have her, I’m not foolish enough to believe she’s had no one over the years. That thought alone makes me want to kill her for all the promises she once made to me, broken and forgotten. But I have to remind myself: that was a long, long time ago.
Alexander doesn’t take his seat, but stands at the head of the table and smiles, his gaze roaming over the attendees.
I focus once again on Mila, who’s smiling up at him, and I sneer in disgust.
“Thank you for attending on such short notice. I invited you all here on this beautiful night to share in our joyous news, and to also share with you our vision for the future of Vita.”
They have fucking visions now? How spectacular. Throwing back my whiskey, I slam the tumbler down a little too hard, making Maria flinch beside me. The movement gains Mila’s attention as well, who I find eyeing my date before turning her attention to me.
No smile. No raised brow. No sneer. There was a time I could read her like a book; she couldn’t hide anything from me. Not her fears, not her desires—nothing. Though nowadays, she has everything locked down tight.
“First, I’d like to compliment my fiancée, who’s truly breathtaking this evening. And I’ll be the first to say, I’m a very lucky man.” Guests murmur their agreement. “Father Antonio DeLuca will marry us on June 1st of next year. Once we are man and wife, my Jamila will come to live with me here at the mansion. Together, we will once and for all end the pain and suffering of our citizens. As of tonight, the Camarco’s will lay down their weapons, and will vow before us in this very room to live in peace.”
Cheers erupt around me, but all I hear is him referring to her as his.
Camarco’s vowing peace and laying down their weapons? What the fuck is she playing at? Getting close to him to take him out is one thing, but to have her men do such a ludicrous thing is another.
Seeing the smile on her lips leaves me feeling cold. Shit. No one makes me feel this way. No one.
Lifting my glass, the waiter supplies me with a refill I throw back immediately.
“About time!” Dupree cheers, lifting his glass up in the air.
“First, we eat. Then, we watch history unfold,” Alexander cheers.
All I can do is swallow my outrage and school my features.
He nods to the butler, and waiters begin rolling out dishes from the kitchen, setting them before us. I have no desire to eat, let alone anything cooked here. But I grab my fork and pick at the tender pieces of chicken drizzled in whatever the fuck this shit is.
“I don’t think we’ve met before.”
Her voice is sultry perfection, and the reason no other woman will never compare. Mila is beaming—a chilly, yet pleasant smile—at Maria, who offers her own guarded smile.
“You must be special. Raphael doesn’t normally bring a date with him,” Alexander points out.
I glance over at Maria and see the blush creeping up her cheeks, and the way she’s smiling at me is not acceptable. But when I turn back and see Mila’s jaw clenched, it has me re-evaluating my decision of keeping my date at arm’s length.
“It’s early days,” I lie through my teeth, causing Mila’s jaw to loosen, only to be replaced with a bitter smirk. The need to wipe it off her delectable face is overwhelming.
Stretching my arm across the back of Maria’s chair, I sweep my fingers in a circular motion over the back of her neck. And just to drive it home, I lean in and brush my lips across her jawline.
I get a reaction. It’s just a slight tic in her right eye, but it’s enough to satisfy the monster in me.
Maria’s eyes widen a fraction, silently asking what I’m up to. Of course, I don’t oblige, and sit back in my seat, keeping my arm draped over the back of her chair, not bothered a bit with my food going cold.
Mila’s no longer smirking, and soon turns her attention to Alexander.
After dinner is finished, the staff are swift in removing the empty plates and refilling our drinks. Talk about the upcoming engagement party is rife with excitement—something I could certainly do without.
Mila pushes up out of her chair. “Please, excuse me. I’ll be back in a moment.”
As soon as she’s exited the room—under the watchful eye of her fiancé—I remove my arm from Maria’s