Page 105 of False God

“Lili can take care of herself,” Cal comments.

I slide a glance at him. He seems like a decent guy. The top three reasons I dislike him is that he dated Lili. And the distant fourth is that he didn’t fight for her. What kind of fool would let her go?

Me, I guess.

I let her walk away from me at Carys Park. And I’ve held back some since I arrived in Saint-Tropez, disturbed by the urge to see her again in the first place. I easily could have made this tripwithoutseeing her, and I rearranged my plans to ensure that I did. I’ve never done that before—chased a woman.Cravedanyone the way I want to be around her.

“Oh, I know,” Hugo says.

“They’re all goners,” Tripp concurs. “Look at that. Free drink number five. She’s got a real collection going.”

If this is what it’s like to have a group of male friends, I don’t want it. They’re purposefully needling me—even Tripp, who I thought wanted me far away from Lili. He seems to have resolved his concerns about me taking advantage of her. And honestly? I think that means I’m being more obvious about my feelings than I should.

“Damn, she did the hair flip,” Cal comments. “That move always worked on me.”

Even herexis trying to make me jealous. I can’t decide if that makes me like Cal more or less.

After a few torturous seconds, I look at Lili again. Five guys are gathered around her now. One touches her arm. She reaches for one of the glasses in front of her—Tripp was right about the collection—effectively shaking him off.

My jaw is so tight that it’s starting to ache. I don’t get jealous. Women pay me attention, and I choose whether or not to indulge it.

That relaxed indifference is splintering apart, leaving a dark, ugly coil of jealousy behind.

Mine.

I wish I’d left those four letters written on her back. Then, maybe men wouldn’t be swarming her.

She’snotmine though. She’s free to talk to and flirt with whoever she wants, and I’m not going to be the arsehole who pisses all over that simply because the sight of her with other men feels like a serrated knife is sawing into my chest.

I try not to notice. Attempt not to care.

But it’s a fight I’m fucking losing.

Three women stop by our booth. I barely spare them a glance, letting the other guys entertain them.

The next time I look at Lili, she’s staring this way. Our gazes collide across the crowded expanse of the club, all the external noise surrounding us fading away.

And she winks. Fuckingwinks, like she can tell how irritated I am and finds it amusing.

One of the men steps closer and says something that has Lili shaking her head. I catch the clear outline ofnoin her response, but the wanker doesn’t step away.

And I stand, knowing I’ve been waiting for an excuse to. Push through the crowd, hoping I’m imagining the whip sounds behind me.

She watches me walk toward her.

I don’t pay any notice to her crowd of admirers. I shove through, ignoring one’s protest, until I’m standing right in front of her.

Lili smirks. Swipes her tongue along her lower lip. “Couldn’t stay away, huh?”

“Time to go.”

She tilts her head. “Why? I’m having fun.”

I lean into her, not missing the way her breath catches, and her pupils dilate. If I slipped a hand under her dress, I’d find her panties wet.

“You wanted my attention, Lili? You fucking have it. Time. To. Go.”

She reaches into one of her many beverages, plucking a cherry out and setting it on her tongue. Her cheeks hollow as she sucks it off the stem, blue eyes overflowing with mirth.

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