Page 80 of From Asher, With Love

“Lark?”she mouths, and I simply shrug. I have no clue.

“What are you doing here, Montgomery?” Julianna asks, crossing her arms over her chest. Her entire body is stiff and rigid. She’s full of rage, and I can only guess her vision has turned red at this point. As red as the blood-red tie Rome is wearing.

“It’s your birthday,” Rome flatly says. “How old are you turning today? Forty, is it?”

Julianna grinds her teeth, her muscles in her jaw tightening. “Thirty, asshole.”

“Oh, right.” Rome looks down at the box before stuffing it back into his black pants. He taps his finger on his forehead and fake winces. “Sorry.”

“You can save your fake apology,” Julianna grinds out, not backing off. “Why are you here?”

“You know, you sure are acting like a brat for someone who’s turning thirty.” His eyes darken.

“Why are you here?” she repeats.

“I was invited.”

“By who?”

With his hands in his pockets, he bends slightly, bringing his eyes in line with Julianna’s. “Who do you think invited me, brat? I’ll give you one guess.”

“I’m not playing your game, Rome.”

“Oh, come on, Lark,” he teases, scrunching his nose. “Games are fun. Just like birthday parties. They make things interesting.”

Julianna’s gorgeous eyes thin into two slits laced with poison, directed squarely at Rome. “Have I ever told you how much I hate you?”

“Only about a million times since we first learned to speak.”

“Right.” She huffs, pointing at the elevators. “Well, I still hate you, and it’s my party, so I want you to leave.”

“Not just a brat, then.” He scoffs. “Still a firecracker, as always, I see.”

Julianna stands her ground and stays silent, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I’m not leaving.” Rome straightens his back. “It would be rude of me, considering your brother invited me. Don’t you think?”

“Holt would never invite you,” Julianna barks back. “He doesn’t hate you nearly as much as I do, because a level ofhatred that high would be impossible to compete with, but his venom for you is still there.”

“Obviously not enough to keep me away from celebrating the day you graced this earth with your glorious presence, though, now, is it?”

“Leave.”

Rome ignores her, searching the crowd with a look of pleasure on his face. I can tell he’s enjoying this game. “Is your boyfriend here? What’s his name again?” He looks down at Julianna. “Honestly, you go through so many, I can’t keep up.”

“I want you to leave.” Her chest has stilled, and her body has hardened.

Rome opens his mouth, but is stopped when Holt moves in between them. He doesn’t have a chance to speak, either, before Julianna aims her piercing stare on her brother, ready to throw more daggers.

“You invited him to my party?” She points an angry finger at Rome.

Holt trades innocent glances between them before his shoulders drop in defeat. “Hear me out.”

“No.” Julianna’s eyes line with tears, and suddenly, it’s as if her anger has dissolved into hurt. “I don’t need to hear you out when it comes to the Montgomerys.”

“You told me you wanted to invite everyone.” Holt tries to defend himself.

Julianna scoffs in disbelief. “Not Rome!” she yells. “I didn’t mean for you to invite Rome Montgomery. He’s our family’s enemy and all they do is ruin everything they touch.”

---