Page 44 of Papers Don't Lie

The world dims a little around us, and I decide it’s time for this unrequited shooting to end.

“Thank you,” I tell the photographers, and leave with my fingers threaded between Esmeray’s.

“Is it always going to be like this?” she whispers to me when we enter the room that looks like a goddamn ballroom.

“No." I shake my head. “They just need to get used to us.”

Esmeray meets most of my company’s partners, and I’d say they all love her, but you’d never know. People are very good at pretending, and the last ones whose opinions about my wife matter are surely not them.

We go through most of the event without stumbling upon Carter, mostly having unnecessary conversations with people we don’t know because that’s what business means, actually. One conversation can change your life, and a lot of people are trying to do just that, but like Esmeray said, I can’t help everyone.

To my surprise, Esmeray seems to be in her element the entire time, smiling and engaging in boring conversations with anyone who stops by to congratulate us on our engagement. There are a few moments when she glances over her shoulders as if she's expecting someone to jump out at any second, but other than that, she puts on a show.

“I mean, do you know how rare kakapos are? If I don’t help them, who will?”

“You’re right. It’s so nice of you to do this,” Esmeray replies for me when my gaze gets lost somewhere in the distance and collides with Carter’s.

His eyes scream murder, and his sinister smile only adds to it. The nerve this guy has. What does he want from her? I don’tunderstand. As far as I know, they’ve never been close or even friends, so why is he so desperate to have her?

“Excuse me,” I tell the man whose name I don’t remember and start walking at the same time Carter does. He walks slower than I do, as if that will intimidate me. I simply hurry my pace, stopping chest to chest.

“Are you jealous because of one look, Graves? I didn’t take you as the jealous type,” he murmurs, staring me down.

“The entire room has their eyes on her, and I have no problem with that. I know my wife is beautiful. My only problem is you.” I spit the words out, struggling to keep my calm as my palm curls into a tight fist.

The idiot pats me on my back, a selfish grin appearing on his face that asks nothing more but to be punched. And I’m not the violent type.

“You give me too much credit, but if that’s what you consider me, then I have to admit, it’s an honor.”

“Kai?” I hear Esmeray’s voice from behind me, and I relax, letting my shoulders slump. “What’s going on?” she asks, taking my hand into hers and stepping next to me. Esmeray looks at my profile, facing my twitching jaw as I focus on Carter.

“Nothing, I was just making sure I’m understood,” I tell her and grab her by the waist before turning away from Carter.

Esmeray is snatched away from me, and when I look over my shoulders, Carter has his dirty fingers around her small arm. All I see is red and simply forget about not being the violent type for a second. No one touches my wife like that—like she’s an object, something that has to obey—not even me.

My chest rises and falls with rapid breaths, my thoughts clouded by what I’m seeing. “Let her go,” I demand, and there’s nothing in his eyes but challenge.

I watch his fingers curl tighter, and Esmeray releases a shaky breath at the force of his hand on her. He’s taking pleasure fromthe pain, and he’s lucky we’re in public because otherwise, I would wipe the smirk that is now stretching on his face.

“Why would I do that? She was promised tome.” He says the words carefully as if I’m a ten-year-old who needs a slow explanation.

Because I feel my rage rising with each moment his hand is still on her, I step closer, putting a hand behind his neck and squeezing tightly. From a distance, it might seem amicable even.

“Get your dirty hands off my wife, Carter, or I’ll stop playing nice.” I let the words out through gritted teeth.

“Carter.” Esmeray tries to tone him down, but his entire attention is on me.

“You always play nice, Graves. Who are you trying to fool? Your mother?” The idiot laughs at his own joke, but the look in my eyes must say something because his smile slowly erases.

“You have a point there. I always play nice, so keep your hands on her for another second and I won’t hesitate to show you what it’s like when I get my hands dirty. The unknown is dangerous,” I mutter, trying to keep my calm and not snap his head.

Forget about violent thoughts. What circles in my mind is beyond that. It’s murderous.

He holds my gaze for a moment, then raises his palms in the air. “I didn’t know you two loved each other so much.” He laughs. “And remember, my precious,je sais tout.”

“Don’t talk to her.” I thicken my voice, putting Esmeray behind me. Carter remains silent, so I say one last thing before getting both of us away from this party. I should’ve never made her come. “Touch her again and you die,” I warn through gritted teeth before walking away.

TWENTY-FOUR

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