Arranged love

I run a hand through my hair. “Fuck,” I hiss.

“Put her first,” he speaks.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

I look over at him. “The Kings-”

“We’re fine, Bones. We can handle ourselves. Do what you have to do.”

I flinch at his words. Luca told me those same words, and I’ve already failed him. “It’s not that simple.” Titan makes it sound so easy, but I feel like I’m being pulled in a hundred different directions. I’ve never been this confused about what actions to take or how to handle something. I’m always in control. Mia has thrown everything off. I know I need to protect her, and I will. I’m just not sure how I can.

“It is,” he says simply.

“How so?” I demand.

“No one is on her side. No one has ever put her first. Not even Luca. And fuck him for expecting you to take her on in the first place. All she has is you.” He sighs. “I would put my wife first no matter what.”

“That’s different. She’s your wife.”

“Isn’t Mia going to be yours?”

My eyes snap to his.

“Isn’t that why we’re here? To get John’s attention and show him how much you love his daughter. And you don’t half-ass anything, Bones.”

He’s right. The elevator comes to a stop, and we make our way back to the table. I see Mia sitting there talking to Emilee and Jasmine.

“Dillan.” She stands when she sees me. “Where did everyone go?” she asks, referring to Grave and April.

“They left.”

“What?” Her eyes widen. “And Haven?”

“She’s gone too,” Cross answers. “While you girls were in the bathroom, she came back and got her purse. Left without a word.”

“I have to go find her.” Mia goes to walk off.

I keep her in place. “No. We’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

“Dillan …”

“I promise. Okay? Tomorrow.”

Licking her lips, she finally gives me a nod, and I pull out her chair.

MIA

DINNER WENT BY slowly. I didn’t say much. What was there to talk about? Everyone seemed tense. Even Titan kept staring at Dillan. And he stared back like they had some silent conversation going on.

It was awkward. And I just got drunk. After three glasses of champagne, Dillan had to help me to the elevator. To hell with whatever pictures and headlines are plastered all over the internet of me come tomorrow. It won’t matter. None of it will.

Luca will hate me if he ever wakes up, and my sister-in-law already hates me. I should have never stayed in that beach house when I woke up after he drugged me. I should have run as far and as fast as I could while I had the chance. Then my brothers wouldn’t have found me, and I wouldn’t have gotten the only person in my family who actually cares about me shot.

“Let’s go out,” Jasmine announces as we step off the elevator on the first floor.

“I don’t think …”

“Come on.” Jasmine sticks her bottom lip out at Dillan as we make our way down the narrow hallway to stand outside. “It’s one night. Alexa and I need this before the clubs open and we’re busy every night. Let’s go out, have some drinks, and dance.”

“You have to be home by midnight,” Emilee reminds her with a laugh.

“Oh, yes.” She smiles. “I have plans later.” Jasmine refers to her Big Daddy Dick text that she received while on our way to the warehouse earlier today.

Bones looks over at me, and I nod. I’ve never gotten to go out before, so why not? My night is already fucked. It can’t get worse. “Okay. We’ll follow you guys,” he says as the valet brings his car to a stop.

Opening up my door, Dillan takes my hand and helps me inside. I fall onto my ass and push my bare back up against the black leather seat and close my eyes.

“Hey.” I feel a hand on my thigh, and I jump, my eyes springing open. Dillan is leaning across the center console, one hand on my thigh, the other cupping my face. When did he get in the car?

“We don’t have to go out,” he tells me.

“I want to.” I want to forget about this night, the fight, and the fact that I have fucked up everything. “I’m fine. Promise.” Lie.

But he seems to buy it because he pulls away and drives off. I lean my head back against the headrest again and close my eyes, feeling the way my head spins and noticing that my tongue is heavy.

DILLAN PULLS HIS car into a parking spot next to a red Maserati, and I watch Titan get out before opening the passenger side door for Emilee. Jasmine pulls up next and gets out of a white BMW i8.

Dillan takes my hand, and we walk across the packed parking lot. Coming around a building, I see a long line of people waiting to get in. “Is it always this busy?” I ask.

“Oh, yeah.” Jasmine is the one who answers me, tucking a piece of her red hair behind her ear.

I try to keep up behind Dillan while passing everyone standing in line and up a set of stairs.

“Kings.” A man with a clipboard smiles at us. “Wasn’t expecting you all tonight.”

“Last-minute decision,” Cross informs him.

“I know how that is.” The guy writes something down and then opens the doors for us. “Give us ten, and Damian will have your usual table ready.”

We enter the building, and the sound of loud bass hits my ears. The floor under my heels vibrates, and lights flash, making it hard to focus on anything. “Do you come here a lot?” I yell in Dillan’s ear.

He shakes his head and bends down to speak into mine. “Cross and Grave used to.”

I’ve never seen so many people in one place before. I’ve watched TV shows and movies where people are out dancing at clubs, but this one is three stories tall. A bar lines either wall to our left and right with a dance floor in the middle. Stairs are straight ahead that lead up to a loft area. Looking up, I see people looking over down to the first floor.

Dillan pulls me through the mass of people while Cross and Alexa lead us over to the bar at the back. He leans down and asks, “What would you like?”

Pulling back, I meet his eyes. The moment I got my first look at him in the limo, I thought he was gorgeous for a man. Evil but beautiful, nonetheless. He always has this look on his face like he hates the world. Or maybe it’s just me and the position I’ve put him in. But right now, with all the flashing neon lights, they glow the prettiest color of blue I’ve ever seen. I guess that could be the alcohol talking. Isn’t there a saying about how alcohol makes you find someone attractive who you normally wouldn’t? Even so, that can’t be what this is because I already find him that way.

“Surprise me,” I say, licking my numbing lips, and his eyes drop to the action.

Reaching up, he cups my face, his thumb running over them before his eyes meet mine again. My thighs tighten, and my lips part. An open invitation that I want his on mine.

But he pulls away and faces the bar, ordering some drinks. My shoulders fall.

Of course, he’s not going to kiss me in public. This is a fake relationship. It’s not real. Not what he’s trying to convince the world of anyway. Yeah, we’ve had sex, but it’s not like he’s going to shove my dress up, bend me over the bar, and fuck me for all to see.

He’s motherfucking Dillan Reed-Bones-a King. Multibillionaire. He’s probably got at least a hundred women right now blowing up his phone, begging to fuck him. Acting like he’s interested in me while out in public would ruin his playboy reputation.

Turning around, he hands me a drink. I bring the straw to my lips and take a sip. My eyes fall closed, and I moan when the fruity liquid slides down the back of my throat. Damn, that’s good. Is this alcohol?

Opening them up, I freeze, my lips still around the straw when I see him watching me.

I pull the drink back and nod once. “It’s good.” I play it off.

Stepping into me, he removes the drink from my hand and places it on the bar. “I said I liked it,” I yell over the music, thinking he didn’t hear me the first time.