Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 143870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 480(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 480(@300wpm)
“Get them anything they’d like,” Cristian directs Sienna.
“Of course, Mr. Vitale. Is there anything I can get you?” She stands there, so hopeful he’ll say yes, but he doesn’t.
He shakes his head and glances at Angelo, who’s leaning down to murmur something in Abella’s ear. Judging by the way she’s blushing, it’s safe to assume it’s something about him railing her in that red dress later on. I swear if she weren’t already pregnant, the look he gives her would fix that.
“We’ll be back when we’re done with our meeting.” Angelo presses a kiss to the top of her head.
“Take your time.” Abella leans back with a sigh. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
Before they go, Cristian meets my gaze one last time, and it almost looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t.
It leaves me with a lingering sense of uncertainty as I watch him walk away. But Sienna solves that problem when she steps forward, intentionally blocking my view.
When I look up at her, every trace of warmth has disappeared from her face.
“Drinks?” She forces a smile as her gaze moves to Abella.
“I’ll have a Sprite,” Abella tells her.
She takes orders from Val and Lucia before she offers me a cold stare. “And you?”
“I’ll have champagne, and you can just bring the bottle. We’ll open it.”
Abella snorts as Sienna walks off. “Don’t trust her with a cocktail?”
“Hell, no. What is with all these women giving me the evil eye tonight?”
“You walked in beside Cristian,” she muses. “I doubt he’s ever come here with any other women at his side, so you’ve probably just shattered all their dreams. It’s the curse of keeping company with hot men.”
“Does it ever bother you?” Lucia asks. “Having women ogle your husband like that?”
“It used to,” Abella admits. “When we first married, and our relationship was tense to say the least. But I don’t worry about it anymore. I trust Angelo, and he always makes it very clear where he stands if anyone steps out of bounds.”
“You got one of the good ones,” I murmur.
“There are more out there,” she assures me.
I nod, but truthfully, I can’t even let myself imagine it.
Sienna returns with our drinks, and the conversation drifts easily from one topic to the next. We never have difficulty finding things to talk about, and over the next hour, we cover a variety of subjects. Val fills us in on the last wedding she planned for a couple who never actually made it down the aisle, because the bride found the groom kissing one of her friends. The girls get caught up in the horror of it, but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth, because nothing surprises me anymore. The bar is so low it’s in hell.
I’m three glasses deep in my bottle of champagne when Abella leans back, fanning her face.
“Everything okay?”
“Is it hot in here?” she asks.
“A little. Do you need to get some air?”
“Yeah, I think so. I keep overheating and getting lightheaded. The joys of pregnancy.”
I grab the flyer for this evening’s party from the table, taking a quick peek at the festivities. It looks like there are different experiences throughout the club, each of them divided into one of seven sins. I skip over the gambling den, banquet room, and dance floor until I find what I’m looking for. The rooftop promises fire and ice displays, an infinity pool, and a view of the city.
“You want to head up to the roof?”
Abella nods, and I help her up, looping my arm through hers. The girls join us as we make our way through the club with the guards in tow. It takes us a minute to get an elevator, and it feels a little like we’re in a fishbowl being entirely enclosed in glass. But as we pass by the second level, I catch sight of something I rather wish I hadn’t.
It’s just a brief glimpse of him in profile, but I’m almost certain that was Marco on the second level. I shudder at the thought of running into him, and when we exit the elevator, Val nudges me to get my attention.
“Chantel?”
“Hmm?”
“You good?”
“Yeah. I just need another drink. I’ll catch up with you.”
She nods, and they venture across the rooftop to an open table as I head for the bar.
“What can I get you, sweetheart?” The bartender glances up at me.
I look over the menu and order the strongest thing I can find. “I’ll have a Fishbowl and a water, please.”
She arches a brow at me. “I hope you have someone to share that with.”
“Oh, I do.”
I know better than to mix liquor, but right now, I don’t really care. The bartender returns with the Fishbowl and a bottle of water, and I make my way over to the girls.
“Um, what’s up with that?” Lucia eyes the drink in my hand.