Page 17 of Ace of Hearts

“Love at First Sight in the Rasputin,” says Li Mei with a smile. “That would be a great film title. Something like Pretty Woman . I’m sure Lucky would love it.”

Oh yes ... I’d forgotten that Li Mei thinks I’m a pregnant stripper.

“What do you see in him? I find him so ... intimidating! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile!”

I frown, strangely annoyed. It’s true; he does always look sulky, but I don’t find him intimidating. He’s just ... intense. And incredibly sexy.

“I heard that Russians don’t like to smile.”

“That’s rubbish,” I say defensively, “They just don’t smile without a reason. They would find that insincere. And, actually, Levi is very handsome when he smiles.”

Even if I’m not his type . Wow. I’m surprised by those words popping into my head. I thought I’d gotten over that, but apparently my ego is still bruised. What does that even mean, not his type ?

The women spend the next hour telling me, at great length, how rich, handsome, and powerful their husbands are. I hate it. What are they trying to do? Make me jealous? I bet their husbands never pay them any attention. My fiancé is just as good as their husbands—even if he is fake!

“But tell me ... where’s your ring?”

Shit . Taken by surprise, I resist the temptation to touch my ring finger. I think fast and don’t let my smile drop as I say, “Levi has given me an old ring, his grandmother’s. It was slightly too big, unfortunately, so we’re having it resized.”

They nod in unison, so I guess my excuse must have been convincing. I glance at my phone, which vibrated a few minutes ago with a text from Levi.

No time. You’re on your own.

So ungrateful. I’m sure he’s enjoying leaving me to my fate. It would serve him right if I spread some rumors about him as payback. But Judith’s nosy stare changes my mind immediately. Plan C!

“Well,” I say, sipping my tea, “I’m lucky. Levi is amazing. He works hard to earn all this money, it’s true, but I’m still his number one priority.”

“Really?” Judith sniggers. “How nice. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Bitch.

“Men are all the same,” Alice confirms dramatically. “Once the honeymoon period’s over, he’ll give you his credit card to shut you up and smile absently whenever you tell him about your day.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad to me ...,” murmurs Li Mei.

I give her a high five, delighted to find we’re on the same wavelength. The others shift their attention to her and ask when she’s “finally” going to get married. And yet a few minutes ago, they were saying I was too young, the malicious gossips!

“‘It’s possible for a woman to be a romantic and also to be single and happy,’” says Li Mei so solemnly, I can’t help smiling. “That’s what Taylor Swift says.”

“Oh yes. Your inner voice?” I say.

“No, no. The real Taylor Swift. Try to keep up.”

I apologize, and then laugh at the sight of their incredulous expressions. Li Mei tells them that her last relationship didn’t work, and since then, she’s preferred to stay single.

It’s clear that they have absolutely zero interest in what she’s got to say. They suggest a brunch together, with our husbands, tomorrow or another day. I hate Li Mei for getting me into this.

“I’d love to, but ... I sleep a lot,” I say. “All day, in fact.”

Judith purses her lips disapprovingly. “Can I give you some advice, as someone who’s been married for twenty years? You won’t keep the flame alive by being lazy.”

I give her a hard, arrogant smile in return. I’ll show her flames!

“The truth is, I’d never get any sleep if I didn’t sleep during the day.

” I enjoy watching my meaning dawn on them gradually.

“You wouldn’t think it, but Levi’s got a lot of stamina.

He’s very passionate. I feel sorry for the person in the room next door to us.

He can’t be getting much more sleep than we are. ”

I laugh aloud at that because it’s probably true. Li Mei hides her smile behind her hand, her eyes wide.

“Every night?” Lin breathes, intrigued, before Judith silences her with a murderous look.

I nod, feeling proud. I hate these women who think they can say anything they like just because they’ve made a “good match.”

I’m about to add more details when they all suddenly turn pale. I sense a presence behind me and stiffen as Levi bends over me and places his hands on either side of my armchair.

I’m just turning my head as he takes my breath away by dropping a light, gentle kiss on my bare shoulder. I can’t suppress a shiver. He lifts his eyes to mine. His expression is tense, dangerous. He’s very close. Too close in fact.

