Page 70 of Seduced By You

She slipped off her fur coat, an odd thing to wear in Dubai. I sucked in a gasp before it escaped. Fuck. What had happened to her? She looked… emaciated. Last time our paths had crossed, she’d been on the too-thin side, which wasn’t at all uncommon for catwalk models. It was one of many sides of the industry I despised. The dreadful pressure put on women to be almost skeletal. But this… this was on another level.

“You remember Daniel, don’t you?” She beckoned her companion forward.

My jaw flexed. Daniel Romero was a top modeling agent, a man with many of the world’s most successful models on his books. And an absolute bastard. He worked his models too hard, double and triple booking them, and raking in his fat fees. He lived a life of incredible luxury, amassed off the backs of the women he exploited. He’d tried to sign me on multiple occasions. I’d met each approach with a firm no. Daniel didn’t take well to rejection. Frequently, he’d told lies about me to his immoral journalist friends, promising he could make the stories go away with a click of his fingers. As long as I signed a contract with him, of course.

Like I said, bastard.

“Oh, I remember.”

Kadon lifted an eyebrow, evidently picking up on my flat tone. He glanced from me to Ayesha, then to Daniel, and back to me.

Daniel’s lips thinned as he dipped his chin. “Annaleesa. You’re looking well.”

“Well?” Ayesha inspected me from head to toe, her eyes lingering on my rounder waist, more generous hips, and moderately larger breasts. “I wouldn’t say that. I mean, you always were Little Miss Perfect, Annaleesa. You’re not so perfect anymore.” She giggled, covering her mouth with her fingertips, almost like a naughty child messing about at the back of the classroom. “You’ve gotten fat.”

Kadon quivered, his eyes molten rage. I shook my head.Don’t react.That one barbed comment showed everything wrong with the world I’d once inhabited. No one in their right mind could call a size eight woman fat, yet to Ayesha, who must be less than a size zero, my weight was something to vilify. When I’d modeled, I’d refused to drop below a size four, and even then, I’d known I was borderline malnourished and unhealthy. But at my worst, I’d never looked as ill as Ayesha did.

“Are you all right?” I ignored her comment about my weight. In my experience dealing with this particular individual, it was best to smile sweetly and refuse to rise to her insults.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be? Now that you’re off the scene and out of my way, I’m living my best life.”

She linked arms with Daniel, gazing up at him as if he were a god. The fucking devil was a far better description. I glared at him. He stared back at me, his gaze belligerent. Nothing had changed.

“I heard about your fiancé dumping you.” Ayesha laughed. I expected her at any moment to rub her hands together in glee. “I’m not surprised you quit modeling after that. I mean, imagine the gossip you’d have been subjected to every day.”

Yeah, and you’d have been the ringleader to every bitchy comment.

I kept the smile fixed on my face. Across the table, Kadon simmered. I touched him with my foot, a further warning not to rise to the bait.

“We’ve both moved on. I have a new man in my life.” I sent Kadon a reassuring smile. “And Benedict is newly married to someone far better suited to him. Kadon and I recently attended his wedding.”

“Really?” Ayesha gave a good impression of biting down on a bitter slice of lemon. “What an odd thing to do. Don’t you agree, Daniel?”

Daniel, instead of listening to Ayesha’s spiteful outpouring of bitterness, had zeroed in on Kadon. He blinked several times in succession.

“Kadon?” Daniel leaned closer, his eyes narrowed. “As in Kingcaid?”

Kadon dipped his chin, once.

“Wow. It’s great to meet you, man.” He stuck out his hand. Kadon left it hanging in midair. Daniel, one of the most egotistical, self-absorbed jerks to walk the earth, took far too long to realize Kadon had no intention of shaking his hand. Eventually, he let it fall back to his side. “I’d love to talk to you about a business opportunity sometime. How long are you staying in Dubai?”

Kadon’s icy stare would have shriveled the balls of most men. Daniel Romero wasn’t most men. Thank Christ. One was enough.

“I’m choosy about whom I partner with.”

“Yeah, me, too.” Daniel guffawed. I resisted clamping my hands over my ears. “Seriously, I can meet you anytime, anyplace.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Kadon shook out his napkin and relaid it in his lap. “If you’ll excuse us.”

Daniel, finally realizing Kadon had dismissed his offer, snorted. “The rumors about your family are true. You are a bunch of stuck-up narcissists.”

Kadon slammed his napkin on the table and rose to his feet. He towered over Daniel by a good half a foot. I almost let out a cheer when Daniel stepped back. One–zero to Kadon.

“This is a nice place, and because of that, I won’t embarrass my girl by doing what I should, which is to put you on your ass. But let me be clear; if our paths cross again, you won’t get off as lightly. So do yourself a favor and fuck off.”

My chest burst with pride. If we weren’t in an Arab country, and at risk of getting thrown in jail, I’d kiss the hell out of him.

“Come on, Daniel.” Ayesha tugged on his elbow. “You don’t need him, and she’s a has-been. Let’s not waste any more of our precious time on them.” She swept away, the hem of her coat dragging along the floor.

---