Page 90 of Deadly Secrets

“But I do,” she retorted.

I let out a long sigh and set my ginger latte on the table.

“It’s complicated. Ander and I had a fight a few days ago, and he hasn’t talked to me since then.”

She contemplated her answer for a few seconds before she replied. “Yeah, I noticed. I was waiting for you to say something. In fact, Noah asked me if I knew what it was about. They also have no clue what’s going on.” Maggie placed her coffee on the table and continued. “I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you, though. He’s in love with you. Give him some time, and he’ll come around.”

I snorted.

“He’s not in love with me.”

“You’re fucking blind, Sienna. He’s madly in love with you, and everyone can see it. Haven’t you noticed the way he looks at you like you were a goddess sent from Mount Olympus? Like he wants to pounce on you but at the same time make you the mother of his children?”

I’m pretty sure my laughter could be heard from Manhattan.

“You’re delusional.”

“Maybe I am,” she responded. “But not about this. Are you gonna talk to him tonight?” Maggie took her silk robe off and slipped into the dress she borrowed. She turned around and asked me to zip it.

“I don’t know. It’s been days since our argument, and I’m not sure I can let another day go by. I don’t want to start the year like this.”

Maggie sat on a chair and put on her new Louboutin shoes.

“Is it just a fight, or did something else happen?”

I didn’t know if Maggie was just very observant or I simply had to work on my poker face, but she consistently managed to read everyone’s emotions very easily. I stayed silent.

Maggie stood, placed a hand on her hips, and said, “Look. It’s none of my business…I know. But you need to face your feelings and stop playing games with them. It’s not fair to them. They aren’t just some fuckboys from Ibiza. They’re your friends, and you need to take responsibility for your actions.”

“Wow. That’s quite the lecture before closing out the year.”

Maggie looked pissed, and I didn’t understand why my situation with the guys affected her so much, especially as she had encouraged me to hook up with all three, but I guessed she was just trying to avoid an implosion of catastrophic proportions.

“Okay. I’ll talk to Ander tonight,” I replied.

“Good.”

* * *

I quickly checked myself in the mirror before heading out. I wore a floor-length, long-sleeved burgundy velvet dress, an off-the-shoulders style with a thigh-high slit on the right, and my favorite pair of Jimmy Choo golden sandals. As for the jewelry, I kept it simple. I wore some small golden earrings and the pendant Zayn gave me for Christmas. My makeup looked natural, except for my choice of lipstick—a shade of burgundy that perfectly matched the color of my dress.

Someone knocked on the door just as I finished putting my Venetian golden mask on.

“One second,” I shouted.

When I opened the door, my heart stopped. Zayn leaned on the doorframe wearing a tux. My mouth dropped. His mask was black and golden, and although it covered half of his face, the glimmer in his eyes still shone through.

“You look…” He cleared his throat before continuing. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, Sienna. That dress…that dress would look way better around your waist while you sit on my face. What do you say?”

I hit his arm and slightly pushed him.

“We don’t have time for that. We’re gonna be late!”

“That’s a shame, but I have a few ideas about how I want to start the year. I want to start it with a bang, if you know what I mean.” Zayn winked at me, but I ignored his comment and moved around him to walk toward the stairs. Before I reached the first step, Zayn grabbed my arm and stopped me.

“Allow me.” He offered me his arm and one of his sweetest smiles. I couldn’t resist every time the light came through the bad-boy facade. He could fool everyone, but I knew that behind those tattoos was a beautiful, sensitive soul.

“Lead the way,” I said, linking my arm through his.

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