Page 119 of Bitter Confessions

“It was my mother’s.”

“Why did you take off your wedding ring?”

“I didn’t,” she said and flashed the rock on her left hand, the only one she was required to wear.

Roth’s expression darkened. “That’s not the ring I’m talking about.”

She couldn’t believe he was harping on this. “Focus,” she said through clenched teeth. “Who else is on your list of people to meet tonight?” When he just stared at her she said, “Colette suggested I introduce you to the governor unless you’ve already met him?” When he didn’t respond, she nodded. “I’ll make sure to pull him aside if we run across him and depending on which countries you’re doing business in, it would be wise to approach dignitaries from those?—”

“Where’s the ring, Jasmine?”

“What do you care?” she snapped and ratcheted up her smile when she made eye contact with an elderly woman leaning on a cane who was staring straight at her. She swallowed her ire. This wasn’t the time or place. They couldn’t be seen arguing on their first night in high society. She tried to get them back on track. “Who are those men you studied and emulated? Did you meet them yet?”

“When did you take it off?”

Her hand balled into a fist. What did that matter?

“Jasmine.”

He was such a bulldog when he wanted something. She raised her chin and met his searing gaze. “I took it off when you broke your promise.”

He didn’t look away or express any sign of discomfort at the accusation.

“It was only a matter of time before you went back to your old habits and put business first.” She gave a one shoulder shrug as her chest burned. “And I went back to being just a prop. As you so kindly reminded me this morning, I have a quota to fill for you to get your money’s worth, so let’s get to it, shall we?”

Her pulse leapt as his expression hardened into those cruel lines she knew all too well. She stepped back to defuse the situation just as two men ambled forward. She turned with a slightly rabid smile, ready to entertain even Warren to avoid dealing with Roth, but her mask melted into one of genuine delight when she saw her friends.

“Julius? Matthew!”

Impulsively, she threw herself into Julius’s arms. The moment she closed her arms around him, she knew she’d just made a bad situation ten times worse, but it was too late now. She compounded her sins by hugging Matthew too. She barely had time to register that neither of her friends had returned her hug when Roth grasped her nape in a stinging grip and forced her to step back. Her friends looked ill at ease and were focused on Roth, who buried his face in her hair and took deep breaths. They were waiting for Roth to speak, but he didn’t seem inclined to talk. She decided to fill the void.

“I didn’t know you would be here!”

Her voice was so high, both men flinched.

“We wanted to offer our congratulations on your marriage.” Julius’s tone was wooden and rehearsed, as if he were reading from a teleprompter. “And to make sure there are no hard feelings.”

She frowned and opened her mouth, but Roth’s grip tightened, warning her to stay silent.

“If you remember who she belongs to, we won’t have any problems,” Roth growled.

She stiffened, unable to believe her ears, but neither Julius nor Matthew looked surprised, just resigned. As she opened her mouth to respond to Roth’s outrageous, uncalled-for statement, Sullivan appeared beside them.

“Dinner.”

CHAPTER 23

Sullivan nodded to Matthew and Julius, who inclined their heads respectfully. Roth didn’t give Jasmine a chance to say goodbye. He grabbed her hand and strode after Sullivan, who tapped certain guests on the shoulder. Several servers were doing the same.

They followed the select crowd out of the ballroom and down a short hallway. Roth took the opportunity to tuck her beneath his shoulder and press his lips to her ear. “Embarrass me by throwing yourself at another man like that again, I’ll beat the shit out of you.”

She went rigid. “They’re my friends.”

“Your friends just confirmed what I’ve always known to be true. They don’t want a platonic relationship with you. That means you don’t talk to them without me present, and if you want them to keep breathing, don’t you fucking touch them.”

“Roth!”

Mikhail beckoned from a huddle with two other men. She jerked away, knowing he wouldn’t ignore Mikhail and come after her. Her chest burned with fury as she strode past the dining room and continued toward the alcove at the end of the hall.

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