“No,” I replied firmly. “And I intend to keep it that way.”
A slow, triumphant smile spread across her face. “You’re in love. Again.”
“And you’re a liar, as usual,” I shot back, irritation bubbling beneath the surface.
She shrugged, seemingly unfazed. “We all are.”
I shot her a glare and turned to walk away, desperate to escape the tension.
“Storming off already?” Chloe called after me, her voice sweet yet laced with a venomous undertone.
What had I been thinking, getting involved with a woman like this?
I didn’t stop. “Not in the mood, Chloe.”
She stepped directly in front of me, blocking my path. “You never are… until you are.”
I froze, my jaw tightening. “That was in the past. It shouldn’t have happened, and you know it.”
Her gaze dropped, fixating on the bulge in my swim trunks as if it were an invitation meant solely for her. She leaned in, a smug smile dancing on her lips. “Doesn’t feel like you think it was a mistake.”
I took a step closer, invading her space. “This isn’t because of you, blondie. You’re not that hot. Don’t confuse a physical reaction with genuine interest.”
She bit her bottom lip, a teasing gesture that sent my pulse racing. “Is that so?”
“I’m not playing games here, Chloe. Whatever happened between us? It ends now. I’m with Savannah. She’s the one who holds my heart.”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Funny, considering Savannah has no idea we’ve even met before.”
My hand shot up, pressing flat against the wall beside her head, effectively caging her in. My voice dropped to a low, warning growl. “And she never will. You keep that loud mouth of yours shut.”
Chloe’s pupils dilated, a spark of excitement flickering in her eyes. She thrived on this version of me-dark, threatening, angry. It turned her on, and I knew it.
It was what kept her coming back for more.
“You were rough with me once, remember?” she whispered, her finger trailing down my chest, nails grazing my skin. “You didn’t seem so noble then.”
I gripped her wrist mid-touch, holding it tightly-not enough to hurt, but just enough to stop her in her tracks. “Touch me again, and I’ll make sure Dean finds out whose bed you spent the night in, three days before your engagement.”
Her smile faltered, and I relished the flicker of fear that crossed her face. Good.
“You wouldn’t dare. You know why? Savannah’s no saint either.”
I scoffed, incredulous at her audacity.
“She never tried to be one.”
Her breath quickened, her challenge palpable even without a single movement. “You’re blinded by the idea of her. You don’t know her like I do.”
“Chloe, you’re only interested in me because Savannah is,” I shot back darkly. “And that makes you even more pathetic than I thought.”
Her eyes flashed with defiance. “Careful, Roman. One word from me, and your precious Savannah will look at you differently. And you at her.”
I leaned in, our foreheads almost touching. “Then say it. And watch me destroy everything you care about.”
Silence hung between us, thick and heavy.
She swallowed hard, and I released her wrist.
“Ask her about Professor Kingston.”
“Who the hell is that?”
“Savannah knows all the juicy details.” Chloe smirked, a wicked glint in her eyes.
“Last warning, blondie. Stay the hell away from her.”
Without another word, I turned and strode past her, my pulse pounding like a war drum in my throat.
I should have felt victorious after putting Chloe in her place.
But instead, I felt sick, like something deep within me was unraveling. I didn’t trust Chloe.
So, I pivoted on my heel and headed back.
The moment I stepped outside again, my gaze landed on Savannah, splashing in the pool with Dean-his hand dangerously close to the valley of her breasts, scooping droplets of water like ice cream. I saw red.
Savannah
Dean’s gaze remained fixed on me, the smug grin that had once adorned his face now completely erased.
“You’re out of your mind,” he remarked, retreating a few strokes in the water, as if distancing himself from my unconventional behavior.
I tilted my head slightly, a casual shrug escaping my shoulders. “Crazy? Maybe. But at least I own it,” I replied, a hint of defiance lacing my words.
Before Dean could retort, a voice sliced through the air, sharp and commanding, like a whip cracking.
“Sav, get out of the pool.”
My heart plummeted.
I turned, and there he was-Roman.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.