Page 27 of Lethal Infatuation

"Since when are you and Valiente so well acquainted?"

"We've resolved our differences."

"Right," I deadpanned. "Did that end in a brawl between the two of you?" He avoided my eyes, looking at the glass of liquor in his hand.

"Our resolution was more amicable than that, but we may have sparred. He had a busted lip and my jaw was fucked."

I nodded. "Just two grown men behaving like children. Nothing new."

"You're one to talk. You're pining after a woman who won't give you the time of day."

I leaned forward and laughed, grabbing my glass of whiskey from the glass coffee table. I downed the last bit of alcohol. "Careful, Sato. I'm not as forgiving as Ares. I'll knock your teeth out of your mouth."

Kayden snickered, smirking at me. "I'd love to see you try. Maybe we should invite your lover over and have her watch you getting your ass handed to you."

"Your investigation tactics require some work."

"If you think that's me prying for information, it's not. Judging by the way you look at Gabriella whenever you see her is more than enough confirmation of my suspicions."

I didn't say anything else and sipped on my alcohol. I was genuinely fucked and Kayden knew that, even if I didn't admit it.

Helena and I had been working hard for the past couple of weeks. We had multiple events coming up as it was the holiday season approaching, but our top priority was Asher Braun's charity event.

The guest list was forwarded to us a week ago and it confirmed what we already knew: a lot of wealthy individuals would be present. It was like a playground for the rich and elite.

I expected no less given the power Asher held over most of them. I stepped into my favourite café and inhaled the mouth-watering smell of freshly brewed coffee and sweet patisseries.

My heels clicked against the tiled floor as I slowly approached the cashier. There were a few new menu items, so I didn't know what I wanted, but I settled on trying their new decadent dessert.

A hazelnut praline brownie topped with salted caramel ice cream, a drizzle of fudge sauce, and a sprinkling of sea salt. My sweet tooth had me visiting the dentist often when I was younger, so I limited myself now that I was an adult.

Indulging every now and then surely wasn't a crime. I took a seat in the corner of the café and placed my bag next to me. "May I join you?" My movements came to a halt and I slowly turned my head in the direction of the voice.

"Nicolas," I said almost breathlessly, but regained my composure and hesitantly gestured to the empty seat across me. "Of course." I hadn't forgotten our last conversation.

By the grace of God, I was saved by his friends.

What are you so afraid of?

"Though I should warn you, if you try anything I'll scream," I quipped.

He clicked his tongue, running a fingerover his bottom lip. "Wouldn't be the first time I've made you scream." Time stilled, seconds felt like hours as we maintained eye contact.

Every memory about our time together flooded my brain and I had to blink them away. How he managed to say the filthiest things in the most casual tone always had me wracking my brain and turned me into a mess.

He easily changed the subject and eyed the dessert in front of me, giving it a sceptical look. "What is that monstrosity?" he asked in a bored tone of voice. My eye twitched.

"First and foremost, good afternoon to you, as well. And secondly, it's a brownie, but you're looking at it like it's a corpse laid out in front of me and I'm ready to feast on it."

"It might as well be," he muttered nonchalantly, placing his elbows on the table. "You're one bite away from diabetes with that thing."

"I'm convinced you really are a stalker. You're always showing up at the most convenient times." I changed the subject.

"I'm not a stalker," he quipped. "I just have friends in high places."

"Like the Federal Bureau?"

"Oh?" he asked sarcastically. "Have you been doing research on me, Gabriella?"

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