He chuckles. “Hearing this from Zloban Bennett’s sister means a lot.”
“You know him?” My question comes out bitter.
He nods. “I met him and Matleon at one of the Underworld races.”
“Ah, Leo has company that makes cars.”
He nods. “And Zloban participates in races with them.”
That’s something I had no idea about. It shows just how little I know about him.
“I didn’t know he participates in racing,” I mutter.
“He participates, and wins every single time. He sets records that only he could break.”
“That’s… nice. So, where in New York do you live?”
I change the topic. I have no interest in listening to his praises. I’m so done with him being perfect at everything, feeling proud of that, and wanting to tell him how proud I am, how lucky I feel to have him as my man, only to get slapped with the reality that he doesn’t give a damn about how I feel and he’s not my man.
And I’m not just avoiding stories of him being amazing since yesterday, when he proved he had no feelings for me. It’s been this way ever since I stopped seeing him as my brother. Since I started hiding what I feel from him, from everyone.
Now, every desire I have suffocates me—wanting to do something but knowing I can’t.
You don’t get everything you want, Avira. You can’t have Zloban. Focus on the good man sitting across from you. But I’m not marrying him. He’s such a sweet man, he deserves someone who loves him, not someone who can never love anyone other than her adopted brother.
The waiter arrives with our food.
We start eating in silence.
After finishing, I offer him a walk outside. He agrees.
“I’ve always had an interest in high-speed vehicles,” I tell him as we stroll through the restaurant’s greenhouse rose garden. A low tune hums in the background, and a few couples sit scattered around.
He smiles. “You can come see my next tournament.”
“Okay. When is it?”
“Next Thursday. I’ll send you the ticket.”
I extend my hand. “Your phone.”
He places his hand on my palm instead of the phone, grinning mischievously. “You owe me your website link, Miss Bennett.”
He lifts my hand and twirls me around, making me giggle, but the sound is drowned out by the shattering of glass.
In the next second, I find myself on the floor with Roxion covering me. The screams and shouts of the startled couples fill the greenhouse. He shifts his body protectively, his face tense with a frown. “Let’s get out of here.”
The men Daddy sent with me also come into the greenhouse and surround us. He helps me up, then picks something from the floor, and we move out of the greenhouse, through the restaurant, and outside. His eyes scan the surroundings, on alert.
A car is waiting for us. He opens the door for me, helps me inside, and follows, closing the door behind him. Hiseyes constantly scan the outside through the windows, the seriousness on his face never fading.
“What’s the matter?” I ask.
“It was Phantom.”
“Phantom who?”
He finally turns to me. “Underworld’s most-wanted sniper. He’s been very active since last night. My dad refused to let me come here because of it. LA and San Diego have been in red zones since last night.”
