Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68688 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68688 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Luca gave me a cold reception, a nod in acknowledgment of my existence. “This is Diana.” He gestured to the woman with him, a beautiful brunette who looked like she belonged in a magazine or on a fashion billboard. Far too beautiful to be introduced only by her name. Luca and his date went to the bar to grab something stronger than the champagne distributed on the tables.
“Your friend doesn’t like me.”
Bastien’s hand went to my thigh under the table. “He doesn’t like anybody.”
I appreciated that he didn’t lie to me, but the truth still stung a little bit. “That seems to be true, considering the way he treats his girlfriend.”
“She’s not his girlfriend.”
“Then who is she?”
He shrugged. “A woman he has in his pocket.”
“Why bring someone anyway?”
“It’s all about optics. You earn more respect if you’ve got a beautiful woman on your arm.”
“Do I earn you respect? Because I’m not the bombshell she is.”
Bastien scoffed, a handsome smile on his face. “She’s so thin you can see her hip bones through her dress and the vertebrae up her spine—and her tits are fake. You, on the other hand, are the finest piece of woman I’ve ever seen.” He moved his arm over the back of my chair and gave me that intense gaze that could win him any hand in poker. “I’ll take you to my office and prove it.”
I felt the heat burn underneath my skin, bringing a sting to my cheeks. I broke eye contact when his confidence made my strength shatter. I’d never felt safer with anyone, but that also made me feel more vulnerable in numerous ways.
“Stop doing that.”
I turned back to him. “What?”
“I take a step forward, you take a step back,” he said. “We’ve done it at least ten times now.”
My heart started to race when I realized his actions were completely intentional. When I told him how I felt, it wasn’t what he wanted to hear, so he disregarded it. “I need to use the restroom.” I left my chair and crossed the ballroom until I exited through the double doors. The bathrooms were located in the main entryway, so I took my time walking there, taking advantage of the moment to process the adrenaline that pounded in my heart.
The bathroom was empty and I didn’t need to use the toilet, so I took a seat in one of the armchairs near the vanity where women could touch up their makeup. I sat there and crossed my legs, taking a break from the invisible pressure Bastien applied to me.
I sat there for a couple minutes, knowing I shouldn’t linger too long. Otherwise, he would come looking for me. Wouldn’t be surprised if he let himself in to the women’s restroom to check. I looked in the mirror and fixed my hair before I stepped back into the main room.
I halted when I came face-to-face with the man I wanted to avoid.
His eyes weren’t intense the way they had been before, so possessive they were physical. Now, they were just angry, blue flames in those pretty eyes. “Let me explain to you what casual is. Casual is a random text from someone you haven’t seen in two weeks, asking for a hookup. Casual is wearing a condom. Casual is fucking several people at once. Casual is not texting me every day, is not telling me you miss me, not sleeping over and having pancakes the next morning. So, what do you want from me, sweetheart?” He didn’t raise his voice, but his tone was so powerful it felt like he screamed. “Because I haven’t been with anyone else since the first time I saw you, but I can change that as soon as tonight if you’d like.”
I inhaled a sharp breath like he’d slapped me.
“I asked you a question.”
“Stop yelling at me.”
“You think this is yelling?” He cocked his head slightly, his eyes growing angrier.
“Don’t threaten me.”
“Do you want me to fuck other people or not?”
I stormed off, heading to the main door so I could get out of there.
He grabbed me by the arm and yanked me back to him with immense force, like I weighed nothing to him. “You can leave when this is finished.” He stepped in my way as he let me go, his back to the main doors, the security guys pretending like they didn’t notice the commotion.
“I told you I’m not looking for anything serious right now. I’m not even divorced yet—”
“Are you over him?”
“What?”
“You heard what I said.” He crowded me. “Are you still hung up on the little bitch who stabbed you in the back?”
“No.” I’d left our home heartbroken, but the depth of Adrien’s deception was so deep that I couldn’t feel anything for him. All the love I’d had for that man just died. I’d realized I didn’t know the man I was married to.