Page 71 of Love Beyond the Illusion
Jack takes us down the stairs and through the propped open iron gates, leading us into a dimly lit space where thousands of candles are lit, welcoming guests into what seems to be a step back in time two centuries. It’s romantic and almost dreamlike.
“Glad you like it. Should we find our seats or sample some wine first?”
“Sample the wine first!”
He laughs, shifting us toward the barrel room. “I knew you’d say that.”
“Jack!” a female voice from behind us calls out.
We both turn around to find Sophia, Jack’s ex-girlfriend, standing only a few feet away. Her long brown hair is pulled into a tight bun, making her oversized dark eyes look like they’re bulging out of her head.Okay, that was mean—but she’s a bitch.
Standing to her side is a man that I assume is her fiancé. He’s wider than Jack, with fiery red hair, a goatee, and extremely good-looking. Although Jack could not be more opposite, it’s hard not to appreciate Sophia’s impeccable taste in men. My nose arches on one side the moment those beady eyes land on Jack.
Mine.
“Sophia,” he snarls, squeezing my hand.
She smiles, flashing awkwardly straight teeth. I hold in bubbling laughter when I see a faint spot of red lipstick on her front tooth.Could this have gone any better for me at the moment?
“Long time no see, Jack Bradley,” her voice creaks.
When his name leaves her lips, the hairs on my neck stand up—and not in a good way, like when Jack’s hitting all the right spots while railing me. It’s a gross, uncomfortable, and territorial reaction.
“Yes,” he says. Then, I feel the warmth of his palm on my lower back. “You remember my girlfriend, Piper?”
Sophia gives me another smile, this time looking more fake than the last. “Yes, we met a few weeks ago.”
“We did. It was a pleasant encounter, wasn’t it? What was it that we talked about?” I bring a finger into the air. “Oh yes, you talked about Jack the whole time that I actually questioned whether you had a financé or not,” I spat, turning to the man to her left. “Nice to see that you are, in fact,real.”
Jack tilts his head with a smug look on his face. “She’s a spitfire, isn’t she?” he comments to them but keeps his adoring look on me. His gaze tells me that he wants to rip this dress off me or burst into laughter. Either way, I revel in how we’ve learned to communicate with simple facial expressions.
“You are a sassy one, aren’t you?” Preston insults.
“Don’t patronize me.” I sneer. From the corner of my eye, Sophia and Preston exchange glances before Jack takes his focus away from me and turns to Preston.
“Preston,” Jack says, extending his arm to shake his hand in a polite gesture, but I can tell by the way Jack’s shoulders are tense that he’s struggling to be cordial around this man after their last interaction. Based on what Jack has told me, his hatred toward Preston goes deeper than their previous meeting.
“Hi, sorry our last meeting ended the way it did. I’m sure you know that I’d be a better fit. It’s not personal,” he says with a condescending tone.
I don’t like him already.
“It’s my family’s winery, so that does make it personal,” Jack quips, roughly patting Preston on the shoulder.
He jerks his shoulder away. “It’s business, my friend.”
“We’re not friends.”
I lean into Jack, sensing the exchange between them is headed into hostile territory. Flashing Sophia a side-eye, I rise to my tip toes to whisper in his ear, letting my lips linger on his earlobe, “Let’s grab a drink.”
Jack glances down at me. “Wonderful.”
My focus stays on Jack, but I feel the heat from Sophia’s stare bore into my shoulder blades, almost like a personal branding for her future sabotage.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jack
Mychestisfullof pride and satisfaction with how my wife handled the interaction with Preston and Sophia. Her sassy little comment made my dick jump. God, I can’t get enough of that fire in her.
