Page 96 of Tempt Me

“What the fuck, bro?” Luke cries.

“I’m not your fucking bro,” I snarl.

“Whoa, Cade, relax,” Alistair says, but I’m burning with a feverish rage. I can’t believe I was just thinking Luke was a good guy. That he would make Isla happy. This worthless piece of shit isn’t fit to breathe the same air as her.

Luke struggles against my grasp but my hold is like a vice. I’m not letting this motherfucker wriggle out of it.

“I’m nothing like you,” I snap. “I would never cheat on the woman I love.Never.”

“Isla likes her freedom too,” Luke croaks.

My grip on his collar tightens. “You think she’d be okay with this? Is that seriously your excuse?”

Luke’s mouth opens and shuts like a fish out of water.

“How many?” I demand. “How many other women have there been?”

I know men like Luke. It’s never just one affair.

“Caden,” Al says, grabbing my arm.

“Find someplace else to get married,” I snarl. “Because you’re sure as shit not using Everton.”

He can’t be marrying Isla at all. She needs to know about this.

Luke’s eyes bug like he’s read my thoughts. “You can’t tell Isla.”

“Watch me,” I growl.

“She won’t believe you,” he insists. “I’m very convincing when I want to be.” A sly smile creeps across Luke’s face. I want to smack it off. “Who do you think she’ll listen to? Her loyal fiancé or the jealous ex-lover who can’t let her go?”

“Shit, security is coming,” Alistair says.

I glance to one side and see two burly men in black making their way toward us. I take a breath and release Luke. He stumbles and rights himself.

“My lawyers will hear about this,” he warns, pointing a finger in my face.

“Are you threatening me?” He must be out of his goddamn mind. Von would eat his lawyers for breakfast.

“Sir,” one of the security guards says to me. “We’re going to have to ask you to leave.”

Luke looks smug. As I turn away, I hear him say, “Just remember—Isla ismine.”

The third snap inside me is like an earthquake. All these weeks having to swallow the fact that Isla is engaged to him. Trying to want what’s best for her, trying to accept her engagement to this cretin. He’s a monster who is disrespecting her in the worst way possible.

I whirl around and my fist connects with Luke’s nose in a satisfying crunch.

“What the fuck?” Luke wails as he grabs his face, blood spilling between his fingers.

“Caden, come on,” Alistair says as one of the security guards grabs my elbow and hauls me out of the club.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

ISLA

It’s nearly midnight but I can’t sleep.

I’m in my tiny kitchen practicing the filling for one of the macarons for Magnolia Day. I haven’t gotten the blueberry basil ones right yet—blueberry is a tricky flavor because it’s so subtle. And keeping my hands busy helps with all the snarls in my head.

---