Dani must register my reaction, as a little laugh slips past her overpainted lips.
“Is he here?”
My spine stiffens, shoulders rolling back as I do my best to build my defenses. I’m a strong woman, but there are still a few things that can bring me to my knees. Unfortunately, Dani just honed in on the easiest one. I hate being so vulnerable around her.
Dropping her as a friend has been the best thing I could’ve ever done, and after tonight, I won’t have to see her ever again. Her father was arrested last week by the feds, and I know she’s only here as a last-ditch effort to snag a rich man who can take care of her. She must not have many options, however, since she’s been stuck by my side for the last hour.
“I’m talking about Deacon,” she clarifies when I don’t verbally respond. “He isn’t, is he?”
My eyes scan the crowd, and I refuse to feel guilty when I locate a server and get his attention. I’ll give myself one more hour of being here before I fake a headache to my parents and leave. The server approaches, extending his tray, and I thank him as I grab a flute. Dani rudely drops her empty glass on it, nearly toppling the full ones, but the server steadies the tray as she lifts two flutes.
Double fisting her drinks right now is more telling of her downfall than the recycled dress, and I don’t even hide the smirk when I reposition my body so I can see her better. I wouldn’t put it past this woman to pour a drink down my dress. Pettiness has always been her go-to when she feels bested.
“So, you decided to stop being my friend for a man who doesn’t want you? Classic, Anna.” Her eyes sparkle with venom as she lifts one of the flutes to her lips. “You must be so lonely.”
“I’m not—”
Her gasp stops me short, and I take a step back defensively, waiting for her to splash the front of my dress with her drink, but I see her eyes focused over my shoulder.
My heart pounds. The only person who I’d expect to cause that sort of reaction from her is Nikolay Petrovich, and I’m terrified for my life even before I spin to see who has shocked her.
Only when I turn, I don’t find an angry Russian. If it weren’t for the sparkling blue eyes pinned to mine, I wouldn’t even recognize the bearded man dressed in a solid black tuxedo.Chapter 39Deacon
Bright honey-colored eyes follow me as I make my way across the room. I don’t even hesitate after seeing that Dani is standing beside the girl I’m after. If anything, my ex witnessing this makes it even more perfect.
My hands are trembling, fear of rejection swimming in my gut, but I have years of practice at not letting my feelings show. I drop every one of those walls when I reach her. I had a speech planned, a long diatribe of reasons she should let me love her, but words fail me when she’s within reach.
Instinctively, my hand caresses her cheek, and even though it’s clear she’s shocked, she leans into the touch like she’s been drowning without it.
Instead of words, I use my lips to speak my truth. Her chin is quivering with emotions, but this beautiful woman kisses me back. The slow glide of our tongues says a million things. They confess the things I’ll make sure she’s certain of before we close our eyes tonight.
“Anna,” I whisper against her mouth, and she responds by twisting her fingers in the front of my shirt.
Dani gasps beside the two of us, but I don’t spare a single second on my past. I’m looking forward, looking to the future, and if I somehow get lucky enough, that’s going to include the woman in my arms.
“How are you here?” Anna asks when I inch my face back just enough to look into her beautiful eyes.
“Wren synced our calendars,” I confess.
This party is what Flynn was talking about last night when he was trying to convince me to make my move. The image of her bringing a different man tonight ate away at me all fucking night, and I’ll examine why it took jealousy for me to take this step at a later point.
“I’ve missed you.”
“Baby,” I whisper, pressing my mouth to hers one more time. “I’ve been miserable. I wanted to do what was right. I didn’t want to interfere with your life, but I’ve been regretting every single second since I walked away from you. I regret the time we’ve lost, the things we could’ve been doing. I miss having you in my arms. I miss your sass, and the way your eyes sparkle after too much whiskey. Everything. I miss fucking everything.”