Page 152 of Divine Obsession

I nodded towards it. “What’s that?”

He winked. “She seems like a good lay, but you never know–”

Pulling the Glock from beneath my jacket, the silenced shot barely made a sound over the music as it punched clean through his skull.

The guy crumpled to the floor, his blood pooling quickly on the glossy tiles.

I stared down at him for a moment, my breathing steady, my pulse untouched by what I’d just done.

Lucky you, huh?

Sliding the gun back into my waistband, I stepped over his body and headed back for the VIP section.

26 years old

The ballroom pulsed with a low hum of chatter and music, a haze of pink light reflecting off crystal chandeliers. Masks of feathers, sequins and leather concealed the faces of New York’s elite, creating mystery.

But I only had eyes for one person.

Across the floor, she stood in a removed, somewhat dark corner of the room, leaning against the wall and observing everyone else.

Her caramel hair swept over one shoulder, the curve of her bare neck and those pillowy lips teasing me beneath the delicate edges of her pink mask.

I came backbecauseof her.

Of course, I fucking did.

Four years away, an ocean separating us over thousands of miles, and Istillcouldn’t get her out of my head.

So, what was the fucking point? Of staying away from my family? Out ofmycity?

Of staying away from her at all?

Our gazes locked for the fifth time tonight, a slow, burning connection that sent a ripple of heat through my chest. She looked away first, her lips curving slightly, and I knew she was playing; testing me.

She had to know it was me.

Challenge accepted.

Pushing off the bar, I started toward her just as another man did the same. My hand shot out, gripping the back of his collar. With a sharp tug, I pulled him off balance, sending him stumbling to the floor. His confused grunt was lost in the dim of the room, but the message clear enough.

I glanced behind Natalia and caught another man who’d been eyeing her from the other side of the dancefloor. He froze, his glass halfway to his lips, before quickly averting his gaze and walking away.

Satisfied, I adjusted my tie, calm as if nothing had happened.

Natalia, still facing away, hadn’t turned around. But I knew she felt me approaching. The way her back straightened, the slight tilt of her head…

I stopped just behind her, close enough to catch the faintest hint of her sweet, vanilla perfume.

This game was far from over.

Chapter 40

Present

“Think I won’t do the same to this dickhead?”

I stared at him, my heart jumping out of my chest. “You’re insane.”

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