Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
“You’re a piece of shit, you know," Gabriel said levelly.
Despite the tone, I could see that I had wounded his pride. I smiled. “Yes, I am.”
"Where's Daphne? I assume she's somewhere socializing and happy to be back home?"
I raised a brow at him. "Daphne? What the fuck are you talking about?"
"I know she came to get back with you, so let's just cut the shit. I know how much you want Daphne. You wouldn't leave her alone when we got together."
I laughed. "You couldn't pay me enough millions to get with her. Why would I want her? Actually, the real question now is why would you want her?"
Gabriel stepped toward me. His gaze was filled with hate.
I didn't move, didn't blink as I stared back at him. If he thought he could scare me, he was dead wrong.
"I love her," he growled. "And I want her back. I know you convinced her to leave me. Finally."
I burst out laughing in Gabriel's face.
He looked shocked as he pulled back some and I could no longer feel his breath on my face. Thank God for that. I was pretty sure I would have had to punch him if I had to deal with it much longer. At that second, however, I was much too entertained by the fact that he really thought I'd taken her from him. That he loved her, a selfish bitch like her. It was hilarious.
"What the fuck is so funny?" he snapped.
"You're right. Daphne came around here last night and asked me to take her back. I told her to fuck off. See, Daphne doesn't love anyone, but herself. And money. Trust me, you can have her and keep her. I don't want anything to do with her."
Gabriel glared, but I was done with the situation. Why did I want to spend my party talking about the woman I would rather not see again if possible? If she weren’t the mother of my child, I would take a restraining order on her.
Before he could say another word, Hannah had arrived at my side. "Annie is running that room like she's a sergeant and all of the kids are her subordinates. I swear she's a little dictator waiting to happen," she said with a laugh.
I snagged her a glass of champagne. "Have some."
Hannah shook her head. "I shouldn't. I'm watching the children."
"A few sips won't hurt," I said. "Loosen up a little."
She took a sip and smiled. "Okay, it is nice to relax a little."
Gabriel stared at us.
I willed him to go away, but he wouldn't budge.
Hannah must have felt his deep glare too because she turned around and smiled at him. She held out a hand. "Hello, I’m Annie’s nanny."
"This is Gabriel, my half-brother. He's leaving," I said, my tone clipped. "Isn't that right, Gabriel?"
I watched as he reached over and shook her hand. The minute his slimy skin was touching hers I wanted to punch him in the face until he was bloody and bruised.
Hannah pulled away first. "Nice to meet you," she said quietly. Her mouth was set in a straight line and a nerve jumped in her temple. She looked like she was ready to sock him one.
Just seeing that she was upset about him, because of what he'd done to me, gave me comfort.
“Christian, could I talk to you for a minute?” she asked.
“Of course.” Taking her elbow, I started to guide her away from my brother.
“Have fun, Christian,” Gabriel called.
I ignored him.
We moved through the party to put as much distance between him and us as possible. Once we’d made it across the room, I let go of her and reached for a glass from a circulating tray of champagne. I couldn’t think of a better time to have a drink. I raised a brow at her and she seemed to realize that I was waiting.
“Oh,” she said quickly. “I didn’t actually need anything I just wanted to get you away from him. Sorry. Did I read it wrong? Your face had a ‘get me the hell out of here’ vibe.”
I burst out laughing. “Was it that pronounced?”
She grinned. “I don’t know if anyone else would have noticed it, but to me? Oh, yeah. You had that little nerve on the left side of your mouth that does its own thing when you’re not happy.”
My chest clenched. How had she’d learned so much about me? Hannah had come into my life and changed everything. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had remembered something so minute about me. My ex-wife certainly never took the time. “You know you’re amazing, right?”
I watched her eyes light up as she sipped at her champagne. We walked the party together, chatting and mingling between spurts of her checking on the children. I couldn’t think of a single person I’d rather spend time with.