Page 25 of Lucas (The Valeur Billionaires #2)

I tuck her hand into the crook of my elbow and guide her into the ballroom.

Satisfaction unfurls in my chest as I notice the admiring looks directed our way.

She’s the most stunning woman in attendance.

Unlike the other women dripping in showy jewels and heavy makeup, Ava’s understated elegance and poise make her a standout.

I make the rounds with Ava on my arm, her face a perfect mask of pleasantry as she smiles at the society elite milling about the ballroom.

She greets everyone with poise and polish, playing her role as my devoted wife to perfection.

The deep crimson of her gown catches the light as we move, the fabric shimmering like flames against her pale skin.

“Lucas Valeur.” The smug voice cuts through the din of conversation, and I turn to find its owner.

“Ben.” I incline my head.

“And who is this ravishing creature?” His dark eyes rake over Ava in a way that makes my hackles rise.

“Ben, this is my wife, Ava. Darling, meet Benjamin Aster, CEO of Aster Group,” I bite out through a forced smile.

Ava extends a graceful hand, but instead of shaking it, the bastard brings it to his lips, holding her fingers to his mouth a beat too long.

I clench my teeth.

“Yes, I heard you got married.” His gaze lingers on Ava, hot and assessing. “I must say, you’ve done well for yourself.”

My blood pressure spikes. The thought of his hands on her makes me want to commit violence.

“Can I steal you for a moment? I’ve been meaning to pick your brain about the Sunset deal.” Though he addresses me, his focus remains on my wife.

Asshole .

I paste on a sharp smile. “Of course. Forgive me, darling.” I press a quick, hard kiss to Ava’s cheek before allowing Benjamin to lead me toward the bar.

While he continues to talk about making money and how much of the market they control, I keep an eye on Ava, observing as she drinks her champagne and mingles with others. It takes less than a minute for a flock of eager men to descend, all clamoring for her attention.

She laughs at something one of them says, tipping her head back to expose the elegant column of her throat. The gesture looks flirtatious.

Something dark and possessive unfurls in my chest.

She doesn’t laugh like that with me. Uninhibited. Real.

A man moves into her space, resting a palm on the small of her back as he bends to murmur in her ear. Ava stiffens but doesn’t shrug him off.

“Excuse me a moment, Ben.” I don’t wait for a reply before abandoning my drink and crossing the ballroom in a few quick strides.

“Hello.” My voice could cut glass as I shoulder my way between Ava and her admirer, dislodging his hand from her body and replacing it with my own. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. I’m Lucas, Ava’s husband. And you are?”

The man takes an uneasy step back, looking flustered. “Jeffrey. Jeffrey Hanover. I was just saying how lovely your wife looks this evening.”

“Yes, she does, doesn’t she? I’m a very lucky man.” I curve my fingers into Ava’s hip, pulling her flush against my side in a blatant show of ownership. Her body remains stiff and unyielding against mine. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

Without waiting for a response, I steer Ava away, every muscle coiled tight with barely restrained aggression.

The instant we’re alone, she wrenches out of my hold and whirls to face me, green eyes spitting emerald fireworks.

“What the hell was that?” she whispers, her tone harsh and fists clenched at her sides. A rosy flush stains her cheeks, though from anger or champagne, I can’t be sure.

“That was me stopping that old bastard from drooling on your tits.”

“Oh, please. We were having a nice conversation. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“I’m your husband. That makes it my business.

” The words taste bitter and false, even to my ears.

We both know this marriage isn’t real. Still, that doesn’t stop the clawing, irrational thing inside me from wanting to grab her and snarl “ mine ” for all the world to hear.

“He’s a man. I promise you, he only had one thing on his mind. ”

“You think that way because you’re like that, only interested in women for one thing. Not everyone is like that.” Her eyes blaze.

“Yeah, right. Keep believing in fairies and pixie dust,” I say before leaving to return to my conversation with Ben.

I try to listen to his explanations about the project and why Valeur should submit a bid, but I can’t concentrate. Not when it seems every man in the room has decided to try his luck with my wife.

She may not really be my wife, but they don’t know that, and yet, they have no problem making a move while I’m in the room. I make a mental note of the names of the people who seem a little too friendly.

Eventually, they’ll want something from Valeur, and they’ll find out my memory is long-lasting.

“Email me all the details, okay, man? I’ll look it over at the office.” I clap Ben on the shoulder and abandon the conversation.

Ava leans against a side wall, holding a glass of champagne, and a man stands in front of her. Close. Too close. Just like I stood when I pressed her against the mirror in the gym.

The kiss rises in my memory, and my stomach clenches.

I’d bet my fortune he’s thinking about fucking her right now.

Just like I want to.

I come up to them from the side and tug on her arm, pulling her away.

