AllFreeNovel
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Pro: The only thing better than avoiding Arsen is watching him almost swallow his tongue admiring what he can’t have.
As soon as I appear at the top of the stairs, sliding my hands down the corset top of the little black dress I dug out of the closet, Arsen’s eyes are locked on me. This is the first time Arsen has seen me in a dress when I’m not ginormously pregnant, and this dress is really highlighting the goods.
Con: Arsen also came to play.
He looks edible in a dark gray suit over a fitted black sweater. Over the months we were together, I built up a tolerance to the effortless way Arsen could wear a trash bag and still make my heart race. But after being sent away, I’m an Arsen Adamov lightweight.
I’m so struck tracing the broad sweep of his shoulders and the lean taper of his waist in his jacket that I stumble on the last step down to the car.
He grabs my hand, catching me before I twist an ankle in the heels Kira insisted I wear.
Another con: If I don’t end the night in a full leg cast, it’ll be a miracle.
His hand is warm and steady, and I squeeze his fingers before the logical part of my brain can scream at me to stop.
Arsen exhales. “Laila, you look?—”
I snatch my hand away and turn to the line of cars idling behind Arsen’s in the drive. “What’s with all the security?”
It seems to take actual effort for him to drag his eyes away from me.Take that,I think bitterly. “Just an added precaution for the night.”
“I thought this was about making an alliance.”
“It is.” He pulls open the door, and the meaning is clear:Be quiet. Get in.
He holds out a hand to help me into the passenger seat, but I brush past it and get in on my own.
Because tonight, he may be able to claim my time, but he can’t haveme.
Even still, I feel his eyes on me as we drive. His attention flits between the road and me the entire way to the restaurant, but he never says a word. No compliments. No idle chit-chat. While the silence stacks around us, my revenge plot starts to feel juvenile.
I buried my mother six weeks ago, and now, I’m pulling aShe’s All Thaton my own husband?
If I’m smart—which this tight-ass corset is telling me I’m anything but—I’ll keep my head down and get through this dinner without any extra drama.
That’s the decision I’ve come to as I’m striding towards the bronzed double doors with my besteverything-is-fine-and-normalface on.
Then Arsen grabs my elbow and pulls me to a stop. “This dinner is important, Laila.”
“It better be. You broke our arrangement to drag me here.”
His eyes dip down to my cleavage before he can haul them back to my face. “This alliance is— It’s imperative that the outside world doesn’t become aware of our situation.”
I scowl, my thin facade slipping fast. “The situation where you abandoned me and our daughter, but now want me to pretend to play house with you? Is that the ‘situation’ you’re referring to? Or is there something else I should know?”
Something I can’t read flashes across his face. It’s gone as quick as it arrives, and Arsen just looks tired. “I know you hate my guts right now, but— Fuck. For tonight, I need you to pretend that you don’t.”
“These people wanted to kill me a few months ago. I don’t see why I should care what they think of our marriage.”
Again, something flickers across his face. Then he takes a step closer, swallowing me in his heat and the woodsy smell of him. “Laila. Please.”
I really am a lightweight now. My heart is thundering in my chest, but I ignore it.
With a forced sigh, I grudgingly turn into his side and drag his arm around my waist. Arsen’s hand tightens on my hip, igniting a zing of something I refuse to name. “If you even think about touching me under the table, I’ll stab a fork into your hand.”
Enzo and his wife are already at our table when we arrive. Guilia jumps up when she sees us. She rushes forward to greet me with a hug, ripping Arsen’s hand away and stealing me for herself. Her red dress covers all of her bits and bobs like Enzo is campaigning to be a senator. Meanwhile, I look like a senator’s mistress.
“It’s so lovely to see you again, sweetheart!” She kisses each of my cheeks. “You look wonderful. An absolute vision. You have to tell me where you got that dress.”
