“What did she say to you?” I ask again, sharper this time.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t do that,” I bite out, jaw clenched.
“Do what?” she throws back, eyes flashing. “I’m not obliged to give you a play-by-play every time I go somewhere.”
I step closer, crowding her. “I’m not asking for a play-by-play,” I grit out. “I’m asking why you’re upset.”
She lifts her chin higher in defiance. “And why,” she shoots back, “is that any of your business?”
Because I want to fix it.
Annoyance and confusion war inside me. “Because you’re with me.”
“Right,” she says, rolling her eyes. “With you.”
She’s in pain and pushing. She wants distance, and I don’t know how to soothe.
Before I can come up with a way to get to her, she pushes past me, her shoulder brushing my arm, walking down the hall toward the main room with her chin lifted and her spine rigid with fury.
She just shut me out completely.
I watch her disappear into the crowd, slipping into her seat beside Melody with a bright smile as if nothing happened. Slowly, mechanically, I turn my headtoward the opposite end of the room. To Valencia. Her eyes flick up, curious and hopeful. My vision goes cold. I move before I fully register the decision. She stands a little straighter as I approach.
Good. She should be nervous.
I tilt my head to one of the balcony exits, and her eyes light up instantly, hungry and delusional. I walk outside and she follows a few seconds later, her perfume clogging the air around us.
I stop in a quiet corner of the balcony, out of sight from the tables, far enough that Jessica won’t see, and start making shit up again. Valencia’s seductive smile grows. She clearly thinks I’m about to make an advance.
Her smile falters when she sees my face. I step in close enough that she has to tilt her chin up to meet my eyes.
“Dominic,” she says lightly, “is everything alright?”
“What,” I say quietly, “did you say to her?”
“We just had a little girl chat, that’s all.” She tilts her head. “She didn’t know you and I used to… you know. She might’ve gotten a bit upset.”
Pure anger spikes in my chest. “Are you out of your mind?” I ask flatly.
“I didn’t say anything inappropriate,” she says, feigning confusion. “I simply answered her questions. She clearly didn’t know about us, so—”
“Us?” I cut in, voice still calm. “What us, Valencia?”
“Well, we have history. And maybe that unsettled her a little. It’s not my fault if she feels insecure over it. And if she does, that just proves my point that she’s not built for someone like you.” She shakes her head with fake concern.
Under other circumstances I’d walk away, end it, not entertain this any farther. But Jessica is still upset and Valencia still thinks she did something. “Your presence smothers, Dominic,” she purrs, stepping closer. “You take up all the space in a room. Women don’t always know how to handle you.”
She lifts her hand toward my chest. It’s an old move, a practiced invitation.
I take a single step back.
Her hand freezes in midair. She’d do anything for another taste of a past I don’t even think about. I used that when I invited her to my house. I used her desperationto get the contact information for the director hosting the fashion event I know she’s working on.
Yeah, low and unfair. But Jessica deserves a chance to have her talent shown on that runway, and I’ve already spoken to the director. Now I just need to find a way to show him her designs without spoiling the surprise.
“Dominic, come on.” She moves closer again. “You invited me over. And you clearly didn’t tell Jessica about us.”
