Page 79 of Heartless Sinner

"Well, here's to the future."

“To the future.” I raise my glass, too, and we drink

I arrive at my parents’ fortress before lunchtime. It was great hanging out with Jaxon. He really helped to take my mind off things. Now I’m eager to get seeing my father out of the way so I can head back home to Scarlett.

I would have skipped this meeting, but that dinner party is on Tuesday. I need to smooth things over with my father so weboth have time to cool off from whatever shit we may unearth today.

He’s already pissed that I didn’t see him yesterday. He’d probably have my head on a platter if I told him I spent the day fucking my wife-to-be.

I park my Bentley on the drive and head up the wide stone steps leading to the front door. The new arrangement of the roses on the porch suggests my mother has been redecorating again.

Most people think she hires a team of decorators to do it, but my mother does everything herself. It’s one of her beloved hobbies.

I open the door and walk into the marble hallway. The moment I do, the air changes. It thickens.

Like a shark, I pick up a scent lingering in the air that I haven't encountered in years—vanilla and betrayal.

Eloise.

I think her name beforeI find her standing in the hallway near my father’s office admiring the floor-to-ceiling-sized painting of Dante’s Inferno.

She still has her classic signature looks of waist-length black hair that’s bone straight without a hair out of place, and a model-thin body molded in some high-end designer’s latest dress.

When I move closer, her red lips curve into a smile that makes my stomach turn.

Why the fuck is she here?

Fuck. Why am I wasting thoughts? This is exactly the kind of shit I worried about.

I knowexactlywhy she’s here and atthistime, too. This is clearly my father’s doing. Just like I knew he would, he’s still trying to set me up with Eloise—he all but told me he wouldn’t stop until I took my vows.

This is just like him, and he would have known I was likely to run into her now because heknewI was on my way.

Things are already bad. I didn’t need them to get worse.

"Micah." My name slides from her mouth like honey-coated poison, and she turns to look at me with those seductive serpentine eyes. "What a delicious surprise."

I keep my face blank, a skill I've perfected in the years since she taught me the true meaning of deceit. "What are you doing here?"

She straightens, her designer heels clicking as she saunters closer. Too close. "Your father's considering investing in my new jewelry store. Isn't that wonderful?"

Damn it, Papà. What are you seriously playing at?“I’m sure it’s greatfor you.”

“Wow. Is this really how we’re going to greet each other? I haven’t seen you in years. With my new business venture, we'll be seeing so much more of each other."

“Whatever business you have with my father is between you and him, not me.”

“But he’s investing on behalf of Delarosa Industries. That would include you.” She gives me a sweet smile that could sway a hung jury.

“Like I said. Nothing to do with me.”

She bites the inside of her lip and glares up at me. "Come on, Micah. Cut me some slack. You obviously haven’t forgiven me. But maybe that’s because you still want me.Istill want you.” Her perfectly manicured fingers reach for my shirt. I catch her wrist before she can touch me, my grip firm enough to make her gasp.

"Don't. And no, I don’t want you.” I can’t believe the audacity of this woman. “I’m sure you know by now that I’m engaged.” I release her hand, and it falls back to her side, but she laughs at my remark.

"I heard. But come on, Micah. We both know your little fiancée from Denver isn't right for you."

Wow, my father must really have gotten in her ear for her to know Scarlett came from Denver. I hope my mother isn’t going to be the same. That said, she’s never liked Eloise. “You don’t know my fiancée like I do, and you don’t need to know her.”

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