Page 52 of Illicit Games

She tears up, throwing her arms around his neck. “I love you.”

“I love you even more, my Rose.”

“Please be with me on the stage.”

“Okay.”

All three of their dogs sprint toward them, trying to sandwich themselves between their feet and turning their embrace into a group hug.

Staring at the beautiful family they make, my heart yearns for Kian.

Every inch of me hurt when I left our apartment in the evening. The night has barely begun and I’m already ready to call it quits. I’m both dreading and furious about having toconfront Nathan. The engagement ring scalds my finger the longer I have to wear it.

How am I going to pretend to be in love with him tonight?

Or act heartbroken over losing Kian to fool him? I won’t be able to stand the smugness on his face while he thinks he won.

Yet there’s no avoiding it.

I’m still very much at his mercy. The danger of his manipulation hasn’t passed. I may have won the battle, but not the war.

Even if there wasn’t a party, I had to meet him at some point to gauge his thoughts. Despite having two options, he chose to tell Kian about my stalking. He himself said his brother might forgive me for it, which Kian did. So, why would he risk it? Is he testing our bond before he delivers the kill shot by revealing I’m an undercover agent at Kian’s company?

He’s holding a gun to my head, ready to shoot at any second.

An invisible clock ticks in my head, warning me I’m running out of time.

As if my subconscious conjured him, a movement in the corner catches my eye. I twist my head just as he enters the room. Looking ravishing as ever in a black-and-white tuxedo with a bow tie and his hair styled, his eyes immediately clash with mine.

Once upon a time, I trusted the warmth they held.

Now that I know the cunning manipulator that lurks beneath, they chill my bones.

Looks and behavior can be deceiving.

Rosalie’s ominous words flash in my mind, haunting me. She was warning me about Kian. If only she knew his younger brother turned out to be the traitor.

“Oh hey, Nathan,” chirps Bianca, noticing him.

“Bianca,” he replies, walking up to us. “Good to see you.”

It takes herculean effort to keep my lips from curling in derision at his politeness. He has everyone fooled.

Nova and Rosalie break apart to greet him.

“Hey, man.” Nova smirks.

Rosalie elbows her husband to garner his attention, pointing to Fire, who’s trying to climb up his leg. “Your boyfriend needs you.”

“It’s still not funny, Little Hellion.”

“He humps you on a daily basis, hubby,” snorts Rosalie. “I swear you must’ve been his girlfriend in a past life.”

Bending down, Nova picks him up. Fire barks happily, trying to lick his daddy’s face, who coos, “He’s a good boy now, isn’t he?”

The fiery chihuahua barks in response.

Petting his fur, Rosalie laughs. “No one will believe he was my baby first.”