Page 67 of Covetous

The second Esme is gone, Yasmine’s gaze snaps to me, her brows knitted together and her lips pressed into a thin line. “What the hell are you doing?” Her whisper is sharp, filled with worry and confusion.

My face flushes, and my eyes are suddenly stinging with unshed tears. I want to spill my guts to Yasmine, to pour out my heart and beg for her understanding, but the fear of her judgment stops me cold. “It’s not what you think,” I manage to choke out.

She’s not convinced, her eyes narrowing as she studies my face. “It’s not?” She glances over her shoulder, probably making sure we’re alone.

I glance too, just to be sure, before my eyes meet hers. The worry and doubt in her gaze are almost too much to handle. “I’m going to marry Ian. I…I love him.” The words feel like a betrayal not only to Victor but to myself. But I need to keep it together, just a little while longer.

“And Victor? Where is he in all of this?”

I shake my head, denial and shame washing over me. She scoots closer, taking my hand in hers, her touch gentle but firm.

Esme’s laughter echoes down the stairs, shattering the delicate moment between us. “You’re so cringey, Mom,” she says through her phone.

“I can’t talk about this,” I whisper back urgently as Esme’s voice drifts closer, my heart racing in my chest. “Please don’t say anything.”

“You know I won’t.” She squeezes my hand, her promise silent but as real as the pressure of her fingers. I’m grateful, even as the weight of my secrets crushes me.

I know what she’s thinking, and she’d be right. I slept with my best friend’s boyfriend. But what she doesn’t know, at least not yet, is that I’m in love with him.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Yasmine leaves with Liam, and I know I should talk to Esme, but that conversation will have to wait. I yank my engagement ring off and toss it into a drawer before rushing out the door. The traffic on the freeway is a nightmare, just like Esme said, but I finally make it to Victor’s loft. After finding a parking spot, I jump out of the car, not even caring that I’m crooked in the space. My heart pounds as I race to his apartment, praying that he’s home. I bang on the door with my fist, then hit the doorbell over and over until the door swings open.

It’s not Victor standing there but Fatima, his sister-in-law. “Hey,” she says, giving me a warm smile tinged with sympathy. “Come on in.”

I step inside, my eyes darting around the room. “Is Victor here?”

Fatima shakes her head. “He’s not back yet. Q went to look for him.”

My stomach twists into knots, praying that Quentin finds Victor before Victor finds Ian. “Do you think Quentin found Victor?”

She hesitates. “Probably. I mean, he has the resources.”

Of course he does. He’s rich, and his family has some serious connections. That should be comforting right now, but it’s not. Maybe Victor used those same resources to find Ian. I sink onto the couch, my head in my hands, my mind racing. Maybe he’s stuck in traffic and can’t get to him. “This is all my fault.”

Fatima sits beside me. Her long locks hang down her back, nearly reaching her waist, as she leans in closer. “Victor is a grown man who made his own choice. It’s going to be okay.”

I meet her gaze, moisture pooling in my eyes. “But what if it’s not? What if something happens to him because of me?”

Her hand finds my back, tracing circles. I lean in, craving the comfort I didn't know I needed. “Victor’s tough. He’ll be all right. And Q will make sure of it.” Her phone goes off in her purse, and she pulls it out to read the screen. “It’s Q.” Standing up, she answers the phone. “Hey, baby.”

I sit on the edge of my seat, my eyes fixed on her, trying to read her expressions. Other than her telling Quentin that I’m here, she isn’t giving me much, just the occasional “uh-huh” or “okay.” But every now and then, her eyes meet mine, and I can sense that something’s not right.

“Okay,” she finally says, her voice heavy. “I’ll let her know.”

Fatima sets down the phone and turns to me, her brow furrowed slightly and the corners of her mouth tightening. But as her gaze meets mine, her eyes soften, and a small, comforting smile tugs at her lips. “It’s going to be fine. Really.”

I shoot up from my seat on the couch. “What is it?”

“Victor found Ian at his condo, and…he beat Ian’s ass.”

My legs give out beneath me, and I collapse back onto the couch, gripping the side of my head as I try to process the information. “Where is Victor now?”

“He was arrested.”

I gasp, the reality hitting me hard. “Fuck.” My mind spins with the possibilities of what this could mean for Victor.

“Q says he’s looking at aggravated assault. They say he banged Ian up pretty bad, but he’ll live.”

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