“It might be important.”
“If it is, he’ll call me back.”
Soon, the buzzing stopped, but before my brain could even process anything else, it began again.
She dug into her steak, her cutlery clinking against the ceramic plate. “I guess itisimportant after all.” She took a bite.
I hesitated for a second, hating the idea of leaving her alone, even for less than a minute. “Excuse me.” I picked up the damn phone and rose from my chair. “Speak.” I walked away toward the front door.
I stepped outside, listening to my lieutenant as he filled me in on an important mission I’d sent him on. It was successful, as expected. However, there were some complications along the way that needed my intervention. I told him it would have to wait until I returned home.
With that, I ended the call and walked back into the restaurant, only to find my wife embracing another man. The sight of that young man’s arms around her and the smile on her face made my blood boil with anger.
I’d stepped out for less than a minute, and she was already flirting with someone else?
Blinded by my rage, I rushed toward them, my fingers clenched into his fists at my sides.
“Oh, there he is,” she said amidst chuckles, gesturing to me. “Ethan, this is my….”
She was still talking when my fist connected with the man’s jaw. The impact was so powerful that it lifted him inches off the ground. Seconds later, he crumpled to the floor, bleeding from his lips.
“Demyon, what the hell?!” Eva snapped at me, her voice laced with anger and humiliation.
Gasps rose from the onlookers as they murmured amongst themselves.
Before I could strike a second time, she threw herself between the stranger and me. “Stop!” she yelled, her scowl deepening. “What is wrong with you?!”
“Who is he?” I demanded, my voice a low growl, my hand hanging in the air.
“He’s my cousin!” she blurted out. “And he was just saying hello!”
Silence.
I could feel everyone’s gazes on me, but that wasn’t half as unsettling as the disappointment on Eva’s face.
She glared at me for a moment, then crouched down to help the man to his feet. “I am so sorry, Ethan,” she said, wiping the blood from his lips.
“It’s fine,” he answered, pulling his head away as if uncomfortable with her touch. He met my gaze and said, “Nice meeting you.” With that, he walked away, embarrassment trailing him at every step.
“Ethan…” she called out softly, her voice laced with remorse.
He ignored her and just kept going.
She turned to face me, her eyes flashing with anger. “Happy now?”
I lowered my head, pissed at myself for acting so irrationally. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I should’ve handled the situation better.
She grabbed her purse from the table. “Take me home. I’m done here.”
I watched her walk past me, her heels clicking rapidly against the floor.
My jaw clenched, chest tightening at the mere thought of losing her because of my lack of self-control. If I didn’t find a way to fix this soon, she just might slip through my grasp.
I hated myself for being so impulsive and ruining this rare moment of sheer bliss.
“Fuck,” I mumbled to myself, fingers rubbing my eyes.
By the time I looked in her direction, she was already outside and was heading toward the car.
