Page 40 of The Billionaire's Seduction Revenge

“Yes. Congratulations.” Bitterness flattened the words. She tried again, “I think I’ll leave you two to celebrate.” She stood abruptly, earning a look of frustration from Vasilios and a quick denial from Costa.

“You should join us.”

“It’s better for you to be alone,” she demurred, not meeting Vasilios’s eyes.

“Stay.” That was the younger Valenti. “I insist.”

She cast him a quick glance, then looked away again. “Dinner is prepared, in the fridge. It just needs to be served. I presume you’re capable of that?”

She couldn’t keep the tartness out of her voice and wished, more than anything, that she could act as if she didn’t care what he’d been up to and with whom. But the truth was, it brought back so many memories of Jack’s infidelity, of a lingering feeling that she wasn’t good enough, that she wasn’tenoughfor anyone to value her enough not to cheat. It wasn’t about Vasilios then, so much as her own emotional bruise that he’d somehow managed to push his thumb right into. But Vasilios wasn’t Jack, she knew, and after his own experiences with infidelity, would he really do that to Emma? Then again, why not? What were they to one another? It was all such a mess. She needed space.

Before Vasilios could answer, Emma spun away, throwing one quick, bright smile at Costa then pacing away from the terrace.

Emotions were overpowering her.

She made it to the big glass doors that led from the terrace, stepped inside, turned left towards the corridor that would lead to the pool house courtyard, and then, Vasilios was with her, right behind her, his body enough of a presence for her to feel it even when he didn’t touch her. She closed her eyes, sucked in a strengthening breath but kept walking. At the door to the courtyard, he spoke.

“Wait.” The word was like a caress, wrapping around her.

Emma didn’t stop. “What for, Vasilios?”

“You’re angry.”

“Why would I be angry?”

“Because you read that stupid article and think I’m involved with Veronica.”

“Are you?”

“No.”

The denial was too quick to be a lie. Besides, she didn’t think Vasilios was a dishonest person by nature. And yet, Costa’s words rang in her ears, that Vasilios would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And what he’d wanted was for the deal to go through. And for Emma not to get romantic designs on Costa.

Had he acted to further his interests in both matters using his undeniable sex appeal to get his way?

Indignation lit a fire in her belly.

“I don’t even care,” she muttered, lying.

“Don’t you?” Now he caught her, his fingers wrapping around her wrist, halting her escape, turning her to face him. “Don’t you care at all, Emma?”

“Of course not. We both know this is meaningless. Why would it bother me if you screwed half of New York while you were there?”

“I didn’t,” he said, gruffly, rubbing his thumb over her lower lip in a touch that was both intimate and possessive.

“We haven’t made each other any promises, for God’s sake. It doesn’t matter. You’re free to do whatever—be with whomever—you want.”

“Thank you for your permission but you’re the only person I’m interested in being with right now.”

Right now.The statement flooded her at first with warmth and then with a timely reminder of the impermanence of this. She was already aware of it but having it pointed out to her was important for her emotional sanity.

“And yet, it sounds like you and Veronica must have had a lot to catch up on, given that you used to be seriously involved.”

His eyes narrowed. “Says who? Stupid gossip sites?”

“I didn’t google you,” she denied.

“Costa,” he said, on a sigh.

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