Page 60 of From West, With Regret

“Absolutely not. You know exactly why.” Julianna’s jaw clenches before she’s popping up and out of her seat. She spins around and kneels on the bench where she was just sitting. She leans forward, delivering her ire directly at Rome. “How do you keep showing up when you are the absolute last face I want to be looking at?” She narrows her eyes. “Are you stalking me?”

“Stalking you?” Rome tips his head back and roars with laughter, pressing his hand to his chest. “This is my club, Lark.” He leans forward, over the top of the bench, and brings his face closer to Julianna’s. She instinctively jerks her head back in disgust, stumbling back off the bench. Her feet land on the floor. “Seems you’re the one stalking me.”

“Right.” She scoffs, trailing her tongue across her lips. “You wish I was stalking you, if only to inflate that fragile little ego of yours.”

His eyes roam over Julianna, drinking her in with his heated gaze.

Julianna snaps her fingers. “Eyes up here, Montgomery.”

Rome’s expression turns cold, and his mouth curls. “Who’s the one with the fragile ego now, Julianna?”

Her mouth falls open as she stands stunned with his comment.

Rome turns to the rest of us. “I hope you ladies have a wonderful night and enjoy yourselves.” Without another word, he leaves our VIP section.

“Of course, he fucking owns this club.” Julianna swirls around and sits back down with a huff. “I don’t know if I can stay here knowing Rome owns it. I should have known or looked it up or something.”

“Seriously?” Charleigh asks, looking around the room. “Thisplace is great so far, and you’ve already paid to reserve this section.”

“Fine.” Julianna groans, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her legs. “I just hate him. I don’t think there’s ever been anyone else in my life I haven’t been able to stand as much as that man.”

“What’s the story with you two?” I dare to ask, hiccupping from the sips of champagne already settling in my stomach. The alcohol is bringing out my more courageous side—the one risking asking my new friend the details of her past with her mortal enemy.

Sensing the tension, Stephanie is quick to drop a drink in front of her. Julianna tips it back, but not without muttering, “I’d rather not talk about it,”beforehand.

When she’s done drinking another glass, Julianna pulls out her phone, and her face lights from the screen, highlighting her mischievous grin.

“What are you doing?” Charleigh asks suspiciously.

Julianna simply shakes her head, then slides her phone back onto the table with a satisfied grin. “Nothing but a little harmless fun.”

We don’t ask for any more details.

As the hour ticks by, Rome’s brief visit fades away, and so do my thoughts of West. He’s still there in the back of my mind, but I’m at least able to enjoy this moment without allowing the memories to swallow me whole.

The girls don’t mention him again, dropping the subject of my hidden feelings for my ex-husband’s adopted brother.

Another hour passes, then another. Julianna and I have paced our drinks, but it appears Selene and Charleigh haven’t.

Selene’s eyes are glassier than usual now, and Charleigh’s forced herself to stay where she is on the booth, no longer dancing.

I feel relaxed as I take sips of water between my champagne, but my attention is pulled to the entrance of our section when Asher appears with Holt.

Then West.

Asher greets the three of us before meeting Charleigh.

“Had a bit of fun, did you?” he asks her.

Charleigh laughs, wrapping her arms around Asher’s neck. “A little.” Her grin widens. “Does this mean you get to carry me home?”

There’s a twinkle in Asher’s eye, as if it’s an inside joke between them.

Holt asks Stephanie for a drink before he makes his way inside the booth to sit beside Selene. “I heard you finished your book,” he says to her.

She tilts her head and gives him a small ghost of a smile. Her cheeks blush with red. “I did.”

“Well…” Holt clears his throat. “I guess I owe you a congratulations.”