Page 59 of Tainted Princess
The realization was like cold water poured over my head. Pulling my arms from around his neck, I crossed them over my chest, trying to hide the effect he’d had on my body, but I wasn’t fooling either of us.
The doorknob turned again, and when Enzo looked at it, I used the opportunity to duck out from under his arm, moving to the far side of the room near the couch.
The door opened and a goddess walked in. Tall and lean, her legs seemed to go on for miles until they disappeared under a skirt so short I would barely say it qualified. Her cropped top showed of several inches of tanned skin and a sparkly belly button ring that I immediately wanted to rip out. The whole thing was topped off with a mane of golden blonde hair that looked like it belonged in a shampoo commercial.
Yeah, I hated her.
Her eyes locked on Enzo, those long legs carrying her to him effortlessly in shoes I would have died in. She stopped just short of touching him, a soft smile playing on her face.
“I’ve been looking for you,” she purred, the insinuation obvious.
“What do you need, Amber?” Enzo grit out, his gravestone eyes narrowed in her direction.
“Well,” she said, but stopped when her eyes met mine over Enzo’s shoulder. Her face registered surprise first, her gaze scouring me from top to bottom lightening fast, assessing my threat level in a way that only beautiful, insecure women seemed to be able to manage. It was only an instant, but whatever she saw turned her face from surprised to calculating. Her manicured hand reached out, glossy nails trailing down Enzo’s arm in a very familiar way. “It’s just, you’ve been so busy since you’ve been back from New York. I miss you.”
Gag.
“I got shit goin’ on, Amber,” he snapped, and I guess that made meshit.
Whatever. Fuck this.
Dropping my arms and straightening my shoulders, I headed for the door, my nose wrinkling as Amber’s floral perfume invaded my senses and made my eyes water. Perfume I recognized from the morning Enzo had fallen into bed beside me. No surprise there, I guess.
Twisting my body sideways to avoid touching her, I slipped past Amber and back into the darkened hall.
“Francesca!”
Nope.
“Francesca, wait!” The note of command in Enzo’s voice was plain, but I ignored it. At least I tried. His hand around my bicep was a little harder to ignore. “I said, wait.”
“I heard you,” I responded, spinning to look at him and grinding my teeth together when I spotted Amber tottering along behind him, a frown marring her flawless face. “I just didn’t care.”
“Let her go, Enzo,” Amber said, shooting me a dirty look. “You and I have some catching up to do.”
“Not now, Amber,” he huffed, causing her lower lip to flop out in a well-practiced pout.
I told myself it didn’t matter that his answer ofnot nowimplied the existence of alater, trying instead to focus on the fact that Enzo may be my husband, but that was a farce, and I’d do well to remember it.
Shutting down any and all feelings that even slightly resembled jealousy, I rolled my eyes and attempted to look bored.
“What do you want, Enzo?”
“I need you to come with me toDeuces Wild. It’s another one of my clubs.”
“Now? It’s getting late.” It was maybe ten-thirty, and I could see the snotty look on Amber’s face as she added another item to the list of reasons she didn’t like me. Whatever. Sleep was important.
“Yes, now. Rocco has our new friend in the basement, and I need you to be there while I ask him a few questions.”
Nowthatgot my attention.
Unfortunately, it also got Amber’s.
“The basement?” she shrieked, shouldering her way past him in the narrow hall and wedging herself in front of me so she could face Enzo, crossing her arms under her substantial breasts. “You’re takingherinto the basement? What the hell, Enzo?”
I didn’t know why it was a big deal, but whatever her issue was, it pissed Enzo off. I watched as his eyes darkened, the gravestone gray turning to a stormy sky as he moved his gaze slowly from me to her. I could see the moment she realized what she had done because her shoulders rounded and she took a step back. Unfortunately, she had forgotten I was there, and I held my ground, trapping her between Enzo and myself as he rose to his considerable full height.
“Amber,” he said, his voice so low I could barely hear him over the noise of the club at the end of the hall. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”
