ve never found jealousy enticing until it painted your blue-gray eyes in such vivid strokes. It makes my cock twitch to sink so deep into your cunt, I’ll fuck all the threads of doubt out of you.”
