The Russian's Furious Fiancee Page 0,47

But then she lifted her chin, remembered all that her mother had taught her and stepped forward into the breach. Or party, she corrected. This was not war, it was a simple social event. She could do this, she told herself, manufacturing confidence which she didn’t currently feel.

She hated being alone at a party, unless she was the hostess. It was so much easier to be the one sponsoring the event because it made going up to a group a necessity instead of an imposition. But Damon was nowhere in sight so she had to just step in here and introduce herself, find something to talk about with whoever was in front of her.

Her stomach clenched at the idea, but she told herself she only needed to be here for an hour at the most.

She was irritated when she couldn’t find Damon after surveying the crowd more closely. She was only here because Damon asked her to show up and be his guest. She’d assumed he meant to be with him but here she was, all on her own, awkwardly trying to work the room.

“Hello!” a man said, walking up to her and taking the pain of approaching strangers out of her hands. “And who might you be?” he asked, putting an arm around her waist.

Eva felt the hand, felt it slip a bit lower, and reacted. She grabbed his hand as inconspicuously as possible and, with her fingers and thumb in the right position, she twisted hard, a broad smile on her face. In this position, the man couldn’t move and was so surprised, he didn’t even flinch. “I’m Eva. And believe it or not, I’m not here to be mauled by an idiot who thinks women are to be your playthings.”

“I was only trying to be friendly,” he said, his voice strained and his eyes angry.

“Then how about a gentlemanly greeting, and not a smug, sleazy approach with a cheap feel?” she suggested with a low voice so no one around her could hear what she was saying.

“Fine! Just let my fingers go!”

“Are you going to behave?” she whispered, leaning close to his ear.

“Yes! Promise.”

Eva released the man’s hand and took several steps away. “It was very nice to meet you,” she said with as much of a saccharin sweet tone as she could muster. “Please don’t approach other women in that manner. We generally don’t like it. And any woman who does, isn’t worth your effort.”

“Bitch,” he muttered.

“What did you call my fiancée?” Damon asked as he walked up to the two of them, his own arm sliding around Eva’s waist where this stranger’s arm had just been. Although Damon didn’t let his hand slip lower. He kept it snuggly around her waist and Eva found herself leaning in to him, feeling proud that she’d stood up to a jerk, but also liking the way Damon was tall and strong and wouldn’t let anyone hurt her.

The man was still shaking out his hand, trying to get rid of the pain. “This bitch just squeezed….” Then he stopped and looked up at Damon. “I’m sorry, what did you call her?”

“Tony, meet my fiancée, Eva Fontini.” He watched carefully as the man’s eyes widened, moving back and forth between the gorgeous woman he’d originally planned to take home for entertainment tonight, and his boss’s boss.

Damon turned to Eva, only shifting his shoulders slightly so that he could maintain his arm around her and said, “Eva, this is Tony Figuello. He’s leaving.” Damon turned to the shorter, older man and glared, ensuring that he received the appropriate message.

Tony swallowed painfully, then nodded, his head bobbing up and down repeatedly as he backed up. “I apologize sir. I won’t ever touch her again!”

“Of course you won’t,” Eva replied sweetly. “But make sure you don’t treat other women the same way. We’re not meat.”

“It was a compliment, really,” he stammered. “You’re gorgeous and…” his hand went up and down, indicating Eva’s figure in the lavender dress. “Well, you know…”

“Weren’t you on your way out?” Damon growled, his eyes darkening to almost black as his fury increased.

The man practically tripped over himself in his effort to leave.

When he was gone, Eva tensed, turning to Damon nervously. “You don’t think I had anything to do with that, do you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I saw you walk in and I’m sorry I wasn’t here to greet you. I should have been by your side.” He looked down at her and continued, “I would have been, if