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Vander was more of a mystery. Not that I cared. I was just trying to deflect.
“You know how it is. The boss told us to come, so we’re here.” Vander shrugged as he rolled his full glass along the table.
His brother Mitchell was the head of the Kent family, but he was already married. And from what I’d heard, so was Angelo’s brother Cole. So I suppose that left Vander or Angelo to marry Zara if they wanted to form an alliance with the Gallos.
“So, tell us about the girl?”
My gaze snagged on Ariella again. Why did she have to look like that? Her caramel hair was tied up, just begging to be pulled free. Her black dress clung to her shapely curves. The olive skin on her neck seemed to glow under the lights as she threw her head back and laughed again.
Even as I felt the anger boiling my blood, I couldn’t look away. Couldn’t stop my body from reacting to her. I had to subtly adjust myself as my cock thickened.
It didn’t help that I could still smell her on my skin. Her jasmine scent had sunk into my clothes. Not to mention her arousal that still coated my fingers.
I should’ve washed her off the second I’d gotten here. But I didn’t. I was sick. So wrapped up in her still.
“No one.” I snapped. “It’s long forgotten. History. It’s over.”
Vander chuckled as he followed my gaze. “I meant the sister, but now I’m curious. Should we get some ice cream and gossip like teenage girls?”
I flipped him off as I walked away. Vander was actually a good guy, but I wasn’t in the mood for his jokes.
I stayed to the outside of the room, my shoulder rubbing the wall as I stalked her. Watched from a distance. I wanted to rush in. Rip off the hand of every guy who’d touched her. I didn’t care how irrational it was. Didn’t care that she wasn’t mine anymore.
I snorted in disgust. She had never been mine. I’d only thought she was. Turns out she was always his, her father’s daughter.
I was done watching this shit. Torturing myself with what never was and never would be again. I dropped my glass on a passing waiter’s tray as I exited the ballroom.
I was supposed to be here watching Gio. Seeing if he was going to make a deal behind Matteo’s back, but I’d let myself get distracted.
Matteo had given me everything. Saved my life. Gave me purpose. And I was going to fail him.
I raked a hand through my hair as I paced the hallway. The bathrooms and lobby were on the other side of the ballroom, so it was mostly deserted where I was. Only a maintenance closet and the door to the alley were over here. There was no one to see my disgusting jealousy.
I thought I was past this. But I was starting to realize it wasn’t just the baby I was grieving. It was her.
The loss of what I thought we had. What we could’ve been if she hadn’t let her father get to her. If she had just trusted me to take care of her.
How could I miss someone I hated? Someone I hadn’t really known?
I grunted in frustration as I continued to pace. I needed an outlet for the tornado inside me. I needed blood and pain. I wanted to destroy something.
This is why I didn’t do emotions. Why I’d given them up when I left here. They made you weak. Reckless. I couldn’t afford to be distracted. In my line of work, it could get me killed.
Almost as if God himself was proving my point, I felt a hand land on my shoulder. I’d been so focused on Ariella and what she was doing to me I hadn’t even heard a person approach.
But years of training kicked in. I had them pinned to the wall and my hand on my gun before the face registered.
“Britney.” I dropped my hold on her and stepped back. “You shouldn’t sneak up on a man who could kill you.”
“I don’t mind it a little rough.” A seductive smile spread across her face as she looked at me.
I ignored her as I put more space between us. On the list of people I wanted to kill purely for revenge because it would put a smile on my face, she was fourth. Under Gio and above the sperm donor who’d abandoned me.
“Adam Wright is back. The bad boy who tried to steal Ariella away.” She purred as she closed the distance between us. Her hands skimmed up the lapels of my jacket. I kept my face neutral even as acid churned in my gut. “And look at you, even better than before. And the right-hand man to Matteo.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Being this close to her made my skin crawl. I hadn’t liked her before she’d been Ariella’s proxy to dump me, and that had only made my hatred for her worse. Not that she seemed to notice. “I have no official position.”
“We both know you have power.” She pressed her surgically enhanced body against mine. But I felt no reaction to her perky tits or flat stomach. Just like every other woman in the last seven years.