“Here you are,” he murmurs softly. “I was looking everywhere for you.”

“Oh?”

I hate myself for not saying something cleverer.

He’s taken me by surprise, in front of witnesses.

I don’t know how to react. My cheeks redden, and I realize I’m blushing like a teenager.

I suddenly remember Levi’s words: “In the future ... can you tell me every time you’re blushing? ” Ugh, I hate him.

“The bed was empty when I came out of the shower,” he explains in a low, tired voice, ignoring our little audience.

Does he have to be so sexy? He has no right to say things like that! In the middle of the day, no less. Then again ... I was asking for it. I gather myself and put my hand over his, like a woman in love.

“Sorry. I bumped into some friends.”

He raises an eyebrow at the word friends , which amuses me. He takes me by surprise again by kissing the corner of my mouth, before saying, “Shall we go?”

Fuck . Since when has he been so into role play? Usually I do the work for both of us. Did he hear everything I said about sex just before he arrived?

Still feeling the tingle of his lips on my mouth, I get up and entwine my fingers with his. He’s changed into less-formal clothes, swapping black for white and beige. He looks like an angel.

But his devilish smile betrays his true nature.

“I’m going to steal her from you,” he says. “Good evening, ladies. Li Mei.”

I give a nod goodbye and leave without a word. The women don’t try to prevent me, not even my friend, who just gives me a triumphant smile and a wave. Levi doesn’t let go of my hand as he slips his arm around my waist, drawing both our arms behind my back.

“What was all that about?” he asks as we cross the foyer. “I have a lot of stamina, have I? I’m ... ‘passionate’?”

So he did hear everything I said.

“There’s no way I’m letting people think I’ve chosen an average man. I have my reputation to think of.”

He smiles calmly at that. We enter the lift with a few other people and move straight to the back. I try to keep my cool as he leans down to my ear and whispers, “You’re right. And you know what? Everything you said about me was true.”

Oh God . I look up at him defiantly. He doesn’t move an inch, so his mouth is now only a few centimeters from mine. It would be so easy to kiss him. He couldn’t even refuse because we’re not alone.

I don’t know what gets into me, but I begin to move my hand up his chest, over his T-shirt, until I touch his neck. The lift stops, and everyone else gets out as Levi looks straight into my eyes and says, “Now what? Are you going to back me up against the wall and threaten me again?”

We’re alone now. The lift begins to move once more. The air is electric. My eyes drop to his mouth, the same mouth that kissed my shoulder so tenderly but has also told so many lies today. I breathe my next words into his lips. “I only believe what I see.”

He doesn’t say anything for a long time. I’ve been thinking about it, and I’ve decided I need to get this obsession out of my system—I need to know. I need to have him, so I’ll stop thinking about him day and night. I need to prove to myself that I can seduce him.

He’s so self-contained that I have no idea if he’s interested in me or not. He says I’m not his type, but he keeps flirting with me, looking at me when he thinks I can’t see him, and telling me I’m beautiful. I don’t understand.

Suddenly, his hand comes up to my cheek. His thumb caresses me once, then twice. My skin warms under his cool fingers. A slight smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.

“I knew it ... You’re blushing.”

My heart’s beating so hard, I feel it might jump out of my chest. What does that mean? I’m about to ask that when he drops his hand and sighs.

“Believe me, Rose; you don’t want to get caught up in this.”

What? I blink, humiliated by this second rejection. Am I not good enough? What’s going on with this self-absorbed man? Or for that matter, with me?

“You don’t know what I want,” I fume through gritted teeth.

He raises an eyebrow, his face still very close to mine. My lips are tightly closed.

“Tell me, then. Be honest for the first time in your fucking life, and tell me what you want.”

I wasn’t expecting the conversation to take this turn. Ever since the start of our arrangement, I’ve been flirting with him, trying to elicit some reaction. There are lots of reasons for this: boredom, wanting to provoke him, curiosity ...

I open my mouth to reply, feeling ruffled, but I can’t think of a single thing to say. Because I have no idea what the answer is. And he knows that.

He nods, unsurprised, as the lift doors open on our floor.

“I don’t know what you want, Rose, but I know it’s not me. So stop wasting my time.”