Page 59 of Twisted Games of Revenge

“Me neither. I’m sure I saw them that morning, but it may have been a couple of days ago.” I try to remember the last time I saw them, but I’ve got nothing.

Myriah pulls a face, disgusted. “Your fiancé sure is determined when he wants something, isn’t he. Glad I’m not tied down. If some dude pulled that shit on me…”

Sloane throws her a look, like shut the fuck up, and she stops talking immediately.

I offer a half smile, telling Myriah I understand what she’s saying, but my relationship with the boys has never beenconventional. “You have no idea.” I roll my eyes in Sloane’s direction, knowing she gets it.

She smirks at me then pushes off the bar where she was leaning, striding across the floor on a mission. When she makes it to the front door, Onyx appears and follows her outside.

I glance at Myriah. “What is she up to?”

“Who knows?” She shrugs while pouring a top-shelf whiskey for the suited gentleman who’s now waiting at the bar.

He smiles at me with familiarity. “Hey, I know you, don’t I?” He clicks his fingers. “Vivian, right? From the casino.” His smile broadens as if all his Christmases have come at once.

I think on it for a beat then recall where I know his face. He’s the billionaire who shared his winnings with me. I smile and nod in return. “Yes, I remember, you won big that night.”

He moves up the bar to where I am, looking me over with fresh interest. “You work here?” His eyes dart around the bustling bar, and I know I have surprised him.

“Sure. For now. A friend of mine owns the place.”

He likes that response, his lips turning up at the sides as he leans over the bar a little closer to me. “You want to make some extra money tonight, Vivian?”

I blink back at him, not sure I want to know what he’s on about.

“We never did quite get to finish what we started when Enzo interrupted us at the casino. How about I book one of the elite rooms. I’m a VIP, and I’ll make it worth your while.” His eyes, glittering with a predatory gleam, send a shiver of unease down my spine.

I plaster on a fake smile, not sure if this is some sort of test sent from Enzo himself or if this guy just lives under a rock and hasn’t heard the big news circulating round town. “Sorry, I’m taken.” I hold up my hand to show him the whopping pink diamond that takes pride of place on my hand these days.

He takes a step back as if he’s been burnt by me, looking uneasy and a little confused. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Alessandro Moretti.” I practically whisper his name, still finding it hard to admit out loud I’m engaged to him.

He huffs out a laugh. “Of course he is.” He downs his drink then places his glass on the bar, taking one last lingering look at me. “If you have a change of heart and come to your senses, call me. I won’t disappoint,” he says, handing me a business card before striding off across the room, nearly bumping into Geovani and Sloane as they enter the bar.

I glance at the card. It’s black and glossy with just a name on one side and a phone number on the other.

“Geovani will have a top-shelf whiskey, thanks, Viv,” Sloane says, motioning for him to take a seat at the bar.

I pour him his drink and place it on the bar in front of him. He raises a cheeky brow in my direction. We both know what he was doing waiting outside this place. “Looks like you’re back to normal,” I say, implying more than his appearance, more like his fucking stalking.

He throws his whiskey back, then hands the tumbler to me for a refill, our hands brushing ever so slightly. “We both know I had no intention of staying away from you. The boys also agree it’s best you have someone shadowing you.” He takes the business card I placed on the bar, not sure what else to do with it.

“There’s no shame in it, sis. Look at me and the big dude,” Sloane adds, motioning to Onyx.

I sigh heavily. “I never said there was, I just think it’s overkill. Besides, won’t it make me stand out more? How do I explain to Enzo why I have a guard shadowing me? Especially you.”

“Alex already has. Told him he hired me to keep the love of his life safe.”

“Oh.” It’s the only response I can come up with as my cheeks redden. Of course, they have an answer for everything. “So,you’re just going to follow me around? Don’t you have training to do with Maddox? He has that big fight coming up, doesn’t he?”

His eyes rake over me, and I can tell he’s not impressed that I’m questioning him on this. “Maddox has his training schedule sorted, he doesn’t need me watching over his shoulder, twenty-four hours a day.”

“But I do,” I huff, moving out from behind the bar, heading for a vacant table that needs the glasses cleared. I slam one inside of the other, stacking them up high before marching them over to the bar. Then I return and do the same with the next table.

This time as I go to turn back toward the bar, Geovani is right there behind me. His lips drop to my ear. “Don’t get all pissy about it, Red. I know you love me watching you. It turns you on.”

Carefully, I place the glasses down on the table so I don’t smash anything then turn round to face him, shoving him in his chest just for the sake of it. There is an unexplainable thrill I get from knowing he’s watching me, but I wouldn’t say it turns me on so much as it gives me tingles because I know how badly he wants to protect me. “You’re skating on very thin ice, Geo. If you get in the way of what I’m doing, I will never forgive you.”

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