A. L. Smith
KIANA
“Excuse me!” I exclaimed, taken aback.
“Just give me the card and go,” he demanded, his patience clearly wearing thin.
The nerve of this man! He was as conceited as he was attractive—a combination as appealing to me as being doused with ice water in the middle of winter.
“It looks like you already have enough cards to supply the entire party,” I retorted, taking a sip of my martini and deciding to ignore this high-class, egotistical jerk.
“Look, I’m as interested in you as I am in this pile of cards,” he said coldly, flicking them aside.
“Great. Because all I wanted was some peace and quiet without any unsolicited company. So, if you can keep your mouth shut, I’ll do the same, and we can both pretend that we’re the only ones here,” I shot back.
I could feel his eyes on me as I finished speaking. I glanced at him and saw a puzzled expression on his face, as if he wasn’t used to being spoken to in such a manner. Had he never been turned down before?
His Caribbean-blue eyes, as captivating as a clear ocean, studied me. “What’s your name?” he asked, his tone revealing his initial hostility had softened a touch. His gaze was intense, his voice a rich, smooth melody with just the right amount of husky.
“That’s not important.”
“Playing hard to get, are we?” He laughed, and oh, it was sexy.
I felt a fluttering in my stomach, as if butterflies had just taken flight. I bit my tongue. He was trying to get a rise out of me. “Jade,” I said flatly.
“I asked for your real name, not your stage name,” he retorted, his tone bitter. God, this man was patronizing.
“Like I said, it’s Jade. That’s all you need to know,” I replied, taking another sip of my drink. “Why do you care?”
“Just curious,” he said, flashing a grin that could melt panties. His smirk was as contagious as Sam and Dean Winchester’s.
“Curiosity was the cat’s downfall,” I remarked. Looking away, I saw a familiar slim figure in a blue dress approaching.
“I’ve been looking for you!” Mia exclaimed. “Sorry I left you alone. I had some work to take care of,” she apologized with a forced smile.
“It’s okay,” I told her, relief clear in my voice.
Mia took a moment to openly gawk at the man beside me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I’m Paris. If you ever need a plus one, I’m your girl,” she told him, winking suggestively and placing one of her cards next to him. He didn’t even acknowledge her.
“Come on, let’s dance,” Mia said, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the sofa.
I couldn’t help but look back at the man. He noticed. A devilish smirk spread across his face as those mesmerizing blue eyes stayed fixed on me.
CHASE
She was the first woman of the night who didn’t give me her card. That was unusual. Something about her defiance piqued my interest.
I couldn’t help but notice the scar on her collarbone. She tried to hide it beneath her golden-bronze waves, but I had a keen eye. Judging by how well it had healed, it seemed like she’d probably had it for a while. Maybe it was from a childhood accident?
I watched as her friend led her away—a bit too soon for my liking.
She was stunning, with curves in all the right places. Her waist was just the right size for my hands, and her hips were enticing. The ruby color of her dress perfectly accentuated her medium-tan skin. Her lips were full and round, and her eyes displayed a captivating array of greens I had never seen before.
Looking at her, I couldn’t help but feel it was a shame I wasn’t single. But when I’m committed, I’m loyal. I can’t stand cheaters. My father cheated on my mother years ago, and I saw the damage his selfishness caused.
“Hey, bro. I thought you left,” Lucas called out as he emerged from the crowd.
“Why the hell did you take so long?” I shot back, my tone laced with sarcasm.
Lucas was the only reason I was here.
I wasn’t one for social gatherings unless they were absolutely necessary, but for Lucas, I’d make an exception. We’d known each other since we were kids, and he was the only person outside of my family I truly trusted.
I encountered a lot of phonies in my line of work, but I’d always had a knack for spotting them. Lucas was one of the few genuine people I knew.
“Just wrapped up. Ready to head off?” he asked.
“You read my mind,” I responded.
As I rose to my feet, my gaze landed on the same woman I’d noticed earlier. She was in the middle of the room, lost in the pulsating lights and surrounded by a small sea of bodies.
Jade.
Her hips swayed rhythmically, her ass moving in perfect sync with the beat. A man tried to join her, but she dismissed him with a flick of her wrist. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s got you laughing?” Lucas asked, scanning the room to see what had caught my eye.
“Nothing,” I replied curtly before making a beeline for the exit.
***
After dropping Lucas off, I headed to my penthouse. Perched at the top of the building, it offered a panoramic view of the city below, which was why I loved it.
Upon entering, I noticed two wine glasses on the counter. One was stained with a familiar pink lipstick—Joanna’s. The other must have belonged to a friend of hers, though she hadn’t mentioned having company over.
As I approached the bedroom, a muffled sound caught my attention. It was distinctly male.
A sick feeling settled in my stomach just before I burst into the room to find Joanna, my girlfriend, straddling another man in my bed. She was completely naked, her breasts bouncing as she rode him.
Her eyes, usually a warm chocolate brown, widened in horror as she noticed me. She clumsily scrambled off the man and wrapped a sheet around herself. “I thought you weren’t coming home for another hour,” she stammered.
“So you thought it was okay to fuck another man in my house, in my bed!” I bellowed. I was livid. All I could see was red.