Page 34 of Release Me

Since I admitted how obsessed with you I am?

Since I put my lips on yours and stole the best damn kiss of my entire existence?

All of the above lingers in the air, the unspoken elephant between us.

She swallows hard, drawing my eyes to her long, elegant neck. ‘Fine,’ she says a little too brightly.

‘Really?’ I inch closer, unable to help myself. It’s too close to be appropriate, but it’s nowhere near as close as I need to be to satiate the hunger eating me up from the inside out.

I force my gaze away from her, across the ballroom—my parents’ ballroom.

This is my world.

My family’s world.

A place I’ve attended more parties than I can count—yet standing here now, none of it feels familiar. Not with her standing a breath away, turning everything I thought I knew—everything I thought I was—into something—someone—unrecognisable. If my parents had any idea I’m obsessed with a married woman, they’d be horrified. We were brought up to value the concept of marriage, treasure it, and respect it.

But clearly, Anthony doesn’t, so why should I?

‘Fine?’ I echo, raising a brow.

She shrugs, the movement sending the silk rippling around her frame. ‘Everyone’s fine at a party.’

I huff a quiet laugh. ‘Trust me, I’m an expert on parties. And you don’t look fine, Beks.’

Her eyes flick up, luminous and wary under the chandelier’s glow. For a heartbeat, the noise of the room fades. It’s just her and me, and her sensual fucking vanilla perfume stealing my senses.

Her pulse flutters at the base of her throat. ‘I’m just not great at this kind of thing,’ she says softly.

‘Which thing? Parties? Or pretending?’ I start to reach fora loose tendril at her temple, then think better of it, fingers curling into my palm. ‘Rebekka?—’

‘Rian!’ The voice lands like a freezing cold splash of water to the face. Anthony bulldozes through the crowd with the smooth smile of a man who thinks the world owes him something. Arrogant asshole. A grin lights his face. It’s the same grin he used to flash at me across the classroom. But tonight, it’s hard to reciprocate it.

Rebekka straightens, smoothing the silk at her hips, sliding her mask into place.

I step back a fraction, though every nerve in me screams to stay right where I am.

Anthony claps me on the shoulder warmly, completely ignoring his stunning wife in the process.

Does he genuinely not realise what he has?

Or does he realise deep down and know she’s way too good for him?

I’m not supposed to care. Not supposed to stick my nose in another person’s marriage.

‘Anthony, how are you?’ I slap his bicep, as guilt gnaws at my gut.

‘Thought you’d be on the dancefloor mauling that hot little brunette I saw pawing at you.’

Rebekka flinches beside me.

‘Keeping a low profile tonight,’ I manage, mouth dry.

‘I’d bet everything I own you’ll be bollocks deep in her before the night is over!’ His raucous laugh grates every nerve in my body. ‘And I wouldn’t fucking blame you.’ He shoots a salacious look at the brunette, who was indeed unashamedly groping me when I spotted Rebekka.

‘Not tonight. I’m not in the mood.’ I shake my head, and I swear Rebekka exhales a breath of relief.

‘Not in the mood?’ Anthony’s jaw almost hits the floor. ‘Who even are you? What have you done with the Rian Iknow?’ He still hasn’t so much as looked in Rebekka’s direction. Meanwhile, I can barely keep my eyes off her.