Page 115 of Twisted Hearts
“You already have.”
I spin slowly to face him, shivering at the intensity in his eyes as he reaches up to cup my cheek.
“Beautiful,” he murmurs with a soft reverence to his voice. Suddenly, he’s leaning down and kissing me.
And my world short-circuits.
We haven’t actually done that before in public. But I don’t freak. I don’t second-guess it, or over-analyze. I just melt into the kiss, sinking against his chest as time loses all meaning around us.
When he slowly pulls back, my heart is thundering in my chest. His eyes are still locked on mine.
“I’m going to get us some champagne.”
I chew on my lip, my face throbbing as I nod. “I…I think that’s a good idea.”
Gavan grins, his hand brushing mine before he turns and strides away toward one of the bars set up around the main gallery hall. I catch Neve giving me a sharply raised brow with a pointed smirk on her face. I roll my eyes and turn away, blushing as I meander away through another gallery full of sculptures by Degas and Rodin.
At the far end of the room, I step out onto a quiet terrace overlooking an empty inner courtyard. I inhale and exhale deeply, feeling something wild and freeing coursing through my veins.
This is no longer an “arrangement”.
I think I’ve fallen for Gavan.
Actually, there’s no “I think” about it.
Ihavefallen for him.
“I thought you were smarter than to insult me like this, Eilish.”
The mood shatters like glass, the shards raking down my skin as my blood runs cold. I turn, and my face goes white as I come face-to-face with Brooks McKinnley.
His lips curl dangerously.
This is the first time I’ve ever found myself alone with Brooks since that party I should never have gone to during my senior year of high school. And the second I realize just how alone we really are, my body begins to turn numb.
Like it did that night.
“What do you want?” I choke.
He glares at me. “Respect, for one. Eilish, I made you and your family a solid offer. An alliance with my family? Given the Senate committee my father oversees? Are you fuckingjoking? I’m your reusable get out of jail free card.” He shakes his head angrily. “And yet, you ignore my offer. Worse, now I see you parading around like some Bratva whore with Gavan fucking Tsarenko.”
My mouth tightens.
“Fuck you, assho—”
“I’dwatchwhat you say to me,” he snarls viciously, making my heart leap into my throat as I back away from him. “I don’t take kindly to insults, Eilish.” He sneers, nodding his chin at my choker. “Didheget that for you?”
“Yes,” I spit back. “Andhewill be back any second. And when he finds you threatening me, you’re going to realize what I’ve known for years about you—that you’re an arrogant, pampered, spoiled fuckingidiot.”
I almost choke as Brooks lunges at me, shoving me back and pinning me against the stone terrace railing. He looms over me, his hand wrapped tight around one of my wrists.
“Does he know you used to bemywhore?”
Bile rises in my stomach like acid. I blanch as a wave of nausea spreads through me.
Brooks smiles cruelly. “You remember that night, don’t you…babe?”
My lips curl into a sneer. “I remember,” I spit venomously. “I remember you spiking my drink,” I choke. “I remember you shoving me into that bedroom and trying to take my clothes off while I couldn’t say no. While I couldn’t fuckingmove!”