Page 21 of King of Greed

“I’m past romantic, Alessandra. I’m desperate.”

I ruthlessly tamped down the sympathy unfurling behind my ribs. So what if he sounded miserable? He brought it on himself.

Still, I diverted my attention to the exit sign above his shoulder so I didn’t have to meet his eyes.

I should leave. Every second I spent in his company was another opportunity for him to break down my walls, and I didn’t fully trust myself with him yet, especially not when I had so many drinks in my system.

“Did you get my flowers?” Dominic didn’t try to touch me again, but his gaze might as well have been a caress. It lingered on my face, tracing the lines of my jaw and cheekbones before kissing my mouth with its warmth.

“Yes.” I notched my chin up even as my skin tingled with awareness.I shouldn’t have had that martini.Alcohol always lowered my inhibitions, which wasnota good thing when Dominic was in the vicinity. “I donated them to the nearest children’s hospital.”

If he was upset about me donating thousands of dollars’ worth of florals, he didn’t show it. “I’m sure they appreciated it.”

A smile ghosted his mouth when I sighed, and I caught the tiniest glimpse of the man he used to be—the one who carried me uphill in the pouring rain because my heel broke, who kissed me good night every night no matter how late he came home, and who attempted to bake one of the elaborate cakes I’d saved on Pinterest for my birthday. His cake had come out decidedly un-Pinterestlike, but I’d loved it anyway. It was the thought that counted.

A stab of sentimentality drained the fight out of me. I sighed again, already exhausted from keeping myself together in his presence.

“Sign the papers, Dom.”

CHAPTER 11

Dominic

I DIDN’T BELIEVE IN FATE AS A GENERAL RULE, BUT AS WITHall rules, there were exceptions. I’ve only had two: the day I met Alessandra in Thayer’s library and today.

Of all the bars and all the nights in the world, we were both here tonight. If that wasn’t a message from the universe, nothing was.

“If you don’t, I’ll get half of everything. We never signed a prenup,” Alessandra reminded me. The draft from a passing server blew wisps of hair into her eye. “We…” Her sentence trailed off when I brushed the strands back. My hand lingered next to her cheek, savoring her warmth.

“Do you want to be rid of me that desperately?” I murmured.

In any other situation, I would’ve balked at the thought of losing half my fortune, but all I could think about was how badly I wanted to kiss her. A real kiss, not like the perfunctory ones I usually gave her when I came home because I’d been too tired from work.

The regret of a thousand missed opportunities trickled through my veins.

Alessandra’s face softened for a split second before hardening. “I served the papers, didn’t I?”

I might’ve believed her had it not been for the tiny hitch in her voice, but her response still had its intended effect. It slashed through my composure, drawing blood and pain with one viciously clean slice.

Alessandra wasn’t the type who enjoyed hurting people, and her defensiveness was a testament to how much I’d hurther.Out of everything, that knowledge cut the deepest.

I’d thought I’d been doing the right thing by providing for us, but our definitions on what that looked like had clearly diverged over the years.

There’s no short-term fix for something like this.

Kai’s words echoed in my head, underpinned by a familiar sweet, warm croon as the music segued into a new song.

My breaths stilled at the same time as Alessandra’s. The sign outside the bar had proclaimed tonight Latin night, but what were the chances they would playthisexact song atthisexact moment?

Like I said, I didn’t believe in fate…except when it came to us.

“Dance with me.” I lowered my hand and held it out. She didn’t take it. I’d expected the refusal, but it stung nonetheless. “What would tonight look like if things were different?” I asked quietly. “If we were the people we used to be?”

A visible swallow betrayed Alessandra’s emotions. “Don’t.”

“Indulge me.” My voice softened further. “For old time’s sake.”

The music swirled around us, carrying us away from the bar and into the past.

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