Page 30 of Devious
“Yes, Cayden.” My tone is cryptic and nonchalant.
“Did you like the flowers I bought you?” His voice sounds deeper and sexier over the phone. It would be a lot easier if I wasn’t sexually attracted to him. It would be a lot easier, too, if I didn’t want him touching me. My mind still goes back to the night he gave me an orgasm. And I don’t like the way he’s acting like our dynamic changed.
“They are lovely.”
I don’t offer a thanks because I don’t want anything except to be away from him.
“Tonight, I’m taking you out on a date. Wear a red dress and be ready by seven.”
Date?Why, all of a sudden, is he being nice? It doesn’t matter. I’m going to make myself so horrible to be around, he’ll think twice about playing games with my mind.
“Hell no.”
“You’re going to go, either with a collar around your neck where I’ll drag you around as my pet or you’ll go as my wife.”
Then the phone goes dead.
“Asshole!!!!” I slam the phone down, and head straight to my bedroom.
Devious
When I open the bedroom door, she has her legs crossed with a remote in her hand, flipping through the channels. Binx is snuggled up against her, purring in his sleep. I’m going to have a few words with my cousin about bringing that cat into my home. She knows I’m allergic to animal fur.
Roselyn glances at me, taking in the expensive navy suit and brown leather loafers. Her cheeks turn red, but she doesn’t say a word and puts on her red Vans. She looks tacky as hell. She didn’t bother with putting on makeup, and her curly hair is frizzy and stiff. Her skin is paler than usual. Enzo’s words echo in the back of my head. She’s rebelling because she doesn’t want to be with me.
“You look beautiful. Despite you not putting in effort with your looks.”
She glares at me but doesn’t respond. I grab her hand, and she follows me to the three-car garage. I open the back door to the black SUV, and she slides inside. Then King opens my door, and I sit next to her. Max sits in the middle row, and Damien sits in the passenger seat. Roselyn scoots to the edge of the seat, away from me, putting her hands under her butt. My eyes keep venturing to her long, toned legs.
Her eyes stay glued to the window. “Why are you being sweet to me?” She pauses. “If you’re mindfucking me, please stop. It will be awfully cruel of you to paint me an illusion that you’re going to be nice to me when later on you’re mean to me.”
Her eyes water, blinking rapidly, trying not to let her tears fall, and her gaze is intense as she frowns.
She’s on edge, I get it. She doesn’t trust me, and I don’t blame her.
I rub the back of my head. “I’m not mindfucking you.”
King pulls up to the front of the steak house restaurant I own. Getting out of the car, I open her door as she steps out. She stops, inhales deeply, and she twirls around, closing her eyes.
“I miss this smell and the sounds of the city.”
She opens her eyes, and I take her hand. We head inside and go straight to the elevator.
The elevator stops and dings open. When we step out, Roselyn’s eyes widen as she takes in the view of the city and the people eating and chatting. I made sure that it’s a restaurant that I own, so she can’t escape me. I still don’t trust her, so I made sure that guards surround the restaurant.
It’s romantic. Something that hasn’t left me is knowing how to woo the fuck out of a woman. I’m taking Enzo’s advice, because I don’t want her life to be miserable and I don’t want our marriage to suffer either.
The hostess shows us to our table, and the waitress brings the menus.
“Mr. Vitali. It’s nice to see you.” Her smile is perky before her gaze focuses on Roselyn, and then she bows. “Mrs. Vitali. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Marie, and I’ll be your waitress. Congratulations on the wedding. Would you like an appetizer?”
“I’m not hungry, but I’ll take a glass of Coke and a loaded gun,” Roselyn says, and she places two fingers on the side of her temple, pretending to blow her brains out.
She’s so fucking dramatic, it’s comical.
Marie scrunches up her face, then twists to glance at me.
“The usual for me. For Roselyn, she’ll have a rack of your lamb with a salad and mashed sweet potatoes.”
