Page 49 of The Contract

“Are you … well?” she asks, like nothing just happened.

Anger spikes. That’s how it always is. Nothing just happened.

I can’t answer. I can’t handle it. I shouldn’t have come here.

Tristan touches my wrist, and I’m shocked, utterly shocked, that I don’t wrench away. In fact, I’m able to take a breath. I’m able to say, “I’m fine, Mother.”

Her eyes are locked on Tristan’s fingers curled around my wrist. He notices and lets go.

“So what have you been doing?” she asks.

Fuck, this is agonizing. It would’ve been kinder to refuse to come. She must hate this too.

“Just business,” I say.

She smiles a little. “You’re just like your father.” She winces, instantly realizing it’s the wrong thing to say. “I should go rescue him from the Board of Directors. I left him surrounded. Come say hello, if you get a chance.”

“I will,” I lie. Then I lie again, “It’s good to see you, Mother.”

“You too, Dante. Thank you for coming. Nice to meet you, Tristan.”

“You too, Mrs. Ad—I mean, Natalie.”

When she’s gone, Tristan says cautiously, “She seems … nice.”

“Yeah,” I say sourly. “She’s nice.”

Then I see my father across the room. He sees me too. We both look away and pretend it didn’t happen.

Nothing happened.

Nothing fucking happened.

My skin is tight and itchy. I’m too hot. I’m buzzing. I want to scream. At my father. At my mother. At everyone here.

Instead, I take Tristan’s glass from him and set it on the tray of a passing server. He frowns at me, but he’ll be grateful in a second. Well, maybe not grateful, but he’ll understand. If he’s able to think. I reach inside my pocket and hit the button on the remote.

Tristan’s body convulses. By some miracle, he stays silent, but he bites his lip. His eyes fly wide, then he gives me a look of absolute fury. The storm inside me calms. I smirk at him as I turn the vibration off.

“You fucking prick,” he grits out.

“You can stab me later.”

“Count on it.”

I grin and let the staff usher us toward our table. When Tristan settles in his chair, a little shudder goes through his body. I lost my erection when I saw my mother, but it’s coming back.

I’ve made sure I’m seated next to Jon Evers, a real estate developer who’s in negotiations with Lorenzo Capelli’s construction company. If I can turn him against Capelli, maybe get him to hire Noah instead, he’ll be the third one this year.

But I can multitask. I periodically turn on the vibration. It’s on its lowest setting, but it still makes Tristan’s back arch. Under the table, I clamp my hand on his thigh. His muscles are tight. He’s trembling.

My dick hardens further as I nod along with Evers while he complains about zoning. I turn up the vibration.

Pain slices white hot into my forearm. Ialmostreact to it. Well, I do react, actually. I turn the vibration up again.

I’ve almost persuaded Evers to meet with me more formally at my office later this week when Tristan yanks the knife free. He gets up from the table, pulling out from under my hand, and hurries away.

I turn the vibration off. Excusing myself, I follow Tristan through the banquet hall. We’re not the only ones on the move, but a lot of eyes follow us. Mostly me. I knew Tristan would be the better actor. Even with the state he’s in, he has a practiced invisibility. He slides through the hall with quiet subtlety.

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