Fighting Dirty - Sidney Halston Page 0,66

of her head.

Marianna’s scathing look instantly dissipated when a man walked by and handed her a flute of champagne.

“Lorenzo, hello.” He extended his hand, but Enzo didn’t take it.

“Still upset, I see,” the man said, shifting to extend his hand to JL. “Hi, you must be Lorenzo’s date. I’m Gino Costa.”

Jamie Lynn shook his hand, and then, in an almost visceral reaction, her eyes widened as the scenario clicked. “Oh…oh!”

“Yep,” Enzo said, looking at Marianna and Gino. “This is my ex-wife and my ex–best friend, who, incidentally, fucked her in my home for two years while we were married.”

—

The woman standing in front of JL was straight out of some international model catalogue. She reminded JL of Francesca—tall, voluptuous, and not a hair out of place—except that this woman was a snake wrapped up in pale pink chiffon Valentino. She exuded venom. Standing as tall as she could in her high heels, JL barely reached the woman’s shoulder.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab another drink,” Gino said, looking embarrassed and cowardly.

“The ink is barely dry on the divorce papers, meu amor,” Marianna said, stepping in front of Enzo and completely ignoring the fact he was there with Jamie Lynn. She leaned forward and whispered into his ear, loud enough for Jamie Lynn to hear, “And it’s never too late. Remember all the fun we used to have?” She nipped his earlobe and ran a long, perfectly sculpted nail down his neck before turning to walk away.

Enzo seized her forearm and pulled her close. “I’m not your love, so don’t call me that again. I’m with Jamie Lynn, and you’re being a disrespectful bitch.” Marianna flinched. “And no, I do not remember the fun we used to have, because you and I never had fun. Not once.”

He was surprised to see Marianna looking hurt, but he couldn’t seem to find it in his heart to care much. “Oh, and you’re having fun with this…person?” Marianna spat out, gesturing toward JL. “What will your parents think? She’s wearing a red dress. How uncouth. And I think I saw a tattoo on her ankle and wrist. Lorenzo, really?” She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “You traded me for this? This is fun?”

Enzo had never been so angry in his entire life. He had never hit a woman before and thought he never would. But right now…

Jamie Lynn inserted herself between Enzo and Marianna. “Let’s go, sugar. She’s just being a cunt.” Marianna flinched at the word. “Maybe we can have some fun in the bathroom, like we did in the shower an hour ago, or in the car on the way here, or—”

“I can’t believe you said the c-word. I knew you were disgusting,” Marianna hissed. “You’re nothing but a dirty slut.”

“Only for him, darlin’,” Jamie Lynn said with a wink, completely composed. “That’s how he likes it, a little dirty.” She was getting under Marianna’s skin, and Enzo loved it. “Don’t you, darlin’?”

“Absolutely,” Enzo said with a smile, and kissed Jamie Lynn’s cheek. Marianna grunted something under her breath and stomped away. “Damn, baby. That was—”

“I guess now you owe me sex in the shower and in the car. You know…so that I’m not a liar.” She winked.

He caught her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“Actually, yes. Yes, I do know that,” she said as they walked to their assigned table and he pulled out the chair for her.

“I’m sorry about what she said.”

“Oh.” She waved it off. “I’m used to that kind of thing. No worries.” She smiled, but for the first time in all the time he’d known her she lied to him, and he knew it. It was obvious to him that Marianna’s words had affected her, and deeply. He had to make it up to her as soon as they got home. He had to tell her how he felt about her.

Marianna continued to give them the evil eye throughout the night, and Gino ran the opposite way every time they neared. After dinner, Enzo was ready to take Jamie Lynn home and make sure she wasn’t a liar, but he still hadn’t sufficiently chatted with Dan, the primary investor from BIA Inc., and he wanted to make sure that everything was set for the change of plans on the Design District project as well as other projects he had going on elsewhere.

“I’ll be back, babe.” He kissed her head as she ate his