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“You owe me nothing but your love and devotion.”
“That I can do,” he says, brushing my cheek with the backs of his fingers. “Now, do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
I arch a brow. “What do you mean?”
“You might be fooling everyone else, but I know you, Laila Adamov. You’re nervous about something. What is it?”
Sighing, I smooth my hands across his lapels. “You’re too observant for your own good.”
“When it comes to you, I don’t want to miss a thing.”
I pull him to a quiet corner of the studio where a member of the waitstaff is refreshing the canapes. “Don’t freak out, okay?”
“I don’t like how this is starting.” His voice is a dangerous rumble.
“I already handled it. The situation is under control. I don’t think he’ll be coming back.”
He frowns, and I watch the question on his lips turn to an answer. “That motherfucker. He actually had the balls to show up here?”
“Like I said, I handled it. Guilia’s guards kicked him out after I had it out with him. It was kinda cathartic, actually.”
“I wish I’d been here.” There’s murder in his eyes, but it softens as he looks down at me. “And if he’s stupid enough to come back? We both know your father’s idiocy knows no bounds.”
“If he does, we’ll handle it together.” I take his hand and curl it against my chest.
The muscle in his jaw is thrumming, but he forces out a hard breath. “Together,” he murmurs. “Always.”
41
LAILA
“Stop looking at me like that.”
Arsen lifts an eyebrow. “Like what?”
“Like you’re about to have me for dinner.”
“Is that an option?”
“Once upon a time, it might’ve been.” I glance at the clock on the wall. “Not anymore, though. If we don’t leave soon, we’ll be late.”
“Fashionably late is early, as far as I’m concerned.” He walks over to my dressing table and lowers himself down to one knee. Gently, he wraps a hand around my waist, teasing the slit of my emerald green evening gown until it parts at my thigh.
“It’s a wonder I ever get any work done with you around,” he murmurs.
“We arenotgoing to be late because you can’t keep it in your pants, Arsen Adamov.” I yank my leg back before he gets too far and I get too worked up to keep telling him no. “I promisedGuilia we’d be there on time. She helped me out with my launch, so I want to be there for Enzo’s.”
He drops his forehead to my knee with a groan. “I’m starting to regret this alliance. It’s a hindrance to our relationship.”
“You mean our sex life?”
“Same thing.” He grabs the sensible black peep toes with the short heel and slips it onto my foot.
“I was planning to wear my champagne stilettos.”
“It’s going to be a long night, and I want you to be comfortable,” he says in a way that doesn’t invite any debate.
“I wanted to look good for you tonight.”
