“Bull shit. She’s hot. She literally gets paid because people want to look at her.”
He closes the distance between us with an almost angry expression on his face, then dips his lips close enough to my ear to send shivers down my spine.
“I don’t care if she was dancing stark fucking naked in front of me. I don’t want to look at her.” His teeth nip my earlobe hard for a split second before releasing. “And for the record,” he growls in my ear, “the only pussy I’m interested in seeing is yours.”
I think I stop breathing when he stares at me for a heated moment before disappearing into the bathroom.
20
LIEV
Seraphina is too good for a man like me, and I’m a selfish bastard to want to keep her for myself before she’s had a chance to lead a wider life. She needs to explore the world and decide who and what she wants. But I’ve never pretended to be a good man. I’m happy to give her whatever life she wants—if only she will let her walls down long enough to believe it.
Every time I think I’ve made progress, that she’s finally letting me in, something happens, and it sends her running. I finish buttoning my shirt. So far, the most effective tactic has been to keep her in a lust filled haze.
I can live with that.
Two hours later, it’s not her lust filled haze I’m concerned about, it’s the red one taking over my judgment.
If one more fucker approaches her at that bar, I’m going to kill someone.
As soon as we entered the restaurant, Keke made it clear that I was to sit with her and her entourage. “Don’t be silly. It’s a four-top. It will look like Dani and Marco are on a date and I’m alone. We don’t want rumors, do we? Optics and all that.” She smiles innocently at Sera. “You understand, don’t you?”
“Fine,” Sera says before I can object. “I’ll sit at the bar.”
“Sera,” I warn… plead… I’m not sure which. I know I don’t want her to sit alone.
“It’s okay.” Her voice is even. “It’s what the client wants.”
Keke’s smile widens with satisfaction. “Thank you.”
Now stuck at this table, my temper is mounting by the second as I watch Sera at the bar. She’s making it a point not to look directly at us. Her eyes are on the crowd and the front doors. She’s doing her job.
It pisses me off.
Keke says something that I’m sure she thinks is hilarious because she leans over, gripping my forearm with a loud laugh. Her perfume fills my nose the way she planned, the way she’s been doing throughout the entire meal. If it were a month ago, I wouldn’t hesitate to take her up on her obvious invitation. Keke is a beautiful woman, and while she might be self-absorbed, it’s never bothered me before.
But it’s not a month ago, and the idea of touching any woman other than mine leaves me cold.
Luckily for the Brooks Brothers set at this restaurant, each one has graciously backed off when Sera turned them down. I don’t like the look of the asshole at the end of the bar. He’s been eyeing Sera ever since she sat down but hasn’t approached yet. Looks like that’s about to change.
I narrow my eyes as he stands, rolls his shoulders back, and works his way down the bar toward Sera.
The group around me is talking and laughing, and if this were a real job, I’d attempt to pretend like I care. But I’m only here to be close to her. Fuck, Elite.
He is standing too close to her, obscuring my view. I watch her face closely looking for any clue that she’s uncomfortable. He edges closer.
This fucker needs to step the fuck back. I shift in my seat, my body coiled to spring, but I stay in my seat because I know if I intervene, Sera is as likely to punch me as appreciate it.
Her spine goes rigid, and her hand leaves her glass, her focus zeroed on the man.
In my periphery, Keke notices my lack of attention, and her head, along with Dani and Marco’s, swivels to the bar.
“She’s fine.” Keke teases. “Sera’s a big girl. She can take care of a guy in a bar. If not, maybe it would be better if I replaced her.”
“Ooooh, shit.” Marco chokes out a laugh, eyes on the bar. My eyes swivel back, and my body locks tight, every instinct telling me to charge over and rip that asshole away from her.
Sera lifts her chin, her cheeks flushed, and I can see her hazel eyes glittering in challenge even from this distance. At the rate her lips are moving, I can only imagine how she’s destroying this guy.
