Page 41 of The One Night Match
“Will anyone else be joining us tonight?” Riley asks, her eyes moving over the room slowly, taking in each of the couples like she’s trying to memorize them. It’s something my mother insisted both Lexi and I learn from a young age. Assessing every possible threat in a room, making sure you know who is on your side and who will stab you in the back as soon as they get the chance.
“Just my stepdaughter. Unfortunately, Timothy, my son, is busy this evening. They’re a little older than you are, but I think you’ll get along great with them both.”
Almost as if her stepfather conjured her, Monica steps into the room in a dress, if you can even call it that, so short that her panties are on show with each step she takes. I guess I should just be grateful she chose to wear underwear at all, because I haven’t always been so lucky.
“Cruzy!” she squeals, and I don’t miss the way Riley flinches beneath my arm at the pitch of the sound. “Oh, I’m so happy you’re here!” She moves across the room in her sky-high heels, her tits pushed so far up her chest I can’t help but wonder if she’s had another boob job to go with the two she had last year. A fact I know all too intimately because she showed up at my office twice to show me the results.
Before I can get out a greeting, she drops herself into my lap and yanks my head into her chest, completely ignoring Riley sitting beside me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Riley’s expression morphs from surprise to anger to hurt, and the last one has impatience bubbling in my chest.
As carefully as I can manage, I wrap my hands around Monica’s shoulders and push her off me, making sure she’s steady before letting her go.
“Monica,” I clip. “This is my wife, Riley De Luca.”
Her bright, hazel eyes lock on the woman beside me, and I can’t help but notice the hatred staring down at my girl.
Riley holds out her hand. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
“Can’t say the same for you,” she mutters, moving to take the seat beside me.
“Monica!” Dennis snaps. “You cannot disrespect Cruz’s wife.”
“I can when she doesn’t belong here. She’s not even a part of our organization,” she argues, flipping her platinum-blonde hair over her shoulder.
“That’s irrelevant.”
“But it’s not. Everyone knows the boss is meant to marry within the family to strengthen his hold. The fact that he went outside just shows weakness.”
I sigh, trying with everything I have to hold on to the composure that doesn’t seem to exist right now. “Monica, I need you to hear me when I say this. You are not a part of this family by blood. You are a part of this family by marriage, making you just as much of an outsider as Riley. But more than that, this is the way the Mafia has worked for generations. I don’t know where you got the misguided idea on the contrary.”
Her lips purse in annoyance. “It’s fine. It’s not like your marriage is going to last anyway.”
The laugh that bursts out of Riley beside me has everyone in the room looking her way. Her hand covers her mouth like she can’t believe she made the sound, but my own smile tugs at my lips of its own accord.
“Are you okay, Kitten?” I press a kiss to her temple.
Riley nods. “I’ll be better when Barbie here gets her hand off your thigh as part of her desperate attempt for you to give a fuck about her.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. God, this woman is everything I never knew I needed in my life.
To be honest, I didn’t even notice Monica’s hand on me, because I’m far more focused on Riley at my other side, but I immediately push her perfectly manicured hand away.
“How dare you?” Monica screeches.
“That’s enough,” Dennis snaps. “Riley, apologize to my daughter.”
“No,” I say. “Monica owes my wife an apology. It was disrespectful to drop herself into a married man’s lap in front of his wife and then continue to touch me even after I removed her.”
“It’s not even like it’s a real marriage,” Monica huffs.
Riley takes my hand and squeezes it, obviously aware I’m seconds away from throwing her over my shoulder and getting us both the fuck out of here. “It’s fine, babe,” she murmurs, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I’m very sorry for calling you out, Monica. I can’t imagine how difficult it is to see someone you had your sights set on with someone else. I hope we can move past this for the sake of the family.”
I’ve known I was falling for Riley since the night she ran out of the club and I thought I would never see her again, but watching her diplomatically take down the woman who has refused to take no for an answer for the last three years only makes me fall harder.
TWENTY-ONE
RILEY
