Page 73 of One Secret

The way he's watching Darcy has my skin crawling.

In that moment, I want to rush Darcy from the room. I want to get her as far away from Felix Caruso's radar as possible.

What the hell had we been thinking bringing her here?

One wrong word and Darcy could—

'Not at all, Mr. Caruso,' Darcy placates. As if she's been acting all her life, she adopts a casual, smiling persona; a holiday goer currently seated in the lap of luxury. Tearing a piece from the corner of her honey bread, she uses it to gesture at the table before popping it between her lips. 'Your hotel and its services are flawless. And your island is beautiful.' Your hotel. Your island. Clearly, Darcy knows how to schmooze egotistical maniacs. 'We rented some jet skis this morning so that we could see it properly from the water. The experience was...' Darcy catches my eye and, despite it being the absolute worse time for distractions, my body lights up in eager response.

'... unforgettable,' she finishes, with a bite to her plump lower lip.

Jesus Christ.

'I'm glad to hear it,' Felix says, leaning back comfortably in his seat. 'Yet, you appeared startled at the suggestion of staying longer?'

My heart is beating in my ears but Darcy is quick to charm and reassure.

'Only because of my job, Mr. Caruso,' she smiles. 'I only requested a few days of leave to come here and staying longer may cause an issue with my employer.'

'What is it that you do?' he asks.

For a second, I'm surprised that Fiori's report on us didn't include Darcy's occupation. But perhaps he thought it so beneath notice that it never made it to the page.

'I work in a hotel,' Darcy answers.

'Ah, like our Ms. Lana?' Felix smiles across the table at Lana, like she's a favorite thoroughbred of his. My creeps escalate when Lana smiles back so naturally.

'Oh, nothing as impressive as that,' Darcy corrects. She lifts her chin. 'I work as a bartender.'

This little confession makes far more of a mark on the present company than it should. Lana seems surprised, her head tilting and long blonde locks tumbling over one shoulder. Vincent Omar's eyes narrow upon Darcy in consideration.

Rocco is grinning. Like he's just discovered that the toy he wants to purchase is on a discount.

Felix gives Darcy a comprehensive glance from her head to her toes.

'Ah,' he says with a nod. 'That explains it, then.'

'Excuse me?' Darcy's hard attitude crackles beneath her words.

Fear shoots down my spine and this time it's me reaching for her leg. I grasp down on her thigh in a silent order, begging her to keep her cool.

'You should take better care of your woman, Alesi,' Felix suggests with his off-the-cuff prejudice. He looks pointedly at Darcy's inexpensive clothing. 'I have never met a woman who did not enjoy a shiny bauble or designer label from time to time. True ladies enjoy the finer things in life and their men should provide, am I right, Miss Calabrese?' Felix doesn't wait long enough for Darcy to respond. He just continues to blather. 'Not to mention,' he says with a darker, sinful turn in his voice. 'I find them rather... agreeable in other areas after being spoiled a little.'

10

Smug, sexist pig.

It's an effort of will not to openly gag; to just stick out my tongue and mimic choking on the garbage Felix Caruso is spewing. He speaks about women as if they are mindless toys, drawn to sparkling trinkets and shallow materialism.

Meanwhile, he's the one looking me up and down with derision for my lack of designer labels.

Smug, sexist, hypocritical pig.

Next to me, Cyrus is a fucking marvel. Above the equator of the table top, he appears entirely calm, his upper body open and unaffected. One arm is laid gently beside his plate and his forearm flexes with every tap his fingertips administer to the table cloth. The hand on my leg, to those opposite, would look only like a man too in love to wholly let go of his woman.

All unruffled elegance and dominant charisma.

Beneath the table, however, his grip is a vice on my thigh.

---