Page 21 of The Viper

The driver slowly maneuvers the car close to a daunting yacht. “Stay with the car, Frank,” Dominic says. The driver’s name is Frank? He looks like a Frank. Frank stops the car, and Marco is out first. I move to open the door and Dominic leans over to place his hand over mine. “Don’t,” he warns in an eerily controlled tone.

I pull my hand away and wait for Marco. Marco rounds the car and opens the door for me. A part of me wants to turn to Dominic for approval before I slide out, but another part wants to tell him that I’m more than capable of doing these things by myself. Dominic slides out after me and takes my arm in the crook of his. “Why do you do that?” I look to our linked arms before a small shiver tears through me from the cool ocean air.

“Rosa, I..”

“Rose.”

Dominic blinks a few times then continues, “Rosa, I do what I want.” Wow, talk about a non-answer answer.

“You do what you want and I can’t question it?”

“Precisely.” He pets my hand and adds, “You’re learning. Good.” Condescending ass. “After you,” he says once we’re at the ramp for the mega-yacht.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a yacht this big before. I didn’t even know they make them like this.”

“Welcome aboard the Venus,” the captain of the yacht announces. Behind him are two staff members holding silver trays with flutes of champagne and glasses with scotch.

“Miss Hopkins.” One of the waiters offers me a champagne.

“No, thank you.” I wave it away.

“She’ll have a Sprite,” Dominic announces from behind me. He remembered.

“Yes, Mr. Sacco.” The same waiter scurries away.

“Wow,” I say as I look out over the ocean. The twinkling lights of the city are reflected in the still water. “So pretty.” But I’m excited to see my sister and can’t wait to get to her. “Is Eliza here yet?” I ask Dominic enthusiastically.

“Not yet.” My shoulders droop with disappointment. “She’ll be here,” he says in a comforting voice. “Come.” He forces his fingers through mine and leads me further onto the yacht. “Ruben.” Dominic approaches Ruben, who’s standing at the bar talking to a woman who’s quite scantily clothed. Wow, I think I overdressed considering she’s only wearing a cherry red bikini.

“Dominic, I’m glad you could come.” Ruben approaches Dominic and does the whole double cheek kiss. “Rose, you look beautiful.” He wraps his arms around me and kisses both my cheeks. Dominic’s fingers tighten around my hand. What’s that about?

“Thank you.” My body is already rigid with unease while my mind continues to race. I flick a look to the woman who looks like she’s my age. She steps into Ruben and pushes herself into his arms.

“This is...” Ruben pauses and looks to the beautiful brunette with perfectly rounded boobs, a tiny waist and slender hips. “This is...” He crinkles his brows.

“Courtney.” She places a hand to his chest and smiles. “Silly man,” she teases.

I have no idea what’s going on here. Who is she? “Pleasure,” I say as I reach out to shake her hand.

“Oh, how cute.” She grabs my hand and limply shakes it. Again, who is she? “I’m starving, when can we eat?”

Oh right, she’s joining us for dinner.

“You’ll be leaving soon,” Ruben says.

“What? Why?” She snuggles in closer to him, kissing him on the jaw.

Jesus, I really don’t need to be here for this. “Because I don’t want you here when my other guests arrive.”

Did he really say that? My eyes widen and I lower my chin, trying to sink into the floor of the yacht. How humiliating. “Ohhh, can’t I stay?” Is she serious? She wants to stay after he embarrassed her like that?

“No. Actually, Dante,” he calls loudly.

“Yes, sir.” A man with fierce eyes and a hard face steps forward.

“Take Courtney home now.” Ruben lifts her hand and gently presses a kiss to it.

“Let me stay,” she whines.

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