Page 422 of The Morally Grey Billionaires Boxset

Gio

"He tattooed your name into his skin?" Mira side-eyes me.

We’re in the main VIP room overlooking the home rink of The London Ice Kings.

It’s the finals where they take on the Manchester Enforcers.

The stands are full, the crowds steadily growing over the last few hours.

The sound of their excited cheering echoes off the walls of the space.

The atmosphere is electric, and even sealed off as I am in this room, the exhilaration seeps through the glass walls.

"Well, aren’t you impressed by it?" she prompts.

I shrug.

"Not even a little bit?"

"Maybe a little, but it’s a stunt to get my attention, no doubt."

"And he succeeded," she cries.

"Whose side are you on?" I frown as the opposing team glides onto the ice.

"Yours, babe, always yours. But I do believe the man loves you."

"He betrayed me."

"It’s what brought you to his notice in the first place. Maybe he fell for you as soon as he saw you, but felt he had to be loyal to his sister’s memory."

"Still doesn’t forgive what he did." The Enforcers skate around the rink, and their supporters, who fill one side of the arena rise to their feet. The home supporter’s boo. The players complete their circuit, then line up to face the entrance.

"What are you waiting for, Gio? You spent a million dollars of his money—"

"A billion, actually."

"What?" She cries out. "You spent a billion dollars of his money?"

There’s silence behind us. I turn to find the rest of the wives and girlfriends of the Seven and the Sovranos looking at us.

Yep, I was invited to watch the finals by Knight’s wife Penny, and I couldn’t refuse.

It gave me a valid excuse not to be down at the stands.

It also meant we could bring Tiny along.

Mira flashes a smile at the group, before turning back to me. "Holy shit. Tell me you didn’t do that."

"I did. Plus, it’s not like he noticed it. It barely made a dent into his enormous fortune—his words, not mine." I train my gaze on the rink below. I am not looking for him. I am not looking for him. Am not. A cheer goes up.

The Ice Kings glide out. I spot him at once, in the jersey with the number thirteen on both sleeves and on the back of the jersey, with 'Mitchell' centered above it. He pauses halfway to the center and turns. He tips back his helmet-covered head, and even across the distance, he spots me. I can’t see his face, but the buzz that jolts up my spine confirms his gaze is on me.

My mouth dries, and my nipples pebble. My pussy flutters.

I ache for his touch, to feel the stab of his cock inside me.

To have his arms wrapped about me, his breath on my cheek, the thud of his heart against mine as he impales me.

Pressure squeezes my chest. My heart vaults into my throat before sinking to that space between my legs.

I squeeze my thighs together to clamp down the yawning emptiness between my legs.

"Holy hell, I can feel the sparks flying between the two of you across the distance,” Mira gasps.

I press my palm into the glass and meet his gaze. No one in the crowd knows I'm here, and this might be the last time I see him play live. I swallow, and a tear spills down my cheek.

"You love him," Mira breathes.

On the ice, he raises his right fist without breaking our connection. It’s a war-cry, a promise, an assurance, an oath… He’ll never let go of me. Not as long as he’s alive. He’ll haunt me from the afterlife. He’ll never relinquish his claim on me.

Moisture bathes my channel. Desire hums under the surface of my skin. It’s the most incredible gesture of ownership anyone has ever shown me, and it turns me on and pisses me off in equal measure. Okay, fine, it turns me on more. Happy?

"I have to leave this city." I deliberately look away from him. "I have to." I grasp Mira’s hand in mine. "If I stay here, if I see him again, I’ll give into him."

"Would that be so bad?" She searches my features. "Would it?"

I nod. "I trusted him. I was ready to commit, to give him everything. Despite the fact my previous relationship showed me how much I couldn’t trust another man. Despite the fact I’d been betrayed once. I took the chance. I gave him my heart. He trampled over it."

She swallows, then nods. "I can’t claim to know how you feel, but if this is what you want…"

"It is."

"Then stay until the game is over. You owe your professional career that much."

I already told Edward I was resigning after this game.

Regardless of the outcome, I’ve have completed the project of seeing the Ice Kings through to the finals of the League.

I reached out to my contacts in L.A., and have a job lined up there.

It's time to leave this city, to put him behind me. Except you won’t.

