Page 124 of Twisted Obsession

“I would love to try it,” I said.

“Good. You both can come to visit me this Wednesday. You can bring that paperwork with you, Darius, and I will have the contract ready.”

I had no idea what they were talking about, but Darius seemed aware and agreed. She murmured something into his ear before patting his arm and slipping away.

“What did she say?” I asked, curious about the grin left behind on his face.

“Protect the queen.” He chuckled at my puzzled expression. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain later.”

I gave his arm a light squeeze and turned to scan the sea of faces. There were so many bodies bobbing and moving through the space, amusing me how I’d thought the room would be too big when we’d been setting up the decorations.

“How much longer do we have to stay here?” Darius murmured into my ear, making me laugh.

“Lance drove me, but I think he and Michael will be here a while longer to mingle and enjoy the evening. I, on the other hand, am ready to go when you are,” I told him. “But I think your mom wants you to make a speech and say goodbye to people then we can go.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is that all?”

“Make it quick,” I rested my palms over the warmth of his chest and peered up into his face. “I want you inside me the second we get home.”

I felt his sharp inhale under my touch, but it was the immediate darkening of his eyes that assured me we would be out of there within the hour.

“Fuck, kitten, you have—”

“Darius.” Like some ethereal goddess emerging from a mystical mist, Liya Cavell slinked through the crowd to stand before us, a vision in a shimmering gold gown. Her smoky brown eyes glided over Darius as if he were a tall drink of water and she’d been ostracized in the desert her entire life. The eyeshadow pressed into the back of her eyelids shimmered with the lazy once over. Her hungry gaze never even landed on me as they worked their way back up to settle on his face. I may as well have been empty space. “Thank goodness you’re home. I was worried sick.”

Darius inclined his head, a polite gesture he’d given everyone who’d said the exact same thing to him the entire night. “Thank you for coming.”

The viper bared her teeth in a sultry smile that prickled the skin all down my spine. She fluttered her lashes and I saw the appeal. Liya was beyond stunning. She was the kind of beauty men went to war for, and she had the lineage to go with it. I didn’t know very much about the Cavells or their social standing, but they ran a pretty successful drug trade. Her and Darius’s paths crossed a few times, and they started dating. Much of that time was blocked from my memory. I’d intentionally avoided knowing anything about their relationship. But I didn’t hate her because she was beautiful or from Darius’s world. I hated her — wholly and completely — because of her cheating on him with half the city.

“You look good,” she was saying when I focused on the conversation again. “Practically haven’t changed at all since we saw each other last.”

Darius offered her his generic smile. “Thank you. You remember Kami, don’t you?”

Her big, doe eyes found mine at last and widened. “Oh, my lord, little Kamari, I didn’t even recognize you in big girl clothes.”

I nearly laughed. “It’s nice to see you in clothes, Liya.”

I hadn’t meant to voice my inner thoughts. I always told myself if I ever crossed paths with Liya, I would be indifferent and mature. That went out the window the moment she opened her mouth, it seemed.

I wasn’t jealous. I was fuming. This woman had had Darius. She’d had him. They were talking about marriage and kids. She was the one who decided he wasn’t enough. She was the one who betrayed what they had. Now, she had the nerve to stand before him like there would ever be a second chance.

Her chuckle was condescending at best, but I was given no more thought as she pivoted back to Darius. She slithered an inch closer, an inch too close, invading his space and testing my barely restrained control.

Darius took a discreet step back. I felt the tug of his arm drawing us away from the sweet scent of honey and some exotic jungle plant.

Liya must have noticed as well because she flicked a glance at where my arm was threaded through his but couldn’t seem to get her eyes to go the rest of the way back to my face. Her attention immediately returned to him.

“I was hoping we could talk … privately. We left so many things unsaid that last time and I just want us to catch up.”

The small, bitter part of me wanted to tell her off, to act as small and insecure as she was but I didn’t see the point. Darius was mine. He was going home with me. What they had almost ten years ago, was a lifetime ago and I’d won. Getting in a cat fight now would be as productive as trying to go back in timeand beating her senseless with a bat. She’d had her chance. She fucked up. Besides, this wasn’t my fight. Not yet.

“I appreciate the request, but I have guests I need to attend to, but thank you for coming.”

Darius made to move us away from the goddess in gold only to have a small, red tipped hand settle lightly on his chest, possibly to block him. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t care.

The leash around my control snapped.

It hit a level that would have frightened me if I could think past the roar blasting between my ears.

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