Page 80 of Gamble with Me
"Talk about yourself," Zyon groaned as if it was the worst thing that could happen to him.
"Don't worry, brother." Dorian slammed his shoulder, taking the remaining envelopes and opening the door. "There will be a huge poker game in the VIP area. You'll have your fun."
My brows furrowed when he mentioned the game, but then I noticed the venue of the party on the invitation was the Starlight building. It wasn't under my roof, so I didn't care about it.
Dorian rushed Zyon out of the office, mumbling about being late for the meeting. I didn't want to steal their precious time, yet the conversation with Zyon was at the forefront of my mind.
I stared at his back when I followed him through the hall, lost in my thoughts. My mind was confused and scared to imagine the things that could hurt me. I deeply cared for my stalker. I was ready to choose him over my husband anytime, despite knowing he was a criminal. But what was going on between Zyon and me was unexplainable. I had to get to the bottom of it.
"Valeria."
Zyon came to an abrupt halt and swiftly turned around. A few envelopes fell from his hands, but he didn't care. Dorian cast him an irritated look, picking the invitation from the floor while Zyon's eyes bore into mine, his expression telling me he wanted to reveal something.
"Yes?" I breathed, unsure what I wanted to hear.
That he was my stalker? That he repeatedly kidnapped me? That he hid his identity from me because he was bored and wanted to add excitement to his dull life? Or that he was obsessed with me?
Shit!
The entire promenade of questions marched through my mind in a millisecond, but he just watched me.
"I can't," he whispered, barely audible. "Not now. I'm sorry."
The words shot through me like a poisonous arrow. Their meaning hit my heart, spreading quickly like a deadly venom, but instead of killing me, they made me feel alive.
The breath stuck in my throat as the realization settled. There was a huge possibility that he was my stalker. But something blocked him from telling me the truth.
I frowned at the closed glass entrance, watching him get into his luxurious limousine, and Jamal closed the door behind him.
The gnawing feeling in my chest made me aware of the complicated situation I found myself in.
Was my husband and his mysterious benefactor behind Zyon's worries about my safety? But more importantly, was Zyon really my stalker?
-38-
Zyon
Sitting in the black leather seat of my luxurious car, I realized I was losing my shit. My throat tightened, and my chest was on fire. My legs bounced nervously, and I clenched my fists. The hot, heavy metal pliers squeezed my ribs, deterring me from taking oxygen into my lungs. My skin and muscles burned under the heavy load of this situation.
Things out of my control prevented me from telling Valeria the truth, and I was starting to feel desperate. I wanted to be honest with her, spill the beans, and, if necessary, fight and prove that I didn't do it out of pure selfishness and some sick need to chase her.
I enjoyed the game. It would be the biggest lie to claim that I didn't find it exciting to stalk her, but my intentions with her were real and pure. Just because I craved to own her didn't mean I didn't respect her.
Valeria wasn't a trophy I wanted to show off. She was the reason I lived again. She defrosted the boulder in my chest that I had instead of a heart, forcing it to experience feelings I thought I’d lost forever. She saved my poor existence from living in endless quiet misery, while at the same time, she woke up the beast ready to burn the world for her.
But I couldn't fight myself any longer. I needed her by my side, whatever it took. She and her daughter belonged with me. This fucking charade had to end before I lost my mind entirely because every time I imagined her going home to her husband, I wanted to break something. Chester's spine would be the most satisfying, but it wasn't the right time.
I had to be patient. I knew that, but it was tremendously hard to keep my mind sane when she shared a bed with another man.
When the fuck did I become like this?
I should've kidnapped her long ago and never let her leave. Still, she had a daughter who needed her. She had a life I would've destroyed. She may never have forgiven me if I had done such a stupid thing, so I didn't want to risk it.
Yet now, I was desperate. My plan had so many holes and could backfire, but I had to start doing something.
Chester wasn't untouchable. I could kill him anytime, but it would be the start of a war I wanted to avoid. I was responsible for my brothers, mother, and other family members. I couldn't put my personal needs and wants above my status as the head of the clan. Their safety and prosperity came first. If I could avoid the crash with the Italians, I would do everything in my power to do it.
Still, that didn't mean I would sit silently and wait until they destroyed me and everything I’d worked for. They asked for this with their schemes, scams, and frauds. They were invisible with their plans and almost succeeded, but they underestimated my hunger for revenge.
