Page 489 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

Or burst into flames.

I’m not really sure which, and neither option really works for me.

So I look at Resting Bitch Face again and flash a tight smile. “Well, in this case, my shirt speaks volumes. And if that’s offensive to you,” I say with a shrug. “Good! Because you do suck!”

I hear Zeno swallow a laugh and heat rises in my cheeks. Ugh. Why couldn’t I come up with a better comeback than that? I’ve never been great thinking on my feet during these types of confrontations, but in my defense, they’re pretty few and far between. I don’t have the same fiery temper as my brother and father, so I avoid a lot of altercations by just turning the other cheek.

But screw that!

She deserved it! They’re also probably the harshest words I’ve ever spoken to another person. Well, I’m being extremely generous when I call her a person. Rayleigh is more like a She-Devil. I bet she sleeps upside down, right next to her pitchfork, smack in the middle of a raging inferno.

The urge to punch her takes hold when she flashes that condescending smirk at me, and the twitching sensation in my fist shocks me a little bit, if I’m being honest. I’ve never hit anyone in my life. I don’t really even get road rage. It takes a lot to get me charged up, but this woman definitely breached my threshold for patience.

I take in a deep breath, deciding to take the high road and not continue this pissing match in present company. I twist back around to see the look of amusement on Zeno’s tan, chiseled face. His deep-set blue eyes tussle with mine, and my breath hitches as his curious gaze breaks away and slowly and seductively sweeps over the length of my body. Tingles flare up in the wake of his optical assault on me.

Oh my God. I feel blissfully violated in the best possible way right now, despite his dismissal a few weeks ago. The sting of that isn’t nearly as biting as his gaze rakes over my jean-clad legs.

Rayleigh calls out to Zeno, I guess in some unsuccessful attempt to grab back his attention. “I hope I’ll see you later at the club,” she coos in a sultry voice that makes my spine stiffen and my fingers twitch. God, I want to claw her eyes out right now.

Zeno sweeps a hand through his luscious dark hair and crooks a smile at her without answering. My heart clenches and I want to sing out in joy when I see a flicker of anger flare up in her narrowed eyes.

Ha! He just blew you off, bitch!

And judging from the flared nostrils and fiery glare shooting from her eyes, Rayleigh knows it, too. She turns without another word and flounces away, her high heels clicking loudly on the marble tile.

I let out a snicker. I can’t help it. She is such an insufferable bitch, and Zeno clearly has better taste.

Taste. Mm. I’d love to taste him…we never got to that part the other night.

A chill ripples through me.

And that’s because he left when you offered him more, Lil!

“Oh, you think that’s funny, huh?” he says in that deep, sexy voice.

“I think it’s hysterical, actually,” I say. “She obviously has a thing for you and you just kicked her to the curb.” I fold my arms over my chest. “Kind of the way you did to me back at the Montepremi a few weeks ago. Kazimir, Vice nightclub,” I tilt my head to the side. “Mycelebration?”

His eyes widen and he takes a step backward as recognition settles into his features.

“Yeah,” I say, fixing him with a glare, the harshest one I can muster. “Lily, remember?”

He moves closer and I drink in the spicy scent of his cologne. It infuses my senses and fuzzes up my brain just enough where I can’t remember why I’m here in the first place anymore.

“Sorry, I didn’t rec…I mean, you look really different in that…shirt,” he says.

A sarcastic snicker slips from my lips. “Would it matter? You had a shot with me in a completely different outfit and you turned it down.”

He looks away. “Wasn’t my choice,” he mutters.

“Oh, so you have to run your decisions past some higher power, huh?” I roll my eyes. “Whatever. It’s not a big deal. It was a fun night. No explanations, no strings. Don’t panic like I’m about to become a stage-five clinger. I’m here to do a job. So let’s just get to it and I’ll be on my way.”

I say it, but even as the words hit the air, I know I’m full of shit.

I bite down on my lower lip, despite the flame of his rejection igniting deep in my gut. I should not be wasting a shred of energy on a guy like him. I have plans and they don’t include someone who refers to himself as a…what words did he use…oh, right.

A fucking thug.

Yeah, I don’t need one of those in my life. He’s exactly who I want to escape.

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