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CHAPTER ELEVEN

NATHAN

Tonight is Midnight Mischief’s five-year anniversary, and the club is even more of a circus than usual. The whole city’s here, and I’m supposed to be schmoozing, but all I care about is showing off my gorgeous girl.

I wasn’t sure she’d want to come tonight. I thought she hated these things, but she seems to be in her element. And I couldn’t be happier. I keep my hand glued to the small of her back because I like the feel of her under my palm, but mostly because I want every son of a bitch in the room to know she’s mine. She blushes when I whisper it in her ear, but I swear she stands a little taller.

I introduce Roni to every motherfucker around, letting them know she’s all mine. “This is my girlfriend, Veronica.” I’m not subtle about it, but I don’t want to be.

Dee comes over and whispers something to Roni that makes her giggle, and that little dimple on her right cheek pops. I can’t resist leaning over to kiss it. I don’t care who sees. Let them fucking look.

Across the room, I spot Terrence “TJ” James holding court at a table, surrounded by his group of assholes. I know him from way back, before the money and the power. And he’s still a fucking pain in my ass.

I don’t like the way he’s watching Roni. He isn’t even trying to hide it. I can feel his gaze running all over her, slow and greedy. My jaw flexes, and I have to fight the urge to go over there and punch his teeth in just for looking at her. My fists actually curl, knuckles popping. I keep my arm tight around Roni’s waist. She smells like coconut and heaven, and all I want is to whisk her out of this room and get her naked, but I can’t. Not yet. I have to play nice for another… God, at least two more hours.

Roni leans up on her tiptoes, lips brushing my ear. “You’re squeezing me,” she whispers, but she doesn’t sound mad. Nope. She sounds a little breathless. Maybe turned on.

I loosen up. Just a little. “Sorry, baby.” I lean down and plant a kiss right on the spot behind her ear that makes her shiver. “You know I can’t help myself when you wear that dress.” Damn. The second I saw her in it, my brain went offline.

Blue silk. Not just blue—it’s the kind of electric, dangerous blue that matches her eyes perfectly. It’s soft, too, like water sliding over her skin. I can’t stop touching the fabric, can’t stop tracing the way it clings to every curve. I swear it was made for her body and only for her.

She makes this adorable little sound in the back of her throat. My cock is instantly at attention, but I ignore it because Roni is smiling up at me, and all I care about is making her happy. Her lips are glossy, and she’s got this look in her eye that makes me want to haul her up right here and kiss her senseless. But I don’t. I tuck her closer and steer us toward the next group of VIPs, determined to get through the rest of the night without throttling anyone.

Dee follows along for a bit, chatting up the local news anchor and shooting me smirks every time Roni blushes. My girl tries to play it cool, but she’s glowing. I can barely focus on what anyone is saying because all my attention is on Roni. The way her hair catches the light. The way her hips sway when she walks. The way she snuggles into my side, where she belongs.

Eamon appears at my shoulder, not a hair out of place, headset jammed to one ear. He leans in and pitches his voice just low enough that only I can hear. “TJ’s credit card declined.” Not fucking surprising. It’s a new year, and my resolution is to get rid of the unnecessary shit. Like him.

“Let him and his group finish out the night with the cheap shit.” I’m not the forgiving sort. “And tell him it’s time to find a new place to hang out.” I won’t kick the fucker out since he donated money to be here tonight, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever let him come back.

Eamon just nods, not even bothering to hide his satisfaction. “About fucking time.”

I push TJ and his loser friends to the back of my mind. I have much more important things to worry about—my girl, and the fucking ring burning a hole in my pocket.

I glance down and see Roni blushing and laughing at something Dee said. She’s so fucking gorgeous it makes my chest ache.

I guide her through the crowd, not letting her drift more than two inches away. Every guy we pass glances at her curves in that dress, and my blood pressure spikes, but she’s glued to my side. I want to grab a microphone and announce to the whole damn club that Veronica Lewis is off the market. Mine. Forever.

Roni presses tight against my side, her hand curling around my bicep, and I fucking love having her stake her claim. I’m grinning like an idiot as I watch her work the room. Every time she laughs, that dimple pops in her cheek, and I want to bite it.

Dee and Roni are gossiping about something scandalous near the dessert table, and I’m just about to drag Roni off for a minute of alone time when she glances up at me with those huge blue eyes, and my heart does this weird, slow roll. Yeah, I’m a lost cause.

Across the room, Terrence James is giving me a dark glare. I guess the fucker didn’t like me cutting him off. Oh fucking well.

The second I see TJ slinking this direction, my body goes on alert. My spine goes stiff as I prepare myself to deal with the asshole.

Roni’s still laughing, oblivious, her hand soft on my arm. All I want to do is keep her right here, wrapped up safe, but TJ’s staring at her like he’s picking out which part he wants to eat first. Motherfucker.

As I flex my fingers at my side, my knuckles crack. My hand stays glued to Roni’s waist, letting him know exactly where she stands. With me.

He tries for a smirk, but it looks forced. “Brennan,” he drawls, acting like we’re old friends. I can smell the fake cologne and desperation coming off him in waves.

“James,” I bite out. My jaw is so tight it might crack. I’m suddenly regretting my decision not to throw his ass out.

His eyes flick over Roni slowly, way too goddamn slowly for my liking. I want to rip his fucking eyes out.

He drags his gaze up and down, like he’s shopping for a new car and Roni’s the top-of-the-line model. My girl stiffens beside me, but she keeps her chin up. Brave as hell. I love her so much it actually hurts.

I lean over and place a soft kiss on her forehead, just to make a point. “You need something, James?” My jaw’s grinding so hard I might chip a tooth.