Page 62 of Mine to Ruin

I suppress a smile, and my phone vibrates with another incoming message.

Until tomorrow. Sleep well, angel.

Me and my pussy wish you sweet dreams.

He sends me a voice recording with him groaning, and I smile like an idiot. I’m still grinning when my head hits the pillow, the giddiness inside me inflating like a helium balloon.

Chapter 18

Ellia

On Friday, I hum as I take a shower and pack for the weekend. I leave the apartment and find Kian outside, leaning against the car, a custom-made suit hugs his body to perfection, legs crossed at the ankle, his shades making him appear even sexier. When I reach him, he lifts me up, and places me on the hood, kissing me until my lips tingle.

He tucks a loose strand behind my ear and says, “I have a lot to do today. It will get a bit crazy.”

I hop off the hood, going on my tiptoes to kiss him, then he puts my bag in the trunk and we drive away with his hand on my leg.

After he parks, we amble hand in hand inside the hotel. I wave him goodbye and head to my studio. When I push the door open, I run into Lorene.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, concerned.

“We need more paintings for the gallery.” She paces around, clutching her big pearls, her heels clicking on the floor. “I did a preview show, and your paintings received the most attention.”

“Oh, but that’s a good thing, right?”

“Of course,” she says, her expression set in deep thoughts.

“So how many are we talking, exactly?”

“How many can you paint in two months?”

I look around my studio, and her gaze follows me.

“I just started the African jungle theme.”

“Kian will understand. The gallery is important to him. I am sure he’ll like that your paintings are receiving the validation they deserve.”

My cheeks heat, and I say, “Lorene, it’s…”

“Your private life is yours, darling. And you make a cute couple.” Her lips arch into a genuine smile and adds, “I wish you all the best.”

“Thank you. I could probably paint ten.”

“Great.”

Once she’s gone, I rearrange the studio, putting the paintings for the hotel rooms on one side of the room, and the ones for the gallery on the other. I rush from one corner to the other, when Brandon’s voice stops me in my tracks. He shows me a takeout box and I can’t believe it’s lunch already.

“Ready for tonight?” he asks when we are seated.

I sigh and shrug. I love that Kian wants me by his side, but on the other hand, there are the cameras, the questions. I don’t want my past crawling back. Most people don’t know why I disappeared.

“You’re the only woman he’s ever taken with him,” Brandon says. When I roll my eyes at him, he adds, “The thing with Melanie is, they have worked together and going to events has been normal, plus they kind of mixed business with pleasure.”

“I really don’t want to hear this.”

“She’s not going anywhere, Ellia. My brother is loyal to a fault.”

We eat in silence, and that little monster of doubts mixed with jealousy has a blast at my expense.

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