Page 59 of In Love and Revenge

Heat flares up the back of my neck, bringing with it an unwavering compulsion to prove her wrong. I’m not a goddamn criminal. Not like people who steal millions of pounds from the company they work for.

Blood pounds in my ears as I rip my phone from my pocket, unlock it, and thrust it at her.

‘You want to check. Go ahead. The last person I called was my brother about some cybersecurity upgrades we’re making. And before that it was a client who makes rocket engines. And before that it was my mother. In fact, the only women you’ll find I’ve called on that phone in the last week are my mother, my sister, or two female CEOs whose business we insure. And they’re both married ... to each other!’ I snap.

Seraphina narrows her eyes, and I hold my hand out, expecting her to return my phone to me. But instead, she twists her lips and scrolls through it. My gut tightens as she opens up my internet app, and Aurora’s smiling face fills the screen. The caption across it reads, ‘Cute Swimwear for the Perfect Beach Break’.

Seraphina’s brow wrinkles as she presses ‘play’ and listens to Aurora’s bubbly commentary spilling from the video as she showcases the pale blue bikini she’s wearing.

She doesn’t do swimwear videos. It’s the first she’s ever filmed.

I drink her in, watching the way she moves on screen. The way her fingers skate over the skin either side of her belly button as she talks about the cut of the bikini bottoms. The way she shivers and goosebumps prick up along her arms like a breeze has blown on her as she’s filmed.

I lick my lips, my dick stirring to life.

Seraphina shoves my phone into my chest.

‘She looks about twenty-two. And you’re what? Forty next? For God’s sake, Rafe. You’re a walking cliché. Is this what you do? Get off to young women rather than get into a relationship with a woman your own age?’

‘She’s twenty-five,’ I snap, making Seraphina’s eyes widen.

‘Oh God, it gets better. You’ve googled her. Fed into your pathetic fantasy. You’ve ...’

Her mouth drops open suddenly, and she stares at me.

‘Wait ... she’s the girl we saw at the restaurant. The one fighting with her boyfriend.’

I don’t make it any worse by trying to deny it.

‘Her name’s Aurora. She’s a friend of Dove’s.’

Seraphina reels back. ‘Oh my God. You’re ridiculous. I can’t believe I came here with you.’

‘It’s nothing. I don’t even like the girl.’

I don’t know why I’m bothering to try to explain.

‘Does your sister know you watch videos of her friend?’ she sneers.

My jaw hardens, ‘Now, wait a minute. It’s not—’

‘Not what? Not like that?’ She scoffs. ‘So, you’re telling me that if I call up your sister right now then she’ll be perfectly fine with you watching her friend’s videos in secret?’

I stay silent, and she snorts. ‘To think I wasted time on you, believing you were actually one of the good guys, when you’re just an insecure man lusting after a woman who you shouldn’t even be looking at.’

She spins and every drop of blood in my body vibrates with pent-up anger. No one makes me this angry. No one except ...

‘Aurora!’ I snap. ‘Don’t walk away from me.’

Seraphina turns and pins me with a dark, menacing glare. ‘Excuse me?’

I stare back at her, forcing myself to breathe slowly through my nose. How the hell am I so stupid? I’ve never called a woman the wrong name in my life. Even when I’ve forgotten their name.

Jesus Christ.

‘You know what?’ Seraphina says. ‘You deserve this and more.’

She grabs my glass off the bar and hurls the contents into my face. An ice cube cracks me on the nose.