Page 95 of Titan

“Is she wrong, though?”

He put his hand to his chest and let out a huff.

“I amnota fuckboy. I should have known savagery runs in your fucking family.”

I patted his shoulder, which I’m sure he thought was condescending, judging by the glare he sent my way.

“If it makes you feel any better, Verona is mean to everyone.”

He pouted and shrugged me off.

“It doesn’t.”

He shoved his empty glass of champagne on the tray as a waiter appeared in front of us before barking at the guy to get him something stronger. Theia was watching him with her blue-grey eyes shining with amusement. I squeezed her side to get her attention.

“Is he always like this?” she whispered.

“Pretty much. Just watch. He’ll sulk for the rest of the evening.”

I leaned closer, pressing my lips to the skin behind her ear. She shivered, her hand snaking around my waist.

“Have I told you how—” I faltered when my eyes landed on a woman standing a few feet away. I’d never seen her before in my life, but something about her was strangely familiar. When I realised why, I swallowed hard and wondered if I was seeing things. She smiled at the person she was talking to. I knew that smile. There was a hint of playfulness along with a twinkle in her brown eyes.

She looks like Zayn’s girlfriend. She looks almost exactly like Arianna Michaelson. What… the… fuck!

Thirty Two

Gilberto

The woman I couldn’t help staring at had wavy dark brown hair with brown eyes and olive skin. Her face structure was very similar to Arianna’s, but her nose was different. I hadn’t met Ari’s father, Bennett, but I imagined all of her other features came from him.

This wasn’t any of my business, of course, but I knew Zayn’s girlfriend had never met her mother, nor did she know who the woman was. Something inside me wanted to know if I was right. If this was indeed Ari’s mother. She looked far too fucking similar for it to be a coincidence.

“Gil?” Theia prompted, shaking me from my reverie.

I straightened but didn’t take my eyes off the woman. This might have consequences I wasn’t prepared for, but I couldn’t leave without knowing the truth.

“Stay here with Edric.”

“What?”

I pushed her to stand next to my still pouting friend and turned my attention to him rather than answering Theia.

“Don’t take your eyes off her, you hear me? I’m entrusting her safety to you.”

Edric’s eyes darted between me and Theia.

“Okay, you know I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“Good.”

I made to step away, but his hand on my shoulder stopped me.

“Where are you going?”

Shrugging him off, I moved away without responding. I didn’t have time to explain as I pulled out my phone and moved closer to the woman. I stuck it to my ear a moment later while listening to it ring.

“Evening, Gil,” Zayn said when he answered. “Is this important? I’m right in the middle of something.”

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