Just another reminder that I mean nothing to this man.
Like the rest of them.
“Okay, I need to go,” I say. “They’re waiting for me. Or not. But I need to play my role. Stay close. If I don’t see you when I come back, I’ll come to your room.”
I kiss Rory’s cold cheek and walk away.
LELANI
Giorgio Gallo makes the introductions.
Antonio Sandoval is tall like his brother, but slightly less muscular. They both have dark hair, chiseled features, and stern looks.
Marco’s eyes glint with a pang of interest, which is more than his brother shows me.
He sports a sexy stubble and has green eyes, while Antonio has dark amber eyes.
It’s difficult to say in this light.
We connect hands briefly, and that’s that. Neither of them seems to be in awe of me. The feeling is mutual.
I don’t know what their problem is, but I know what mine is.I don’t like to be traded away.
The older guys seem more animated, and now I wonder whether they’re related.
Giorgio mentions their names in passing, and none of them seems to be connected to the Sandoval brothers.
Callum has his back to us and speaks to a man, while his lady friend studies the crowd, uninterested in their conversation.
“Are we heading inside?” Sylvia asks, attempting to huddle them up and move our conversation into the dining room.
So far, things have been awkward. People are bored stiff, and also glaringly uninterested in what’s up for sale, while I, on the other hand, would love to leave this place, walk away from my current life, and never return.
One day, perhaps, I will make it happen.
I’m still holding out hope that Callum would pivot to us and maybe join us. It’s still not clear to me whether he’ll have dinner with us or not.
I find it rude that he ignores me. I’m still part of the family, and he still needs to have some manners.
One of the people he’s talking to, an athletic man with dark blonde hair and blue eyes, notices me as I repeatedly look in their direction.
The next time I glance at them, his eyes meet mine unapologetically. I give him a smile, and for the first time this evening, something is finally working.
The man smiles back at me.
Encouraged by his reaction, I step away from my grandmother and stretch my hand out.
“Leilani Gallo,” I say just as he wraps his hand around mine.
The man’s lips tilt into a charming smile.
“Paxton Maclean. Nice to meet you.”
The man must be unaware of what is going on.
How else can I explain his rather normal reaction to me?
He seems pleasantly surprised by my move and gives me a flirtatious smile, which is totally normal, considering that this is a party, and he’s not afraid to show me that he’d like to know more about me.
