Page 44 of Greed

“You don’t mind if we join you for the evening, do you, Minetta?” Riker’s intense eyes returned to hers, and she felt the challenge spread throughout her body.

Hooking her arm onto Michael’s, she smiled wide. “Of course not. Why would I?” Riker’s cheek dimpled as he smiled, lighting up his eyes. It was the first real smile she’d seen on the man.

“Well, then I guess we better get in there before they give our reservation away. Let the games begin,” Michael said.

Games? She felt more like she was in the middle of a war.

How had her night gone from a wonderful date to this? Her stomach flipped as Riker followed them inside. Of all the people in all the cities…this was Murphy’s Law at its finest.

It paid to have greedy acquaintances. I had placed a call to every popular restaurant in the city and offered the person handling the bookings the same thing. Five grand cash if they could confirm two names for dinner that night and if so, what time. It hadn’t even been an hour, and I found where Michael had booked dinner for him and Minetta.

The moment I saw her standing outside with Michael’s self-righteous face smiling at her, a flower of destiny in his hand, I knew there was no way I was letting them go home together. That fucking piece of manipulative shit wasn’t getting his hands or any other body part anywhere near her. Even if I had to follow her home, Michael wouldn’t get a peek of what lay beneath her dress.

I licked my lips as I approached them. Her shapely legs could be seen just above the knee, which was not near enough. She’d curled her hair, so it lay in soft waves around her face, framing it and her glittering blue eyes. She’d gone out of her way to make herself look like a walking piece of dessert, making my spark of jealousy burn a little hotter.

She had a gentle swell to her hips, and my hands itched to feel her skin. With each step, it became more and more agonizing to keep my calm façade in place. As Michael placed his hand on her lower back I almost lunged at the fucker to rip his arm right off his body. My teeth were so tightly clenched that my jaw cracked with the force.

Minetta turned as they reached the maitre’d and her subtle perfume, the low scooping neckline of the dress, had my mouth watering. I could almost taste her sweet flavor on my tongue. Her eyes flicked up to mine, the look quickly turning into a glare, and I wanted to wipe that look off her face. Kiss her stupid until she no longer cared about what she’d seen. She had to be more than an average human. No human could affect me this way…could they? No, that was a ridiculous thought. But if she wasn’t human, then what was she?

“What the hell are you doing? Why did you agree to eat with them? With Michael of all people,” Skye whispered only loud enough that I could hear.

“What better way to figure out what he’s up to? Besides, we were going to eat here anyway. Can you honestly say you wouldn’t be distracted with him in the room?”

“I guess that would’ve depended on where your cock was.” Skye smiled at me.

“Skye, not now, not here,” I whispered harshly under my breath, and her mouth pulled down into a little frown.

“When did you become a stick in the mud?” she grumbled.

“Do you want to stay? If so, then you will act accordingly. If you don’t, make an excuse and go to the party you wanted us to attend instead.” I suddenly felt like a parent telling a child to be good. Skye was not wrong, though. When had I become concerned with what anyone thought? Least of all humans.

“This is the best seat in the house,” the maître de said, and I smiled as I stared at the horseshoe-shaped booth. Michael allowed Minetta to scoot in first. The look on her face was priceless when she looked up, and I was the one beside her in the middle, not Skye, which I’m sure was what she was expecting.

I picked up the wine menu and held up my finger to call over the closest waiter. “We’ll take four bottles of your most expensive wine, two red and two white.”

“Right away, Sir.”

“Now, brother, that wasn’t necessary. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to show me up.” Michael looked at me over Minetta’s head, who was dutifully staring at a menu. The only problem was her eyes weren’t moving, so she wasn’t really reading.

I wanted to reach out and touch her mind, find out what made her tick, figure out the optimum way to best Michael at his own game, but as her eyes flicked to mine, I couldn’t do it. I wanted her to trust me.

“Not at all, Michael. This simply seemed like a good reason to celebrate. It has been a very long time since we’ve had a drink or shared a meal together.”

“Alright, good call.” Michael smiled at me before turning his attention to Minetta. “Order whatever you want off the menu.” Michael brushed his hand across hers and the subtle, blushing smile she gave him had a growl forming in my chest.

I couldn’t stop staring at her profile. She chewed on her lip as she thought about the options, and it was the most endearing thing I’d ever seen. I wanted to be that lip, no I wanted to bite that lip.

“You’re buying right, sweetie,” Skye asked, and I made sure to glare at her for yet again using a pet name for me. She smirked, and I knew by the look on her face she was having fun messing with me. We were definitely having a chat later.

“Yes, Skye, my dear, you choose whatever you want. In fact, all of you choose whatever you want. It is on me.”

Michael lifted one perfectly manicured brow at me. “Brother, I don’t think that will be necessary. I’m quite certain I can take care of Minny’s and my order. I’d asked her out on a date before we decided to dine together.”

I sat back, opened my hands, and smiled as I gave him the best, ‘I want to fuck you over,’ smile I could under the fake ass one I had plastered to my face. “How about this, you can get the dessert. Next time, we will switch.”

“There will be a next time?” I didn’t bother to answer the question as he smirked at me. “Alright, that seems fair.”

“It’s okay. I’ll pay for myself, but thank you,” Minny spoke up.