AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You can’t touch Bella,” I rasp.
“Can’t I?” He has the decency to smirk. At least he’s not pretending he hasn’t played—and won. “Why is that exactly?”
I woulddiebefore admitting it to him, so instead, I say, “Please?”
“Please what, Ivy?” the asshole gloats. “I wouldn’t want to misunderstand you after all. I’m not much for rehashing past mistakes.”
I wet my lower lip. “I’d rather you do whatever you want with me than touch my little sister.” For good measure, I repeat, “Please.”
Surely, he’ll be satisfied now. He can’t want to humiliate me more than this.
Alessandro tilts his head, considering. “Whatever I want, huh?”
I gulp.
“Go rest, Ivy.”
My mouth falls. He can’t possibly mean he would—
Before I can find any way to voice my protest, he lowers his lips to the top of my forehead for a surprisingly sweet, fleeting moment. “You’ll need it for later.”
NINETEEN
Less
By the time I make it back downstairs, Bella has disappeared with Sebastian, as I expected.
I sigh. “What are the odds, again?”
It’s in poor taste, but my friends are right: it’s too good an opportunity to pass up a good bet.
“Three says she marries Nic, seven says she runs away with Seb,” Hawk replies without checking.
I wrinkle my nose in distaste. It went up—likely today. “Put me down on my brother’s side for another grand.”
Caden snorts. “Your money to waste, mate. My brother has never lost anything in his life.”
I shoot him my middle finger.“Nor has mine, dickhead.”
“How’s the runaway bride?” Hawk drawls.
I only slide my arm so the finger’s pointing at him now. “Assholes, the lot of you.”
“It’s a genuine question. Osborn was a dick to her because she made you pout for, like, two years straight.”
“I did notpout.”
“Did too,” Hawk volleys back with the maturity of a six-year-old.
And the pack of jerks just nod along.
Oh, who am I kidding? He’s not wrong. “Pouting is infantile and-or feminine. Ibrooded.”
“Tomayto, tomahto,” Hux chimes in.
At least, he has the decency to hand me the rest of the bottle of champagne. We’re out of glasses, so I just drink from the bottle.
“Seriously, I’m sorry I pissed her off.”
