Page 94 of Ruined

Irritation heated my chest like a rash. “And how’d that work out for you?”

Maria’s smile faltered. “He wasn’t ready for anything serious.”

I feigned sympathy. “His loss.”

She placed a hand on my arm. “Is it? Maybe I should’ve set my sights higher.”

Ugh. “What are you looking for?”

Her eyes gleamed. “A chance to build my event planning business with bigger clients. Luca’s great, but he’s not exactly a door-opener. You? You’ve got the kind of pull that could change everything for someone like me.”

“And Luca was…what? A stepping stone?”

“Luca was a friend,” she said coolly. “But I’m not blind. I know how this world works. Doors don’t open without the right connections.”

She actually thought she had a shot with me, but my only interest was pissing off Luca. Did that make me an even bigger asshole than her?

“You think I could help you?” I asked.

She squeezed my arm. “Introduce me to Vinn Costa.”

“And what’s in it for me?”

She smiled. “Whatever you want.”

I leaned in closer, and pink patches rose to her cheeks. An intimate smile spread across my face. It’d been a long time sinceI flirted with a woman, but it wasn’t that complicated. Smile. Laugh. Pretend I’m not bored out of my mind.

Luca stalked toward me.

I leaned back from her. “On second thought, I don’t think I can give you what you want.”

Luca grabbed my arm. “We need to talk.”

“Oh, now you want to talk?” I drawled.

“Don’t,” he snapped. “Not here.”

I winked at Maria and slid off the stool, letting Luca steer me into a quieter hallway. The noise of the party faded, and the second we were out of sight, he spun on me, his jaw tight.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he hissed.

I shrugged. “Having a drink.”

“You’re gay, and you’re hitting on Maria?”

I smirked. “I didn’t hear any complaints from her.”

His glare darkened. “You think this is funny?”

“Not really, but it’s interesting how fast you came running the second I looked at her the wrong way.”

Luca’s jaw worked. “Don’t test me.”

“Or you’ll put another knife on my throat?”

“Keep playing games, and somebody will get hurt.”

I blinked.