Treachery

“Luca,” Ta

My eyes widen to finally know why I recognize him.

Although Gabriel is a hundred times more attractive than his father, there are certain shared features that can’t be denied, mainly the eyes. I assume Gabriel takes after his mother more than his father in other ways, but the eyes are practically identical.

Without bothering to acknowledge me now that Ta

His father? My gaze dances between the two men, my mind racing over why this guy is treating Ta

“You know, where I come from, it’s polite to at least say hello to a person when they’ve introduced themselves. Or are you one of those misogynistic jerks who think that having a flaccid bit of man-meat hanging between your legs somehow makes you better than women?”

His emerald green eyes are back on me, his bored expression barely moving while Ta

Glancing at Ta

Jerome studies me for several seconds before he dismisses me, yet again, to look at Ta

What? My mouth drops open, and Ta

“Hostage,” I correct him.

Ma

He only said I had to attend this party with him. He never said anything about me being his pleasant little sidekick.

Jerome’s gaze shoots down to me, his lips twitching at the corners as if I’m the most amusing little thing he’s come across.

“My date,” Ta

“Yes, well,” Jerome doesn’t finish the statement before turning to take a few steps away, but before he’s out of earshot, he says, “Be sure to take care of the issue, Ta

Ta

When he doesn’t say anything, I meet his stare and shrug a shoulder. “What? I don’t like rude people.”

Laughter shakes his shoulders. “Flaccid bit of man-meat?”

Another shrug.

“Oh please. You and I both know that asshole hasn’t been able to get it up in years. Might do his personality some good to take a little blue pill and get some for a change. Although I feel bad for whatever woman has to give it to him.”

Stu

Hopefully, it pissed Ta

“Well, you can plan on my filter being entirely absent for the rest of the night. So, if I’ve embarrassed you, I’m not sorry.”

“Actually, it only makes me like having you here more.”

He’s not kidding.

Despite my behavior, Ta

I feel sorry for the poor people caught between our awkward debates, but as the hours drag on, I relax in Ta

A person would have to be blind not to notice the women who stare in Ta

It surprises me that he doesn’t give them a second glance as we mingle, his attention solely on me the entire time...at least until we run across another woman that I recognize from afar.

“Is that Ivy Callahan?”

It’s hard to miss her, only because Ivy is stu

Her large, round eyes sparkle a shimmering blue, and she has a full mouth that stretches into a sultry grin every time someone says something that amuses her.

A wild child in her youth, she’d nearly destroyed her father’s political aspirations with all the partying and petty crimes she’d been involved in growing up.

I’d met her once or twice while married to Clayton and hadn’t missed how my loser for a husband practically drooled every time she’d been nearby.

Then again, almost anything with a nice set of tits and two legs made my husband drool.

Everything but me, at least.

Shoving that thought aside, I continue to watch the scene in front of me, noticing how easy it seems for Ivy to be the center of attention.

As usual, she’s surrounded by a bevy of ardent admirers, her charisma shining through as she touches a shoulder here or laughs at something someone else has to say.

“It is,” Ta

“In fact,” he pulls his arm from mine for the first time since we arrived at this party, “I’ll need you to stay here for a second while I go talk to her.”

Watching him saunter over to her with a feline swagger that makes most women weak in the knees, I hate to admit to myself that I feel a spark of jealousy to see him fall at Ivy’s feet like every other man I know.

As Ta

My damn traitorous heart squeezes in my chest to see him lean down to brush his lips over her ear as he whispers to her, my stomach rolling to witness the sly smile that creases her lips from whatever it was he’s saying.

Obviously, the two have slept together, if the ease with which she melts against him has anything to say for it.

Why do I even care? I don’t want to be at the party, and I want nothing to do with this man for the rest of my natural life. But yet, here I am, stewing in the same sick feelings I’d once had to watch Clayton so openly flirt with another woman in front of me.

Maybe it isn’t jealousy.

Maybe it’s simply a kick to my pride to think that I’m not special enough to hold Ta

Clayton did that to me. Not only had he reneged on all the promises he made me when I left Yale, he’d destroyed my self-confidence, and damn near destroyed my pride, when he could never be faithful to our marriage.

What does it even matter? It’s not like I have any plans to jump in bed with Ta

I can’t look away, even though that’s all I want to do.

A minute or two later, and I’m glad I didn’t.

Although Ivy’s cheeks dusted with a rosy glow the instant Ta

I know that expression. Know it well, in fact. It’s exactly how my face looked the minute I found Ta