Page 22 of I Summoned A Demon For A Date?!
"Yes, well," Aldaine's hand found mine under the table, "some people need reminding that their actions have consequences."
I squeezed his hand, grateful for his intervention. "Thank you," I murmured.
He turned to me with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Don't thank me yet, little minx. The day's just getting started."
Looking at the way Roger and Stephany were whispering and shooting us dark looks, I had a feeling he was right.
I followed the crowd outside after breakfast with Rita at my side, and had to admit that Jan had outdone herself. The front lawn had been transformed into something straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Professional-looking white tents housed vendors offering everything from champagne to fancy finger foods. But the centerpiece was an elaborate croquet setup that sprawled across the manicured grass. Flamingo-shaped mallets leaned against white wooden stands, and the wickets had been painted gold and adorned with tiny roses. String lights were already strung between the trees, waiting for dusk to transform the space into a twinkling wonderland. I couldn't help but feel a pang of reluctant admiration. My stepmother might be cold to me, but she certainly knew how to throw an event that would make people talk for months.
"Ladies versus gentlemen!" Jan announced, clapping herhands together like an overexcited kindergarten teacher. "Won't this be fun?"
I barely had time to register what was happening before Aldaine tugged me against the solid warmth of his chest. His fingers traced a delicate path along my jaw, tilting my face up to his. When his lips captured mine, the world dissolved into a haze of sensation, soft yet demanding, sweet yet wicked. The kiss deepened until I forgot we were standing in the middle of my stepmother's perfectly manicured lawn, surrounded by a bunch of hostile people. My fingers curled into the crisp fabric of his shirt, clinging to him like an anchor in a storm. Someone let out a wolf whistle, probably Rita, followed by scattered whoops and calls that made me want to sink into the perfectly trimmed grass and disappear.
When Aldaine finally drew back, the look in his eyes sent electricity dancing down my spine. Dark and possessive with just a hint of mischief, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me and was thoroughly enjoying himself. My legs felt about as stable as melted butter, and I had to resist the urge to fan my burning face. The satisfied smirk playing at the corners of his mouth told me that was precisely the reaction he'd been aiming for.
"For luck," he whispered against my ear before sauntering away.
"Girl," Rita grabbed my arm, fanning herself dramatically. "That man is something else."
I watched Aldaine join the other men, noting how even Roger seemed to unconsciously step back to give him space. "He certainly is."
We lined up for the game, and I quickly realized this wasn't going to be the casual backyard croquet I remembered from childhood. Jan had hired professional referees, and there were scoring cards being passed around.
"So," I followed Rita to the start of the game. "What kind of gossip have I missed these last few years?"
"Oh, you've come to the right person for the gossip, girl," Rita whispered as we waited our turn. "Do you see that one there? Jessie Martinez."
I followed her gaze to a statuesque woman in designer workout wear. "Wasn't she the president of the student council?"
"Yeah," Rita confirmed with a nod. "It's the first time she's been in public since moving home. Apparently, she married some tech billionaire, but he caught her sleeping with their pool boy AND their driver."
I winced. "At the same time?"
"Different days, same pool house." Rita took her shot, sending the ball through two wickets. "And see that redhead over there? That's Michelle Peterson. Remember how she was always bragging about how she was going to Harvard?"
"Yeah?"
"Turns out she's working as a stripper in Boston. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but she kept posting fake pictures of herself 'studying' at Harvard on Instagram. Got caught when one of her regular customers recognized her when she was with Stephany."
I tried to focus on my shot but couldn't help laughing. "You're kidding!"
"Nope. Oh! And Kevin Matthous? The one who used to give you grief about your art in Mrs. Henderson's class?"
I looked over at the men's side where Kevin was attempting to show Aldaine how to hold his mallet. Aldaine's expression suggested he was reconsidering his promise to behave.
"He's actually doing really well," Rita continued. "Opened up an art gallery in Denver. Specializes in promoting localartists." She paused. "He asked about you before you came down for breakfast. He was worried about what Stephany had already started to do to you."
I missed my shot completely, the mallet swooshing through empty air. "He what?"
"Mmhmm. Said he would be back up if we accidentally-on-purpose ran her over with a golf cart."
I laughed again. "That's kinda fun to imagine, actually."
Rita grinned at me. "Wanna try to find a golf cart later?"
Before I could respond, shouting erupted from the men's side of the lawn, drawing our attention away from our gossip session. Somehow, Roger had managed to hit his own ball with such force that it sailed straight into Jan's prized rose bushes, sending a shower of pristine white petals floating to the ground.
I couldn't help but notice the barely concealed smirk on Aldaine's face as he positioned himself next to my former boyfriend, demonstrating proper mallet form with an elegant grace that made Roger look like a fumbling amateur.