“Hey!” she calls out, a note of surprise in her voice.

“Who are you?” The man grabs me, preventing me from getting her away.

I drop my gaze to his hand and then back to his face. “You have ten seconds to take your hand off me, or you lose it,” I growl. “I’m her husband. Who are you?”

The guy’s eyes bulge, almost popping out of their sockets as he understands the situation. Then he removes his hand from me and takes a step back. Within half a minute, he’s far away from us.

“You—you—” she sputters. “I don’t even know what you are.”

“I’m sorry for making sure you adhere to the terms of our agreement.”

“Agreement? Are you serious? You can’t just manhandle me like some kind of cave dweller every time a man breathes the same air as me!

It’s ridiculous. Not to mention insulting.

What do you think will happen? We’ll exchange a few words, and I’ll go tarnish your precious reputation by fucking a stranger in the coatroom? We were just talking.”

I guide Ava into a shadowy hallway, away from the prying eyes and gossiping mouths of the other guests. The moment we’re alone, she wrenches out of my grasp and whirls to face me, emerald eyes blazing with fury.

“I get it, okay? Your dad was a cheater. That doesn’t give you the right to project all your issues onto me.” Her words slash at me like razor blades cutting deep.

I recoil as if she’d slapped me, a harsh breath punching from my lungs. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

Regret flashes across her face, and she reaches for me, but I jerk away from her touch as if it burns. “Lucas, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean?—”

“Didn’t mean to throw my insecurities in my face in the middle of a fucking party?

To use something I told you in confidence against me the first chance you got?

” I laugh, but it’s a jagged, brittle sound.

“Wow. Silly me, thinking I could trust you with even a sliver of vulnerability. My mistake. It won’t happen again. ”

“No. I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I just?—”

I hold up a hand, cutting off her excuses. I can’t stand here and listen to her try to justify twisting the knife. Not when I’m holding on to my composure by a thread.

“Save it. I’m done with this farce of a party, and I’m done with this conversation. Let’s go.”

I stride toward the exit without waiting for a response. I don’t look back to see if she’s following. I can’t. If I do, I might say or do something I can’t take back.

The crisp night air slaps me in the face as I burst outside, but it does little to cool the roiling anger and hurt clawing at my insides. I drag in a shuddering breath and tip my head back to the star-strewn sky, trying to regain some semblance of control.

Tentative footsteps click on the marble behind me. I don’t turn.

“Lucas.” Ava’s voice is small, hesitant. “I’m so sorry. What I said in there… It was cruel and uncalled for. I was angry and hurt, and I lashed out without thinking. It’s no excuse, and I’m truly sorry.”

“I don’t want to hear it.” The words taste like ash on my tongue. “You made yourself perfectly clear. My tragic past is a weakness to be exploited. Duly noted.”

“That’s not what I meant!” Frustration bleeds into her tone. She steps into my line of sight, forcing me to look at her. Unshed tears glitter in her eyes. “I wasn’t trying to use your pain against you. I would never do that. I just... I hate feeling like you don’t trust me.”

“Gee, I wonder why that is.” Sarcasm drips from every syllable. “Maybe it has something to do with you making a fool of me in there, letting that creep paw all over you.”

“Oh, my God, he barely touched me! We were just talking. Maybe if you hadn’t abandoned me the second we walked in to go schmooze?—”

“I was working the room. Making connections and promoting the business. You know, the company I’m busting my ass to manage. So sorry if that’s such an inconvenience to you, Your Highness. ”

She makes a wordless sound of pure frustration, throwing her hands up. “You are so infuriating. I’m not some delicate flower who needs you to defend her honor every five seconds, Lucas. I can handle myself.”

I scoff. “Yeah, you handled that perv real well. Forget it. Flirt with whoever you want. Just don’t expect me to smile and play the doting husband while you disrespect me.”

Hurt flashes across her face, there and gone. She squares her shoulders, lifting her chin. “Fine. Are we done here? I’d like to go home now.”

“Yeah. We’re done.” I wave off the approaching valet and stalk to the car, yanking open the passenger door with far more force than necessary.

Ava slips inside without a word, spine ramrod straight. I slam it closed with a satisfying bang and circle the hood to throw myself behind the wheel.

The drive home passes in stony, charged silence. Ava keeps her face turned to the window, refusing to even look at me. The muscle in my jaw ticks as I crank the volume on the angry metal album blaring through the speakers.

Focusing on the road is the only thing keeping me from saying something I’ll regret. Or pulling over here and yanking her into my arms to shove her anger and mine down her throat with my mouth.

I’m so furious I can taste it, acrid and hot on the back of my tongue. At her. At myself. At this whole fucked up situation.

God, what a clusterfuck of a night. And it’s only the beginning. How the hell am I supposed to survive two years of this?