Page 48 of My Sweetest Temptation

“Hey,” he said, pushing off the wall.

“Hey,” I replied.

He fell into step beside me in silence as we headed upstairs to the VIP area. Two bouncers acknowledged us with a nod as we climbed the staircase. When I reached the top, my gaze immediately went to Nico in the corner. Thankfully, he hadn’t noticed me yet. He was lounging back with that smug grin, surrounded by his shadows, all decked out in expensive suits and arrogant expressions.

Nico’s presence commanded the room. I hated to admit how sexy and delicious he looked dressed in a black shirt with the collar left open, allowing his chest hair to peek out, and a necklace with a cross hanging around his tattoo-covered neck.

With a quick pivot, I headed toward the bar, desperate to focus on anything other than him. The bartender looked up from polishing a glass, his brow arching slightly at my arrival.

“Winter,” he greeted me with a smirk.

“Hi, Justice,” I replied.

He gestured toward my clipboard, his expression teasing. “Inventory, huh?”

“Yep. I won’t be in your way long.”

Justice shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. “Don’t worry about it. I actually like having you around.” He leaned against the bar and winked. “You’re cute to look at.”

“I bet you say that to all the girls.” I arched an eyebrow, crossing my arms lightly over the clipboard.

“Not all. Just the ones that make my heart go ba-thump.” He exaggeratedly placed a hand over his heart, pretending to swoon like a character from a romantic comedy.

A chuckle bubbled up from within me. “Well, I’m glad I could help you out. Just don’t get used to it,” I teased him, giving him a playful glare.

“Challenge accepted,” he said, his smirk widening.

And for a moment, the world around us faded into a soft blur, erasing all thoughts of Nico.

But our moment was abruptly disrupted as Justice’s smile faded into something serious. He stepped back and left without saying goodbye.

Before I could comprehend the shift in his mood, I felt someone’s eyes on me. The air grew heavy and eerie, as if the presence seemed to cast a shadow over everything, much like birds plummeting from the sky under the influence of a curse.

I turned around and found Nico’s gaze was fixed on me. He beckoned with a slow finger motion. I hesitated, caught between the instinct to run like a bat out of hell and the stubbornness that kept me rooted in place. A flicker of surprise mixed with annoyance crossed his stupid, handsome face.

God, I wanted to punch him.

Finally, I relented and walked toward him, like a pet summoned by its owner, but kept my distance as I stood by his side.

“Was there something you needed?” I asked, my voice tight with annoyance. I fought to keep it from spilling over, but it clung to me like a second skin, ready to erupt at any moment.

“Yeah, you,” he said, his voice laced with an undercurrent of menace.

I didn’t know what came over me when I said, “You’re delusional.” My eyes flickered to the dancer who still gyrated on his lap and looked like she was about to have an orgasm.

Nico’s grin widened, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Playing hard to get, huh? I like a challenge,” he taunted, his hand trailing along the dancer’s thigh as if to provoke a reaction from me.

Feeling a surge of anger and unease, I took a step back and flicked my eyes to the blonde. “Looks to me like you don’t need to worry about that.”

Nico’s smirk faltered for a moment before he chuckled, a low and sinister sound that sent shivers down my spine. “You sound jealous, Angel,” he said dismissively, his gaze lingering on me like a predator assessing its prey. “Do you want to take her spot?”

“No, thanks. I’m good,” I said with a cocky smirk, even though I could feel beads of sweat coming out of my every pore.

“Come here, Angel,” he commanded.

I squared my shoulders, holding my ground. “No. And my name is Winter. I’d appreciate it if you used my real name instead.”

“When I say come here, you do as you are told.”

---