Page 97 of A Lethal Game of Trust

I couldn’t remember meeting her.

“Ivy,” I said, stood and kissed her on the cheek.

“Sorry I’m so late,” she gushed and sat as I did the same.

“Ivy, this is Jack and this is Leonie,” I said and waved at them. I didn’t look at Leo.

This poor girl did not deserve to be thrown into this lion’sden. At least she would get a free meal and a bottle of wine.

“Call me Leo,” Leonie said and smiled at her. “How did you meet Dom?”

Ivy started to explain and I really should listen — for I didn’t know myself — when a man in jeans and a shirt came out and offered me his hand. “Mr Belov, we’re so pleased to have you here. My employee said you may want to discuss security?”

Leonie leaned over to put her hand on top of mine. “Maybe after dinner.”

“Of course, just let one of my employees know when you’re ready and they’ll escort you out the back,” he said with a nod and left us.

And just like that, I was left back in the most awkward situation that I had quite literally dug myself.

The girls discussed their universities while Jack and I spoke about work, our conversations occasionally merging until all our food was gone and our drinks were downed.

Ivy kept trying to catch my eye and I avoided her.

I was a dick.

I was a dipshit.

And my hand had been on Leonie’s thigh since the starters were brought out. Her smile had become forced the second I touched her but she soon eased into it, once brushing my hand with hers.

As Jack and Ivy discussed a mutual friend, I turned my chair round to face Leo. She grinned, her lips against her wine glass as she took a sip. Tipsy Leonie wasn’t angry at me. “Yes?” she asked, trying to contain a little laugh.

Let it go, Leo. Let me hear it.

“Take off that top,” I said. “Your little love bite’s been seen now and you’re clearly boiling.”

Though it was nearly 10 pm, the sun was setting across the city, lighting her face in a golden hue.

We should be alone up here.

Not for any purpose other than I could tell her how beautiful she was or that I could pull her onto my lap and talk about life, my intentions with her, my regrets, my hopes.

We should be alone.

“I am warm,” she admitted. Her cute cheeks were pink from the wine. “But it will only get colder now.”

“Will it?” I asked, my hand still lazily on her thigh.

We should be together.

“There’s a bar down the road I wouldn’t mind going to,” Ivy said and I tore my eyes away from Leo.

“Yeah, a drink wouldn’t hurt. You lot go ahead, I want to talk to the manager quickly.”

Leonie squared me with a dull look. “You’re on a date. Work later. He has your number, he’ll call.”

She wanted to spend time with me, which was enough to keep me from going.

But on the walk to the bar, Jack draped his arm over Leo’s shoulders as they walked on ahead. She leaned into him. They’d hardly spoken but, clearly, he was getting some sign that she was interested.