You’ll carry him around in your heart, in your soul, in the secret corners of your body which only he has traversed.

You’ll forever have his name imprinted in your cells, in your every breath…

And you’ll learn to live with it. You have to.

I turn my back to the game and walk toward the group of women who’re talking to each other.

Tiny gambols up and brushes against me. Max, Sinclair and Summer’s whippet is on his heels.

They’re followed by Andy, Michael and Karma’s cat.

The animals dance around me, then Andy clambers onto the Great Dane’s back.

O-k-a-y then. Tiny takes off with Max right behind.

They tear around the room with barks and woofs, Andy digging his claws into Tiny, but the Great Dane seems unphased.

"Andy thinks he’s a dog." Karma pats her tummy. Her features wear a surprised expression.

"There’s a mutual admiration society between the critters," Summer laughs.

"They do get along better than when the men first met." Penny taps her cheek. "The alphaholes have a lot more posturing happening among them."

"Alphaholes?" I snort out a laugh despite myself. "So, I’m not the only one who uses that word in reference to these men?"

"Nope," Summer chuckles.

"Of course not." Penny rolls her eyes.

"The first word that came to mind when I saw Michael." Karma wheezes, then turns pale.

"Are you okay?" I grip her arm.

Summer holds her other. "You need to sit down, sis."

Together, we guide Karma to one of the settees. She sinks down into it and manages a smile.

"Have some water." Penny uncaps a bottle and offers it. Karma takes a few sips.

"I’m going to get Michael.”

The guys are in the VIP room down the corridor. Mira turns in the direction of the door, but Karma grabs her arm. "No, don’t, please. It’ll only worry him. I’m okay now."

I scan her features. She does look better. There’s more color on her cheeks. She hands the bottle back to Penny.

"I’m okay. Please, don’t let me distract you from the game." She sits up.

Summer scoots closer and cups her cheek. "You sure, little sister? Maybe you shouldn’t have come today."

"And miss all the excitement?” She rolls her eyes. “I’m pregnant, not sick."

"It puts so much more strain on your heart." Summer bites down on her bottom lip. "I’m surprised Michael agreed to have a second child."

"Oh, he didn’t."

"He didn’t?" I ask surprised.

"You could say I tricked him. Not that it took much convincing to do the deed." She nods.

Mira cackles. Penny chokes out a laugh.

I can’t see the mean ex-Mafia Don being tricked into doing anything, let alone having a child with the woman whose life might be in danger now that she’s pregnant.

I heard from Penny how Karma suffers from a heart-condition which resulted in a complicated first pregnancy.

Being pregnant again could be a major health risk for her.

So it stands to reason her husband would be concerned.

"Are you sure you’re okay?" I lower my chin.

She meets my gaze and half smiles. "Truth is, I am not okay.

I was aware of the risks when I decided to get pregnant.

Aware that my husband would not be happy because I went against his wishes without telling him.

But I wanted this child." She places her hand on her stomach.

"And I know he wanted a second child, too.

Of course, not at the risk of my health, but Michael deserves a larger family, and I can give it to him. "

"You’re putting yourself in danger," I warn her.

"I’m aware." Her smile grows. Her expression is serene. "But it’s worth every chance, every unpredictability, every precariousness along the way. What’s life if you don’t live it to the fullest, eh?" She laughs.

She’s right, if only I could be more like her. If only I could look past everything he did and be with him again, because without him, my life is far from full. My every day is incomplete and the nights... unbearable.

"I wish you weren’t this stubborn." Summer takes her other hand in her own. "If something were to happen to you—"

"It won’t. And if it does, I’ll make arrangements to ensure Michael and the children are taken care of."

"Oh, Karma." Summer throws her arms about her sister.

The rest of us look at each other. These women are such an amazingly tight-knit group.

They come from all walks of life, and the fact that Karma and Summer are sisters puts them at the core of this ever-growing tribe of wives and girlfriends who’ve given me such a soft landing in London.

Leaving here means leaving all of them, too.

I’m going to miss them. I grew up in L.A.

, come of age there, started my career and progressed, but I never managed to form connections the way I’ve done here, in just two months.

I also forged an attachment of the heart here… And now, I'm going to break it.