Page 168 of Sinful Games

“His boyfriend?” Alexsei interrupted, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

My brows furrowed momentarily. “Oh, come on, Alexsei, it’s 2024?—”

The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Don’t worry,moya solnyshka. I’m just fucking relieved that dude swings that way. I thought he was your boyfriend.”

My eyes widened.

What?

"You thought Steven was my boyfriend?" I asked, confused.

“Well, you told me you were living with the dude, so I thought you were... together.”

I shook my head quickly. "No, he’s just a friend. Besides, I don’t …date."

Alexsei leaned back, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

He rubbed his chin. "I don’t believe you, Caia. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be your boyfriend? You’re incredibly hot. Men must be fighting to be around you. Hell, I’m surprised there isn’t a line forming outside your door."

Over the past year, Steven had attempted to set me up with some guys. Sometimes he’d practically drag me to bars, leaving me with no choice but to go along, though I’d inevitably leave within the first hour.

The thought of dating or meeting new men made me physically sick.

I sighed. "I don’t ever want to date again, Alexsei. Especially after... us."

I simply didn’t have the desire for it.

It felt like a twisted betrayal to Alexsei, even though leaving him was already a betrayal in its darkest form.

Chapter

Fifty-Five

“No friendship is an accident.”

?O. Henry

Alexsei

I landed a hard punch across his face, the crack of my knuckles vibrating through me as blood trickled from his nose.

“Well, I guess Caia filled you in,” he winced, pressing his sleeve against the drip.

I raised my fist for another hit, but he blocked it, a smirk twisting his lips.

“Romaniev, I let you get in that one because I deserved it,” he said, slipping behind his desk. “I’m not letting it happen again. Now, sit down,stronzo.”

I shoved his hand away, pacing to calm the fire in my veins.

"I always knew you were a snake, but I didn’tthink you’d be this slimy, Lazzio," I spat. "How fucking dare you betray me like that?"

He chuckled, smug as ever. "If ‘betraying’ means telling your wife you’ve been living in the same city for the past year and pushing her to come see you, so you could finally get your closure and move on, then yeah, call me Judas."

This morning, after Caia broke my heart all over again, I demanded she spill everything—no more secrets. Reluctantly, she caved and let slip that it was Angelo Lazzio who told her that I was in New York.

Fucking Angelo Lazzio.

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