Page 88 of Pretty Pink Poison

Still, the kiss was forced and stilted before he gripped my arms and pushed me back. “Bianca, what in the hell are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” I shoved at his chest in frustration, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. “You’re here for metonight, aren’t you? You asked for me to be by your side. I’m doing what I’m supposed to. What I intended to do.”

“Let’s be real. You didn’t intend to do a damn thing with me tonight, and you know how I know that?”

“How?” I put a hand on my hip.

“Because I didn’t intend to do anything with you either.”

My mouth dropped open as I shoved him. “What? Why the hell not?”

“Yes, why not, brother?” Bane said in the doorway, his shadow and presence as dark as ever. He’d left the woman by his side tonight to follow us in here.

I hated that it brought me a rush of satisfaction, that I saw the jealousy in his gaze, eating at him the way it had me.

CHAPTER 27

PINK

“You broughthim to the dark room.” Bane’s voice held malice as he stood there taking me in. He barely even glanced at Rafe.

“He’s going to be my husband, so I figured why not?”

“I told your ass you don’t come in here with other people.”

“Well, I think what you’re telling me at this point is moot considering you’re only watching me for your brother anyway.”

He turned to his brother. “You ready to handle her all by yourself, or are you handing her off to me again?”

“Bane, I swear to Christ, if this doesn’t make you see that there’s shit you two need to resolve, I don’t know what will.” His brother didn’t even hesitate. “She’s all yours.”

Fuck that man, I swear to God. He exited and left us with fury ricochetting around the room—volatile, magnetic, and catastrophic all at the same time. “If he’s leaving, so am I.”

I moved toward the door, but Bane blocked my way. “I think you’re going to stay.”

“Why? Got a mask you want to wear?” I scoffed. “I’m over your masks and your fuckings in the darkness, Bane. I don’t want it.”

“Is that so?” He tilted his head. “What do you want so badly from me then?”

“Does it matter? Why don’t you ask Sabine what she wants since she’sperfect.”

“I’m asking you. What the fuck do you want, Bianca Zarelli? You have had it all with me already for years. You get every damn thing you want.”

“How can you believe that?” I choked out. How could he believe I was getting all I wanted when all I wanted was him.

“How?” he bellowed and then stormed at me to grab me by the throat and yank me close. “You want a house to burn, I provide it. You want a man to screw around with, you get it. You want a mil to throw at a roulette table, it’s yours. You want a romance book to fantasize over, it’s at the penthouse for you in a day. You want into the dark room to play out a fantasy, here we fucking are.”

“You think I care about any of that?”

“What more can I give you?” He sounded broken, but I was too.

“Yourself! It’s all I ever want. And if you can’t give me that, give me the damn pain to make me forget that you can’t, that I’ll never have you. That she will or some other woman.”

He shook his head at me, his eyes darkening with a desire I knew he didn’t want to feel. “I’ve given you that time and time again.”

“With a mask? Sure, but I want to see it, Bane. I want toknowit’s you. I want the delicious slap ofyourhand, wantyouto take control. I wantyouto push me to the brink of pain so that I forget I’ll never have you again, because that’s where this is going isn’t it? You’re going to let me go, aren’t you?”

“What does it matter if I’m with her when you’re going to be with him?”