Page 93 of Hateful Games

“Is everybody in one piece?”

His phone pings with another text. I’m guessing Iris is giving him the highlights. Because he chuckles at whatever he reads and mutters, “I don’t know about everybody but the guy about to apply mehndi on her might not be.”

“Why?” I’m instantly curious.

“He asked her your name so he could write it on her hand.”

“Like a tattoo?” questions Malcolm with intrigue.

We should hand this poor guy a handbook or he’ll be completely clueless today.

“Not a permanent one,” I reply before switching to Nathan. “What did she say?”

“Why do you care?”

“Yeah? Why do you care, Cruz?” hums Malcolm.

“Because she’s supposed to be playing the doting fiancée,” I lie.

They look at each other before bursting out in a fit of laughter, which makes my jaw grind. Their twin expression screaming I’m being delusion when they are the ones being idiots. Standing up, I storm out of the room.

“I don’t think showing your face will help,” shouts Nathan before the door slams shut.

It won’t because I’m not going to her.

Chapter Twenty-six

Nova

My restraints only last for a few minutes before my feet carry me toward my destination. My mind like a crack whore wanting a hit of my fixation of the last ten goddamn years.

Because even as I hate her and want nothing to do with her, I want to know and inhale every little thing about her. I crave to know what she’s doing every second, who she’s with, what naughty book she’s reading, and does she touch herself when the smut scenes get her hot and needy, to the color of her nails that she gets done weekly.

Over the years, she’s become smart in evading the bodyguards I’ve hired for her.

Going as far as to bribing some and turning them against me.

I always find out but the little troublemaker never learns. I was actually impressed when she didn’t stop at my bodyguards and instead flirted her way with my former assistant and fucking up my calendar for days.

My plan to punish her by making her my temp assistant backfired because all her presence did was distract me. I would constantly be watching her sitting at the desk right outside my office and defiantly reading her books on her Kindle e-reader that was attached to her hands twenty-four seven. On the first day, she canceled all my meetings. When I asked her why, her sweet response was the plot was too good in her latest read to ignore.

She thought she’ll do a lousy job until I got annoyed and fired her luscious ass.

Hasn’t happened.

Because I’m as stubborn as her. Although, I did hire a second assistant—a woman this time—just to piss her off. Also to avoid running my company into the ground.

Now, I’ll be living with the little hellion. I can only imagine what kind of torture it’ll be. That’s if we make it through this weekend.

Having seen earlier where they were decorating the area for the mehndi ceremony, I reach it quickly. There’s a balcony just above it from where I can watch discreetly. Loud Bollywood music reaches my ears and as soon as I approach the ledge, my gait falters.

I’m left awestruck by the vision below me.

I squint to make sure I’m not hallucinating.

Because no way that’s my Rose. The girl I’m staring at sitting on the swing with a floral backdrop couldn’t possibly be her. Yet, there’s no mistaking those striking features. Gone is the mysterious girl with red lips and dark clothes, rebelling against the world.

A sweeter and softer side of Rosa is captivating her family and friends that are surrounding her.

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