I look him over. He actually looks like Gunner. He has the same dark eyes, just not the curly hair. Well, if he has curly hair I can’t tell. It’s shorter than Gunner’s, cropped close to his scalp.
“She’s with me. Now what are you doing here, Roberto?” Gunner reaches for me and I go to him easily.
“I didn’t think you’d come. The business has to run smoothly at all costs.” His lip turns up and he looks at me again.
“I know how the business runs, Roberto. It’s mine.”
“Yes, of course. Just looking out for your best interests.” He nods his head to me then walks off.
“Who was that?”
“My cousin.”
Ah, that explains the similarity in looks.
Roberto isn’t as good-looking, but he’s very attractive. You’d be a fool not to see that.
“You don’t get along?” I ask Gunner, turning so our bodies are flush.
“No. I don’t like anyone, it seems, except you.”
I smile up at him and kiss his lips. “I like the sound of that.”
He taps my ass and I yelp. “I prefer the sound of being buried deep inside you even better.”
I laugh at his choice of words in a public setting.
“Why Miss Thorne, I do think you are blushing.”
I am, I so am.
“Maybe that won’t be the only cheeks that get pink tonight.” He kisses each cheek and just as he pulls away, someone taps him on his shoulder. They ask to speak to him, so he squeezes my hand then walks away. I turn back to the bar and my drink when Geena decides to walk back over to me.
“I was wrong. I never thought he’d fall in love, you know?”
“Excuse me?” I ask, shocked at her choice of words.
“He’s in love with you, is he not? I saw the way he was touching you in public. The way he whispers in your ear. He never touches a woman in public, and he never gets photographed with them. Trust me, I should know, having him on my Insta would do wonderful things for my reputation and he’s never agreed to one single photo.”
Using him. That’s all she wants from him. No wonder he has such a jaded view of life.
“I see.” And I do. I now understand why his past relationships, if that’s what you want to call them, never worked. They all wanted something from him. I only want him.
“He’s watching you again,” she whispers, and when I turn around, I see he’s watching me while the person who asked to speak to him is chatting away.
“He isn’t who he says he is. I thought you should know that fact at least.” She walks off not letting me utter another word, leaving me to dwell on what she said.
How would she know who he is? She doesn’t know him. How could she? He only fucked her, which is what he did with all the other women before me. I’m his first real anything. And for that, I feel special.
“He’s contemplating walking over here right now to rip off my head.” I swing my head around to be met with Roberto once again. He’s watching his cousin then smiles and turns to me. “How many times do you get him? They all get a certain amount from him before he moves on. What’s your number? Five?”
I’m confused. Then I realize he’s talking about sex.
“That’s none of your business.”
“He doesn’t let them believe there could ever be more. But the way you look at him makes me believe otherwise. Tell me, what’s so special about you?” He leans in close, and I take a step back.
“If you’ll excuse me.”
He nods, then when I turn, I run straight into a hard chest. My hands lie on it, and I know instantly it’s Gunner because the minute I touch him, his smell envelops me. Takes me over, guides me home.
“It’s time to go.”
I nod because I couldn’t agree more.
Gunner’s hand is on the small of my back as he guides me out into the cold air then into the car. Samuel, the driver, nods as we slide in, then we’re off.
Silence. Nothing but silence throughout the car until finally he speaks. “They are all piranhas. You can’t believe a word they say.”
“I don’t,” I tell him. Even if it hurts to hear what they said to me tonight, I know better than to believe the words of people who don’t have my best interests at heart. When I face him, he’s already watching me with haunted eyes.
“Why her, though?” I ask. I have to know.
He shrugs. “She was there when I needed a release. She was nothing more than that. Someone I took to my bed for a while, then I was done with her.”
“You make it sound like she meant nothing. Did all of the women mean nothing to you?”
“I had to have a release. Don’t think they all didn’t beg for it, Everly. They did.”