Page 15 of Marrying the Billionaire Single Dad

"Only, don’t think it’s easy to get one of the Seven out of your mind, once you get involved with them." Victoria slips onto one of the barstools, places her glass of water on the island. "I set out to seduce Saint—but then I fell too." She jerks her chin in the direction of the large glowering man who stands with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I don’t see you protesting much, girlfriend," Isla huffs.

"At some point, I realized it was best to give in and enjoy the ride." Amelie looks at me. "Know what I mean?"

"Are you trying to tell me something?" I frown.

"What I am saying…" Victoria smiles—with that soul-deep contented smile that only those who have found their other halves seem to wear like it is some kind of secret, which I admit, from where I am standing, it is.

"You’re saying...?" I prompt her

"That you best not underestimate what entangling in any form with the Seven means," Victoria replies. "Once you step into their circle of influence, you won’t be able to catch your breath. The force of their personalities will overwhelm you, and by the time you come to your senses, it’ll be too late."

I clear my throat, "You make it sound like they are some kind of cult."

"Not a cult." Her features grow serious. "But they are a tribe. These men are wild beasts who wear a veneer of sophistication so they may pretend to fit into society."

O-k-a-y.

"They may fight with each other, but because of the incident, they’ll always be united in ways we can never understand," Amelie adds.

"So," I turn to where Damian and Arpad circle each other in the space that the rest of the men have cleared, "they are still hurting from the trauma of the past?"

She nods. "Which means, when the right woman comes along... Well, let’s just say, it accelerates the healing process in a way that is life changing."

Damian throws a blow, Arpad ducks, then drops down and kicks the rock star's legs out from under him. I draw in a breath, take a step forward, but Damian springs up to his feet and lands his fist in Arpad’s pretty face. Blood explodes from Arpad’s nose and he staggers back. Damian cracks his neck, raises his arms in mock victory, "You’re going soft, Beauchamp."

Arpad shakes his head, says something unintelligible.

Damian laughs, "Guess the round is mine then."

"Now’s your chance," Isla coaxes.

"What?"

"If you want to take your future into your own hands, instead of allowing the Seven to get to you, this is your opportunity."

Too late.Damian has already made an impact on me. The chemistry between us is off-the-charts crazy. She's right about one thing, though. I am done being an onlooker to my own life. This time, I am going to steer my own fate. I am going to throw caution to the wind, live life to the fullest, and then walk away with my ego and my heart intact.

One last dalliance before I find a good man to settle down with and live my quiet, boring life.

I hitch my bag over my shoulder, then walk forward, still wearing his jacket. "Hey, Rockstar," I call out. "This is your last chance to accept my challenge. You in or out? Do you have the balls?"

Weston whistles.

Saint snickers.

Damian jerks his head toward me, "Balls, huh? I’ll show you my balls all right, sugar. I—"

That’s when Arpad closes the distance and lands a punch to Damian’s head.

6

Damian

I come to with a start to find I am on my back on the floor of the kitchen of Weston’s apartment. "Bloody hell." The pain ripples down my spine. I raise my hand and my knuckles throb; my shoulder screams in protest. "What the hell happened?" I open my eyes and her green gaze clashes with mine. Delicately arched eyebrows, an upturned nose, pink lips that curve in a bow so perfect it should be illegal. She flicks out her tongue to lick her lips and I feel the tug all the way to my groin. "Juliet?"

"You are no Romeo," she scoffs.