Page 5 of Forever Fake

I will be okay. I will be okay. I will be okay. Everything is fine.

The words—or perhaps it’s the repetition—soothes my racing heart and fidgety fingers. Once I’ve regained some semblance of calm, I fix my already perfect makeup in the mirror and straighten my dress. Then I take in my surroundings.

The marble floor and walls gleam in the candle light. A crystal chandelier hangs above, suspended from the high ceiling. This humble space is no more than a powder room, yet it screams old money, wealth, and splendor. A promise of what the rest of the mansion has to offer.

I’m in Blake Baron’s house, at his party, and I’m going to have fun tonight—fun, fun, fun.My sister might be a stuck up prude, or at least she was before she married, but Arianna sure knows how to organize a party. Only the best catering and booze will be here tonight. And damn, do I need a drink.

I smile at myself in the bathroom mirror. My expression almost appears genuine.

Ready to make the most of the evening, I stroll into the hallway. Further in the house are sounds of the party, but here it’s quiet. There’s not a soul around.

Which is why, when a sparkly figurine on a side table catches my eye, I pick it up. It’s some kind of bird cast in clear crystal with black jewels decorating its head. Black and blue-green gems adorn the wings and tail feathers. The piece is breath-taking. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Immediately, my palms itch. That familiar, exhilarating rush swoops through me as I reach out and stash the figurine in my clutch. It’s now my little secret. A crime I got away with. The high is the best part.

A real smile strains my cheeks for the first time tonight. Warmth whirls in my chest.

Whenever I’m feeling down and depressed, taking something that isn’t mine wipes away all of that negativity. A light airiness overtakes my body, my insides swell as if filled with helium. I very well might float away on this bubble of happiness.

The fact that I just stole from none other thanTheBlack Baronhimself, the most feared man in all of New York City, adds a layer of danger to my excitement. It’s heady. Addictive.

More to the point, that fucker deserves it for murdering my childhood best friend. Viviana’s gone because of him.

On bouncy toes, I spin around and collide with a wall of muscle.

CHAPTER 3

Blake

Only an hour into this soiree and I find myself making excuses to drift further from the crowd that’s taken over my house. The fact that I invited them all here, so therefore cannot escape them, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I need some fucking distance from all these people. There are too many of them.

Which is how I end up on the second floor, in a quieter part of my home, hiding from my own guests. Well, nothiding, I don’t hide, just seeking some fucking privacy.

The bathroom door down the hall opens and out steps a curvy woman with bouncing blond waves. Her back’s to me, but I recognize her immediately. Ginevra Pontrelli. My party planner’s youngest sister. Who I most certainly didnotinvite.

How the hell did she get in here? Oh wait, I did tell Arianna she could invite a friend, an obvious error on my part. What the fuck was I thinking?

I watch her from the shadows, remembering the first time I laid eyes on the youngest Pontrelli girl. Yes, girl, she can’t be any older than twenty or twenty-one. Which means back then she was barely eighteen. I inwardly cringe.

She was at a club dancing with her sisters and cousin. My best friend, Roman, only had eyes for his fiancée Sophia, but my gaze latched onto the gorgeous blond who had tits and ass for days. She was the only blond among them, petite, and curvy in all the right places. Then Roman warned me off of her.

For one, she’s much too young for me.

And she’s trouble. Not the fun kind.

Which I mentally note while I watch her pick up a diamond encrusted figurine my grandfather brought back from his travels to India. The piece is utterly priceless.

Stealthily, I approach Ginevra, who seems too lost in the glittering gems to notice her surroundings. I’m right behind her when she drops the figurine into her tiny bag with a soft chuckle. What she finds so amusing, I haven’t a clue. However, I can guarantee her mirth will be short-lived once she realizes she’s been caught.

So she’s not only a gold-digger but also a thief. How intriguing…

No one steals from me and lives to tell about it. Much lesschuckle.

With a dazzling smile, she spins on her heel and plows right into my chest. Automatically, my muscles tense at the impact, and my fingers wrap around her upper arms to steady her.

She takes two quick steps back, hiding her clutch behind her back, and slowly her gaze travels up my body to meet mine. Her wide brown eyes are the color of dark chocolate and caramel. Fear skitters through them and I can’t help but smirk. She recognizes me. Good.

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